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Graduate Degree Programs

UBC Science offers master’s and doctoral degrees through nine departments and 350 research groups. Each program offers a broad spectrum of research opportunities.

Astronomy (PhD, MSc)

UBC research in astronomy and astrophysics covers most areas of current interest in this broad field, including a wide range of theoretical and observational studies in astronomy, and also experimental and theoretical studies in cosmology.

Calendar Entry Program Site UBC Graduate Studies Profile

Atmospheric Science (PhD, MSc)

Programs leading to the MSc and PhD are offered by the Atmospheric Science program under joint sponsorship of the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences and the Department of Geography. Biometeorology students in Soil Science also have the option to work toward the Atmospheric Science graduate degrees.

Botany (PhD, MSc)

Research in Botany extends from genomics, molecular genetics, biochemistry and physiology of plants and eukaryotic microorganisms (e.g., fungi and protists) through to cytology and development to systematics, ecology, and phytogeography. Such a broad spectrum of activities provides for dynamic interactions between subdiscipline

 Calendar Entry Program Site UBC Graduate Studies Profile

Chemistry (PhD, MSc)

The Department of Chemistry offers a wide variety of research programs leading to degrees of MSc and PhD across the full breadth of chemistry, including inorganic, organic, analytical, biological, physical, theoretical, nuclear, environmental, and materials chemistry.

Computer Science (PhD, MSc)

The Department of Computer Science offers opportunities for advanced study leading to the PhD and MSc Fields of study include Bayesian statistics and applications, bioinformatics, computational intelligence (computational vision, automated reasoning, multi-agent systems, intelligent interfaces, and machine learning), computer communications, databases, distributed and parallel systems, empirical analysis of algorithms, computer graphics, human-computer interaction, hybrid systems, integrated systems design, networks, network security, networking and multimedia, numerical methods and geometry in computer graphics, operating systems, programming languages, robotics, scientific computation, software engineering, visualization, and theoretical aspects of computer science (computational complexity, computational geometry, analysis of complex graphs, and parallel processing).

Data Science (MSc)

The UBC Master of Data Science degree is a unique graduate program that empowers students to be ready to apply their newly acquired knowledge to a career in demand. If you are naturally inquisitive, have a passion for learning and a burning intellectual curiosity, with good communication skills and technical writing skills, then this is the program for you and your future career. Multi-disciplinary in nature, the UBC Master of Data Science program enables individuals with backgrounds in fields ranging from biology to linguistics to gain the statistical and computational knowledge and skills to fill the data science knowledge-worker gap.

Engineering Physics (PhD, MASc)

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a broad-based department with a wide range of research interests covering many key topics in contemporary physics, astronomy, and applied physics. Research activities are supported by computing and experimental facilities within the Department, as well as excellent electronics and machine shops.

Geological Engineering (PhD, MASc)

The Geological Engineering Program is intended for students interested in the application of earth sciences principles to engineering problems. While most geological engineering degree programs are based in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, students may also base their studies in allied Applied Science departments such as Civil or Mining Engineering.

Geological Science (PhD, MSc)

The Department maintains excellent provisions for research and study through the Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research (PCIGR), a regional facility providing state-of-the-art laboratories for isotopic and geochemical analyses of rocks and fluids.

Geophysics (PhD, MSc, MASc)

Theoretically and experimentally oriented Master of Science (MSc), Master of Applied Science (MASc), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs are offered in a number of key areas of geophysics.

Mathematics (PhD, MA, MSc)

The Department of Mathematics offers programs of study in most branches of pure and applied mathematics.

Medical Physics (PhD, MSc)

Medical physicists are health care professionals with specialized training in the medical applications of physics. Their work often involves the use of x-rays and accelerated charged particles, radioactive substances, ultrasound, magnetic and electric fields, infra-red and ultraviolet light, heat and lasers in diagnosis and therapy.

Microbiology and Immunology (PhD, MSc)

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology offers opportunities for original research in the areas of molecular and applied microbiology, biotechnology, cell and developmental biology, molecular biology, molecular genetics, molecular immunology, microbial pathogenesis, and virology.

