The University of British Columbia offers Urban and Regional Studies: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - UBCO, a doctorate in Public Policy programme in Vancouver, Canada. The programme runs for 48 months, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 10,082 per year (CAD 5,739 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Public Policy
Duration: 48 months
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 5,739 / year
International tuition: CAD 10,082 / year
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Urban and Regional Studies is an interdisciplinary theme within UBC Okanagan's PhD in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies, situated in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in Kelowna, and examines the social, economic, and policy dimensions of both urban and rural settings. Coursework is flexible, with a minimum of nine credits set by the student's supervisory committee according to the specific discipline the research draws on, followed by a proposal defence, an oral candidacy exam, and a defended thesis. Research interests represented in the theme span more than twenty areas, including housing policy, economic development, gentrification, and sustainability. As of the 2026-27 admission cycle the theme was not accepting new applicants, so prospective students should confirm current availability directly with the program.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission to this UBC Okanagan PhD follows the College of Graduate Studies' general requirements, since the program page states no separate minimum grade average of its own; the program is not accepting applications for the 2026-27 intake, and admission additionally requires securing a faculty supervisor's support before applying. The application package must include an online application and fee, official transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended, a statement of intent, a current CV or resume, and two reference forms or letters. Non-native English speakers must submit an approved language test result; UBC Okanagan's published minimums are IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 90 overall (pre-21 January 2026 scale, no section below 21) or 4.5 overall on the scale used from 21 January 2026, PTE Academic 65 overall with no section below 60, Duolingo English Test 125 overall with no section below 115, or CAEL 70 overall with no section below 60.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic and international undergraduate applicants both apply through EducationPlannerBC for Winter Session 2027/28 (September 2027 entry) and Summer 2027: applications open in early October 2026 and the equal-consideration deadline is 15 January 2027, 11:59 p.m. PST, the same date for both groups; a few programs keep reviewing late applications on a space-available basis afterwards. Earlier dates apply only to entrance-award consideration -- 15 November 2026 for the International Scholars Program and 1 December 2026 for Presidential/Centennial/Beyond Tomorrow scholars. Several limited-entry programmes -- Law, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing (advanced entry), Occupational/Physical Therapy, Social Work and Teacher Education -- set their own earlier deadlines from October 2026 through February 2027. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
