Master’s Degree Admission Requirements

Credential or degree

An approved Bachelor’s degree in education, language studies, or a related area*.

*From Quebec’s French universities, a three-year Bachelor’s degree is acceptable provided the Diplome d’Etudes Collegiales (DEC) has been previously awarded.

Grade

Canadian and USA institutions: a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC) in third- and fourth-year courses.

Other countries: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/check-your-eligibility

In cases where applicants have also completed graduate-level coursework toward a master’s level program, or as an unclassified student, this coursework is assessed separately. A considerably higher standing may be required because of competitive demand.

Teaching experience

At least two years of successful teaching experience – we consider carefully the type and length (in years) of the candidate’s teaching experience and its relevance to the program.

Academic experience

For MA applicants, we also consider carefully any relevant professional and academic experience including conference presentations, professional workshops, and publications.

Evidence of research ability

MA applicants must demonstrate their ability to conduct data-based research. We judge from your statement of interest, sample writing, and recommendation letters.

Background in discipline

In general, for applications to the Literacy Education program, at least an 18-credit concentration in the subject area is required with at least a B+ standing. The following are the minimum requirements for each specialization area.

  • Literacy Education: Secondary and Elementary:
    Appropriate background includes an undergraduate degree in any discipline combined with post-degree teacher education (BEd or equivalent) with expertise in secondary English or elementary language arts.
  • Public, Government/Non-Government, and Community Sectors:
    Appropriate background includes an undergraduate degree in disciplines leading to professions such as public librarians, early childhood educators, adult educators, educational consultants, curriculum designers, materials and policy developers, non-government and community-based organizations, and the informal education sector.

Please see the description of all LLED courses on Workday Student.

English proficiency tests

Applicants who received a degree from a North American university are not required to submit their English test scores. Similarly, applicants who completed their degree outside North America from an institution in which English was the primary language of instruction of the entire university (not just a program) are not required to provide English test scores as part of their application.

Please note that we can only accept your English test scores if the test has been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of the application. An official test score report ordered from the testing agency has to be sent to UBC. Acceptable English language proficiency tests for applicants to UBC Grad School are:

TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, minimum score 580 (paper-based) or 237 (computer based), or new minimum TOEFL score of 92 (with a minimum of 22 for each component).

or

MELAB – Michigan English Language Assessment Battery. Minimum overall score 85.

or

IELTS – International English Language Testing System – Academic. Minimum overall band score 7, with no component less than 6.5.

or

PTE – Pearson Test of English – Minimum overall score of 66, with no component less than 61.

Score submission for IELTS:

UBC requires an official score to be sent to us electronically from the test centre.

On the IELTS application form you will be asked to specify institutions where you would like the results being sent to. To ensure UBC receives your results correctly, you have to use the following details on the application:

  • Name of institution: The University of British Columbia
  • Name of person/department: Graduate School Admissions
  • Address: 170-6371 Crescent Road, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z2, Canada

Score submission for TOEFL:

  • Use the University of British Columbia’s institution code 0965
  • Give the reason for taking TOEFL “to enter a college or university as a graduate student”

UBC accepts either an official paper score report sent directly to the university from the testing centre or electronic submission.

For more information regarding English Requirements please here.

Availability of faculty member

If you are applying to MA and interested in working with particular faculty members, you can indicate their name(s) in your statement of interest or on the application form. However, admissions decisions are made by an admissions committee and individual professors are unable to make commitments to supervising you in advance of the committee’s adjudication. Thus, there is no need for you contact potential supervisor(s) to obtain their commitment to supervision.

When indicating potential supervisor(s), please note that assistant professors of teaching, associate professors of teaching, and professors of teaching will need the university’s approval to supervise PhD or MA students.

Awards, fellowships, scholarships, and distinctions

If you have received any awards, fellowships, scholarships, and distinctions, indicate so in your application.

Online Application and Fees

All applications are done through the Faculty of Graduate Studies Online Application. Please note that your online application will not be processed until you have completed payment online and electronic reference notification will not be sent to your referees unless you have completed the application.

For details about the online application system and fees, please visit the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies page.