Oceans and Fisheries (PhD, MSc)

The Oceans and Fisheries graduate program offers applied research in fisheries science, aquatic ecology, environmental physiology, natural resource economics, conservation science, marine governance, and climate change.

Oceanography (PhD, MSc)

Oceanographers investigate both fundamental and applied problems relating to the physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and geology of the sea, often working across traditional academic disciplines.

Physics (PhD, MSc)

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a broad-based department with a wide range of research interests covering many key topics in contemporary physics, astronomy, and applied physics.

Resources, Environment and Sustainability (RES)

The Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) provides interdisciplinary graduate studies through the Resources, Environment and Sustainability (RES) program. The mission of IRES is to foster sustainable futures through integrated research and learning concerning the linkages among human and natural systems and to support decision making for local to global scales.

Statistics (PhD, MSc)

The program leading to the Master of Science is designed to prepare students for employment in government and industry or to serve as preparation for students planning to undertake a program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy.

Zoology (PhD, MSc)

Zoology encompasses over 50 principal investigators. Research interests of faculty members can be divided into several broad categories with substantial overlap of interest and collaboration among these arbitrary groups. The program vigorously promotes integrative research in biology and actively participates in several interdisciplinary programs, including the graduate programs in genetics, neuroscience, applied mathematics, and resource management.

Find a UBC Science supervisor

Visit the UBC Graduate Studies website to search supervisors across nine departments and 350 research groups.

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Faculty of Science

International Ph.D. Program in Quantum Materials

Learn from leaders in quantum materials research in this collaborative Ph.D. program from the University of British Columbia and the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute and our partners at the University of Stuttgart and the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, Germany.

Two countries, one incredible education

The International Ph.D. Program in Quantum Materials (joint-PhD) is an exciting academic program connecting the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute (Blusson QMI) at the University of British Columbia and the University of Stuttgart , with participation from the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart , Germany. The program offers unparalleled opportunities to study in the fields of quantum materials and quantum materials-based devices, and its highly collaborative nature exposes graduate student scientists to a wide variety of experimental and theoretical techniques and materials systems beyond their immediate research projects and will empower students to contribute to a rapidly evolving research frontier.

“The joint Ph.D. program gives me the chance to get to know a second academic environment, meet interesting people, and participate in the collaboration between our two institutes.” – Rafael Haenel

Ph.D. student supervised by Marcel Franz at UBC, and Dirk Manske at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) in Stuttgart.

Who should apply

We are looking for outstanding and highly motivated scientists with a strong background in physics or chemistry. Strong publications on quantum materials and enthusiasm for collaborative research are expected.

Enrolled students must divide their time between the three participating institutions, and will be supported by faculty at each site. Degrees and certifications will be conferred by each institution. Learn more about the collaboration between our centres.

How to apply

To participate in the joint-PhD program, students must first be admitted to a Ph.D. program in physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, or a related discipline at either the University of Stuttgart or UBC.

Application deadline

Applications for this program will be accepted until December 2024. If you have questions about the program or its partners, email Andrea Damascelli at [email protected] or Dirk Manske at [email protected] .

How to apply to the program through The University of British Columbia (UBC)

Students who are admitted or who wish to be admitted to UBC should apply to the PhD program in Physics through the UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and indicate that they would like to be considered for the International PhD Program in Quantum Materials.

• Apply to study at the University of British Columbia

We recommend that you review and contact potential supervisors from the list of Principal Investigators at Blusson QMI prior to applying for the program. Applicants can also visit the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website for more information on Research Supervisors at the University of British Columbia .

How to apply to the program through the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research

Please submit your application to [email protected] . Your application should include the following documents:

• a cover letter describing your motivation for applying to the Max Planck–UBC–UTokyo Center for Quantum Materials and the joint PhD program between University of British Columbia and University of Stuttgart (brief letter, max. 1 page, indicating your preferred choice of the leading University)
• a CV with complete description of your academic career,
• your degree certificate and transcripts of courses taken and grades obtained
• contact details of two referees.

Please make sure to combine each of the above listed documents in a single PDF file. If you would like to submit further documents, please add them to the same PDF.

