The University of British Columbia (UBC), in spectacular Vancouver, BC has an exceptional commitment to “interdisciplinarity.” This commitment infuses all aspects of the university from Science One and Arts One programs for undergraduates to the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP). Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, Program in Health and Society, National Core for Neuroethics, and Developmental Neurosciences & Child Health. Cross-talk, cooperation, and collaboration among members of departments, faculties, and programs is an integral part of UBC.
The Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program (ISGP) at UBC is for exceptionally bright and motivated individuals to pursue interdisciplinary PhD research exceeding the provisions of any single department or graduate program.
ISGP is one of the only Canadian programs to offer doctoral degrees in interdisciplinary studies, and may be the largest such program in North America. Few universities explicitly support the unbounded interdisciplinarity that is offered by ISGP, where students can bring together three or more seemingly unrelated fields from disparate faculties. They might, for example, combine law, medicine & anthropology, or music, psychology, & electrical engineering. There are no restrictions on the combinations or topics, provided the proposed plan for graduate work is well-motivated and can attract willing faculty mentors.
A student might explore a new interstice on the frontier of knowledge, or might prefer a more an interdisciplinary approach to Developmental Studies than is currently unavailable within a single department or program. This provides the flexibility for a student to study development from molecules to populations, or anywhere in between.
For more in information on ISGP see: www.isgp.ubc.ca/prospective-students
Application Information can be downloaded from:
www.isgp.ubc.ca/prospective-students/download-materials
FUNDING: Four-Year Fellowships available
Base-level = tuition completely covered
plus $16,000 stipend per year for 4 years
Potential additional funding available through individual faculties & programs
Who is Eligible? Everyone. Both Canadian and International PhD applicants
ALL PhD applicants offered admission are automatically considered for funding
Selection is based on academic excellence
For more information see: www.grad.ubc.ca/forms/awards/students/4YF_Guidelines.pdf
Below is a sample listing of only a small subset of the faculty a student might choose to study under or do research with. Click on a name or specialty for more information:
