UBC Okanagan

Program Requirements

Note: A student's supervisory committee may prescribe requirements beyond the minimums described below.

Master's Degree

The minimum requirements for IGS master's programs are 30 credits in total. Some courses may be taken multiple times for credit at the discretion of the program. Specific courses applicable to the student's program must be approved by the supervisory committee.

For the Individualized program option, students must complete at least 3 credits from outside their supervisor’s core program area.

Minimum requirements are as follows:

Research Methods and Analysis

At least 6 credits¹ from the following courses:

• IGS 501 Interdisciplinary Topics in Research Methods and Analysis;
• IGS 503 Indigenous Research Methods;
• IGS 504 Multivariate Statistics;
• IGS 505 Introduction to Qualitative Enquiry;
• IGS 509 Directed Studies in Interdisciplinary Research Methods;
• IGS 515 Advanced Qualitative Methods;
• or 500/600-level non-IGS courses in research methods and analysis approved by the Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program.

Special Topics and Directed Studies

At least 6¹ credits from the following courses:

• IGS 520 Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies;
• IGS 523 Special Topics in Indigenous Studies;
• IGS 524 Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Studies;
• IGS 529 Directed Studies in Indigenous Studies;
• IGS 530 Special Topics in Creative and Critical Studies;
• IGS 539 Directed Studies in Creative and Critical Studies;
• IGS 540 Special Topics in Optimization;
• IGS 541 Special Topics in Urban Studies;
• IGS 542 Directed Studies in Urban Studies;
• IGS 543 Special Topics in Sustainability;
• IGS 544 Directed Studies in Sustainability;
• IGS 549 Directed Studies in Optimization;
• IGS 550 Special Topics in Social Science Research;
• IGS 559 Directed Studies in Social Science Research;
• IGS 560 Special Topics in Latin American and Iberian Studies;
• IGS 561 Directed Readings in Latin American and Iberian Studies;
• IGS 620 Advanced Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies;
• or 500/600-level non-IGS courses approved by the Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program.

Master's Thesis

12 or 18 credits from the following course:

• IGS 599 - Master's Thesis.

¹One 3-credit 500/600-level IGS course approved by the Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program may be substituted.

Ph.D. Degree

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program are expected to have a prior master's degree of similar depth as the IGS master's degree. In exceptional cases, students may be admitted directly to the Ph.D. program.

The requirements for interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs are developed in consultation with and approved by the supervisor and program committee.

For the Individualized program option, students must complete at least 3 credits from outside their supervisor’s core program area.

Minimum requirements are as follows:

Research Methods and Analysis

At least 3 credits¹ from the following courses:

• IGS 501 Interdisciplinary Topics in Research Methods and Analysis;
• IGS 503 Indigenous Research Methods;
• IGS 504 Multivariate Statistics;
• IGS 505 Introduction to Qualitative Enquiry;
• IGS 506 Creative Research Methods;
• IGS 509 Directed Studies in Interdisciplinary Research Methods;
• IGS 515 Advanced Qualitative Methods;
• IGS 601 Advanced Topics in Research Methods and Analysis;
• or 500/600-level non-IGS courses in research methods and analysis approved by the Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program.

Special Topics and Directed Studies

At least 9 credits¹ from the following courses:

• IGS 520 Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies;
• IGS 523 Special Topics in Indigenous Studies;
• IGS 524 Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Studies;
• IGS 529 Directed Studies in Indigenous Studies;
• IGS 530 Special Topics in Creative and Critical Studies;
• IGS 539 Directed Studies in Creative and Critical Studies;
• IGS 540 Special Topics in Optimization;
• IGS 541 Special Topics in Urban Studies;
• IGS 542 Directed Studies in Urban Studies;
• IGS 543 Special Topics in Sustainability;
• IGS 544 Directed Studies in Sustainability;
• IGS 549 Directed Studies in Optimization;
• IGS 550 Special Topics in Social Science Research;
• IGS 559 Directed Studies in Social Science Research;
• IGS 560 Special Topics in Latin American and Iberian Studies;
• IGS 561 Directed Readings in Latin American and Iberian Studies;
• IGS 620 Advanced Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies;
• or 500/600-level non-IGS courses approved by the Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program.

¹One 3-credit 500/600-level IGS course approved by the Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program may be substituted.

Comprehensives and Doctoral Dissertation

Students must successfully complete:

• Comprehensives as outlined in the Guidelines for the Comprehensive Examination Process for Doctoral Students in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Program; and
• IGS 699 Doctoral Thesis.