Requests for reference letters will be sent automatically to the two referees listed in your application. Please check with them that they are willing to provide references before you include them in your application.

Selection and admission

All applications will be assessed by a panel of members of both universities and the MP–UBC–UTokyo Center for Quantum Materials.

A selection committee composed of several Principal Investigators participating in the program will prepare a shortlist of candidates who then will be invited for our annual selection symposium to be held in Vancouver and Stuttgart. The symposium will include short talks by the candidates as well as introductory talks by PIs about their universities, institutes and research groups.

The candidates further will be interviewed by several PIs, and can visit one or more research groups before or after the symposium depending on their and their potential supervisors’ interests. This format will no only give the prospective students an opportunity to present themselves, but also to learn about the diverse research activities offered by the Max Planck–UBC–UTokyo Center for Quantum Materials. Successful candidates will receive an offer to join the program.

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We are working to find solutions to current and future problems for Canadians by developing materials, tools and technologies to solve some of the biggest environmental, medical, and computing challenges. To do this, we have established our Grand Challenges: three bold, ambitious ideas that will guide our research priorities and engage all of our research groups and investigators in collaboration over the next decade.

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Which University for Top PhD? SFU vs. UBC

• Thread starter churchillrcguy
• Start date May 19, 2007
• Tags Phd University
• May 19, 2007
• Test of a prototype quantum internet runs under New York City for half a month
• Unconventional interface superconductor could benefit quantum computing
• Langbeinites show talents as 3D quantum spin liquids

Unfortunately, Maclean's does not rank university departments according to what fraction of graduates go on to phds at "top universities"... You should probably just go to U of T along with all the other undergrads who want to go to a top university for a PhD. You might also wish to consider what other aspects of the university experience which are important to you. Would you like to smoke pot on the beach in the middle of the afternoon? Would you like to ride a bus up and down a steep hill every weekday for four years? Which university has the fatter squirrels? In all seriousness, UBC might be worth it just for Erich Vogt's first-year honours physics class. SFU has some great profs too (Andrew DeBenedictis). Wherever you go, take the honours courses - they tend to be smaller and better taught (and more fun). Like any other university in Canada, both UBC and SFU have some great teachers and some not-so-great teachers. If you go to either school you'll meet interesting people and have great life-altering experiences (because that is what happens when you go to university and throw yourself into the world). It probably won't much matter where you go or why as long as you work hard and enjoy yourself while you're there. Just go to whichever school gives you more money.  

• May 26, 2007

Related to Which University for Top PhD? SFU vs. UBC

What are the main differences between sfu and ubc for phd programs.

The main differences between Simon Fraser University (SFU) and University of British Columbia (UBC) for PhD programs include the location, campus size, and program offerings. SFU is located in Burnaby, British Columbia while UBC is located in Vancouver, British Columbia. SFU has a smaller campus compared to UBC. SFU offers a wider range of interdisciplinary programs while UBC is known for its research-intensive programs.

Which university has a better reputation for PhD programs?

Both SFU and UBC have strong reputations for their PhD programs. UBC is consistently ranked higher in national and international university rankings, but SFU also has a strong reputation for its interdisciplinary research and programs.

What is the average completion time for a PhD at SFU and UBC?

The average completion time for a PhD at SFU and UBC is typically around 4-6 years. This can vary depending on the specific program and the individual student's progress, but both universities have similar completion times.

Which university has a better funding and support system for PhD students?

Both SFU and UBC offer funding and support for PhD students, but UBC generally has more funding opportunities available. UBC also has a larger network of research centers and institutes which can provide additional support for students.

What are the admission requirements for PhD programs at SFU and UBC?

The admission requirements for PhD programs at SFU and UBC vary depending on the program and the specific department. Generally, both universities require applicants to have a master's degree, strong academic background, and relevant research experience. They may also require letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and standardized test scores such as the GRE or GMAT.