Required documents

Transcripts and Academic Documents

  • Applicants must upload a copy of the official transcript for every post-secondary institution they have attended, including original transcripts for the transfer credit and exchange courses.
  • The uploaded documents must be copies of the official transcripts and diplomas (no grade sheets or unofficial transcript from the portal acceptable): order official transcripts from your institution(s), and then scan and upload copies to the application system.
  • Applicants need to provide a key or a legend to transcript grades and symbols (usually the back of the transcript). The key explains the grading, course numbering system, etc.
  • All pages of one transcript must be uploaded as a single file (rather than a separate file for each page).
  • If the transcript is issued in a language other than English: upload a copy of the transcript in the original language and the certified English translation of the transcripts from the home university’s translation service or a certified English translator.
  • No UBC transcripts are required- we have access to those documents.
  • WES report is not required. It can be handy as supplemental data but cannot substitute the official transcript.
  • We don’t require the GRE for admission to our programs.

Reference Letters

  • Three references are required for application to graduate programs. Those references should be confidential, and not seen by the applicant.
  • Applicants may choose to use academic and/or professional references. We require three references including at least one university instructor.
  • In the online application system, applicants provide an institutional/ email address for each referee – a unique link is emailed to the referee, allowing them to submit an online reference or upload a free-form letter as an attachment.
  • The uploaded free-form document must be on the institutional letterhead and have the referee’s signature.
  • If a referee has a non-institutional email account (gmail, hotmail, etc.), they have to send the reference by post in a sealed envelope and sign across the flap of it. Our mailing address is:
    • Department of Language & Literacy Education
      Graduate Program Assistant
      Ponderosa Commons Oak House
      Room 2013, 6445 University Boulevard
      Vancouver, BC
      Canada V6T 1Z2
  • Photocopies of reference letters, faxes, emails, or documents received without the sealed envelope and the signature of the referee are not acceptable.
  • If the reference is issued in a language other than English: referee has to send by post the original reference and certified English translation.

Statement of Interest

  • The statement must be written in the form of a short essay (maximum of 500 words).
  • It should explain in what way your academic or research interest matches what our department offers and how much you are prepared to embark on your graduate study in language and literacy education and/or to conduct your research on a particular topic. 
  • It is also the opportunity to tell us about your past education and other experiences; specific skills/expertise; publications; presentations; and what you hope to achieve in our program.

CV/Resumé

Resumé/Curriculum Vitae, a short summary of relevant professional and academic background. Please outline your work experience and academic history. See the following suggested items with a CV Sample

Writing Sample

An example of scholarly writing, such as a portion of a master’s thesis or a short scholarly paper (maximum 30 pages; please do not send books or hardbound copies). Please upload your writing sample as an electronic file (doc or pdf) in the online application.

Offers of admission

Once a student is deemed admissible an appropriate pro tem (temporary) advisor for the student is identified. “Qualifying” status calls for the completion of specified prerequisites before being fully admitted to the program.

Any offer for admission is valid only for the academic year it is made. Candidates who do not accept an offer must reapply if they wish to be considered for admission in a subsequent year. It is not necessary to submit new documents unless the student has completed further academic work.

Conditional admission

Condition(s) that must be met before offer can be considered final. Such conditions may include final documentation showing degree conferred, or submission of academic records from previous institutions. Letter of admission stipulates deadline dates as to when the conditions must be met. Failure to comply with a condition will normally result in the student having to withdraw from the program.

Important notice regarding multiple applications

The Department of Language and Literacy Educationwelcomes interest across our diverse range of graduate offerings; however, applicants should be aware that submitting separate applications to multiple graduate programs within this department does not increase the probability of admission.

To ensure the most effective review of your materials, we ask that you adhere to the following procedure:

  1. Primary Application: Submit a single, complete application to the program that most closely aligns with your primary academic and professional goals.
  2. Secondary Consideration: If you wish to be considered for alternative graduate programs within Language and Literacy Education should your primary application be unsuccessful, please indicate this by listing those programs in the “Areas of Interest” section of the online application. (For example, in applying for the MA in TESL, you may indicate a willingness to be considered for the MEd in TESL as a second choice.)

By following this process, you allow our admissions committees to better understand your specific research interests while ensuring you remain eligible for all relevant opportunities within the department.

Also note that it is possible to transfer between closely related LLED programs once admitted (e.g., MEd to MA), provided you notify your academic supervisor of your wish to transfer in the first term of study and provided your academic progress is strong.

Apply Now Through UBC Graduate Studies

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