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UBC Physics & Astronomy Launchpad Program

We invited undergraduate students from equity-deserving groups in physics and astronomy – who were women or non-binary, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), 2SLGBTQ+, living with disabilities, and/or were in the first generation in their family to attend university – to join our Launchpad Program. This program opened to undergraduates or recent graduates who were interested in applying for research-oriented graduate programs in physics and astronomy for the Fall 2022 application cycle (for entry in 2023-24) or in Fall 2023 application cycle (for entry in 2024-25).

Program details

The program included a workshop event (in-person and remote) from June 15 to 18, 2022. Students were invited to:

• Meet with faculty members and students in the department
• Attend panel discussions on student life at UBC and industry career paths
• Learn about various research areas and projects researchers in the department work on
• Experience what it is like working in a lab, and take part in lab tours at various research facilities at UBC
• Participate in workshops on preparing and improving your graduate program application and securing a paid research experience

Participants will also be paired up with UBC Physics & Astronomy mentors (graduate students and post-docs) who will continue to be in touch to provide support and guidance in participants’ journey to join graduate school in the future.

Who can participate?

See workshop application guidelines . 12 applicants residing or studying in Canada, the United States or Mexico were invited to participate in person at UBC. Students from other locations were invited to participate remotely.

Is there a fee for this?

There is no fee for participating in this program. For students accepted to participate in-person, all costs, including travel, were be paid by the program. For in-person participants application fees for UBC Physics and Astronomy graduate school for the years 2023 and 2024 were waived.

Launchpad Program questions can be directed to [email protected] . Make sure to review all the website materials before contacting us.

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The UBC Theses and Dissertations collection promotes open and comprehensive access to a significant body of unique knowledge created by graduate students to support further research and for private study. The authors retain copyright ownership and moral rights to their theses. The content of theses and dissertations may not be re-purposed or exploited for commercial gain without the explicit permission of the authors. 

See Theses and Dissertations at cIRcle: Discovery and Use to learn more about finding and using openly available theses and dissertations in Open Collections. 

UBC graduate students began submitting their theses online via cIRcle, UBC’s digital repository, in fall 2007, a practice that both simplified the submission process and also ensured the availability of this research to a global audience in a timely manner. As of March 2012, UBC Library has digitized and made openly accessible the full-text of more than 32,000 theses submitted by graduate students between 1919 and 2007. In addition to providing information about specific fields of study these theses also reveal important information about changes in pedagogy at the University and within academic disciplines. Authors concerned about having their pre-2007 theses included as part of this collection can notify [email protected] to have their thesis removed. Similarly, if copyrighted material appears in a thesis the copyright owner can request that material be removed.

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Welcome to the ye group at ubc.

We are an experimental condensed matter group affiliated with  UBC Physics and Astronomy Department  and Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute , focused on probing and controlling the emergent degrees of freedom in low-dimensional quantum materials. Atomically thin materials such as transition metal dichalcogenide and graphene are currently our primary interest. We apply techniques including continuous and ultrafast optical spectroscopy, scanning nearfield optical microscopy, and nanofabrication of photonic devices to study fundamental science down to the atomic level. Our goal is to discover and understand unprecedented physical phenomena related to the future of quantum technology. Read More…

• Sept. 2023: Congratulation to Dongyang for winning the Willa and Stuart B. Woods Graduate Scholarship!
• June 2023: Our strain-induced slip avalanche work is published in Nano Letters. Congrats to Jing!
• Oct. 2022: Our 3R MoS2 asymmetric coupling work is published in Physical Review X. Congrats to Jing, Dongyang, and Jingda!
• May. 2022: Our 3R MoS2 photovoltaic effect work is published in Nature Photonics. Congrats to Dongyang and Jingda!
• May. 2022: We welcome the two summer interns of the year, Hawk and Vinit, to our group. We are now funded by Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to study topological superconductivity in 2D materials.
• Mar. 2021: We welcome Dr. Jerry Dadap and Dr. Jing Liang to join us from Columbia and Peking University.
• Jan. 2021: Congratulations to Dongyang and Yunhuan for proceeding to PhD candidates.
• Dec. 2020: Vedanshi Vala won the Outstanding Young Ambassador Leadership Award from Vancouver General Hospital Foundation.
• Sept. 2020: Sean Raglow joined us as master students. Sukhman Claire joined us for a coop intership. Dongyang was awarded the 2019 Huawei scholarship.
• Apr. 2020: Jingda Wu joined us as our first postdoc.
• Sept. 2019: Dongyang Yang and Yunhuan Xiao joined us as master students.
• June 2019: We welcome five summer intern students to experience research in our lab.
• Mar. 2019: awarded as a Tier-II Canadian research chair with a CFI from John R. Evans Leaders Fund.
• Sept. 2018: Our latest work on neutral and charged biexcitons is published in Nature Communications. A news story about our findings can be found in Nature Nanotechnology .
• July 2018: We welcome five summer intern students to our group.
• May 2018: Eddie Ji joined us as the first master student. Welcome aboard!
• Apr. 2018: We are awarded our first NSERC discovery grant.
• Our two new labs are located at AMPEL 45 and 173.
• The new group website has been launched!

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You are reading the 2024/25 Academic Calendar. The 2023/24 version remains in effect until August 31, 2024 and is available here .

Degrees Offered: Ph.D., M.Sc.

Professors Emeriti

I. Affleck, A. MacKay, J. M. Matthews, W. McCutcheon, G. Sawatzky, J. Young.

M. Aronson, M. Berciu, D. A. Bonn, D. Bryman, M. Choptuik, A. Damascelli, S. Dierker, J. Folk, M. Franz, C. Gay, B. Gladman, M. Halpern, M. D. Hasinoff, C. Hearty, J. S. Heyl, P. Hickson, G. Hinshaw, D. J. Jones, R. Kiefl, A. Lister, A. Marziali, J. McKenna, C. Michal, S. M. Oser, S. Plotkin, A. Rahmim, J. Rottler, M. Rozali, D. Scott, G. W. Semenoff, V. Sossi, I. Stairs, P. Stamp, W. Unruh, M. Van Raamsdonk, L. Van Waerbeke, C. Waltham, L. Whitehead, A. Zhitnitsky, F. Zhou.

Associate Professors

A. Boley, S. Burke, J. Karczmarek, S. R. Leslie, K. W. Madison, T. Mattison, V. Milner, A. Rauscher, S. Reinsberg, K. Schleich, K. Sigurdson.

Assistant Professors

A. Hallas, J. McIver, J. Parra Martinez, A. C. Potter, Z. Ye, K. Zou.  

Program Overview

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a broad-based department with a wide range of research interests covering many key topics in contemporary physics, astronomy, and applied physics. See elsewhere in the Calendar for graduate program descriptions of Astronomy and Engineering Physics. In addition, an accredited Master of Science program is offered with a sub-specialization in Medical Physics. Departmental research activities are supported by several computing and experimental facilities, and excellent electronics and machine shops. Much of the Department's research is enhanced by local facilities such as the TRIUMF National Laboratory, the Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory (AMPEL), and the BC Cancer Agency, UBC, and associated teaching hospitals, in addition to many specialized research laboratories housed within the Department. There is a great deal of collaboration and overlap of interests among the various groups, and incoming graduate students are currently attracted to research opportunities in many subfields of physics:

• Applied Physics
• Medical Physics
• Nuclear and Particle Physics
• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Theoretical Physics

Full details on research programs and facilities are available at the Department and AMPEL .

Doctor of Philosophy

Admission requirements.

Students are normally admitted to the Ph.D. program after obtaining an M.Sc. or M.A.Sc. and meeting the admission requirements set by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Alternatively, well-qualified students admitted to the M.Sc. program may transfer to the Ph.D. program after a year's residence at UBC if they have at least 12 credits in 500-level coursework with an overall average of at least 85%, clear evidence of research ability, and approval of the dissertation supervisor.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 12 credits in graduate level courses in any Science or Applied Science department are required for the Ph.D., with details of the course load determined in consultation with the dissertation advisor and supervisory committee. These credits may be from an M.Sc. degree at UBC or elsewhere. Student's programs must satisfy the Department's course requirements.

Students who do not already have credit for the required master's degree courses for their program or the equivalent graduate level courses from another university (approved by Graduate Chair) must take these courses in the Ph.D. program.

Students admitted with an M.Sc. or M.A.Sc. require a further 6 credits of graduate-level coursework in any Science or Applied Science department at UBC for the Ph.D.

All doctoral students are required to successfully complete a comprehensive examination. The major requirement for the Ph.D. is completion of a research dissertation meeting the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requirements.

Master of Science

The prerequisite for the program is either: a B.Sc. in physics (single or combined), astronomy, or mathematics; or, a B.A.Sc. in engineering physics or electrical engineering. An overall average of 80% or better in third- and fourth-year courses is expected for entry into the program.

The M.Sc. program requires a minimum of 30 credits, including an 18-credit thesis. The remaining 12 credits must be graduate courses in any Science or Applied Science department. All M.Sc. students are required to satisfy the Department's course requirements.

The Medical Physics streams within the Physics degree programs are no longer accepting new students; students should instead enter the programs for M.Sc. in Medical Physics or Ph.D. in Medical Physics.

 M.Sc. students must give a public presentation of their research work. This can be done at a research seminar in the department, or as an oral presentation at a conference, workshop, or meeting.

Contact Information

Department of Physics and Astronomy 6224 Agricultural Road Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1 Tel: 604.822.4245 Fax: 604.822.5324 Email: [email protected] Web: www.phas.ubc.ca Shiho Mehrhoff , Graduate Program Coordinator

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Contact the physics and astronomy department.

Learn more about the physics and astronomy department.

Application Requirements

All application materials must be submitted directly through the online application system. We do not accept paper application materials. Official transcripts should not be sent to the Guarini School office during the application process.

Application Fee

• GRE subject required.

English Language Proficiency 

• Language proficiency test scores are required for non-US citizens, with the exception of those who are earning or have earned a degree from institutions in the US or Canada, or whose primary language of instruction at their non-US institution was English.
• We accept TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo 
• The ETS code for the Guarini School is 3351

Personal Statements

• 2 required personal statement prompts.

Recommendation Letters

• 3 required, up to 4 accepted.

Transcripts

• Your most recent unofficial transcripts should be uploaded as part of your application. Official transcripts are not needed during the application process.

Program Supplement

Indicate your areas of interest:

• Astrophysics and Cosmology Observation
• Astrophysics and Cosmology Theory
• High Energy Theory
• Plasma and Space Physics Experiment
• Plasma and Space Physics Theory
• Quantum and Condensed Matter Experiment
• Quantum and Condensed Matter Theory

Select up to three faculty members that you are in contact with or are particularly interested in working with.

Learn more about the physics and astronomy faculty.

Questions About the Admissions Process

Admissions information can be found here.

Physics and Astronomy Department Website

Application Deadline: December 15, 2024

Degree Offered: PhD

• Master of Science in Medical Physics (MSc)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Go to programs search

Medical physicists are health care professionals with specialized training in the medical applications of physics. Their work often involves the use of x-rays and accelerated charged particles, radioactive substances, ultrasound, magnetic and electric fields, infra-red and ultraviolet light, heat and lasers in diagnosis and therapy. Most medical physicists work in hospital diagnostic imaging departments, cancer treatment facilities, or hospital-based research establishments. Others work in universities, government, and industry.

Graduates of the M.Sc. in Medical Physics program will:

• understand the physics of medical imaging and radiation oncology;
• be able to apply medical physics theory to frontier research;
• work effectively in clinical and research environments that include oncologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, cardiologists, neuroscientists, radiation therapy professionals and biomedical engineers;
• be highly competitive in the Canadian and international medical physics labour markets.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

The program benefits from research strengths within the Vancouver area medical physics community, e.g. radiation therapy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear medicine imaging (PET and SPECT) for brain, cardiac and cancer imaging, and high energy nuclear physics.

Research conducted within the program can directly contribute to provincial heath care initiatives through engagement of associate and adjunct faculty based in local health care institutions.

Both the MSc and PhD medical physicist are eligible to sit the Canadian College of Physicist in Medicine exam which awards the credential for clinical practice.

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 90

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

B.Sc. in Physics (single or combined), Astronomy, or Mathematics; or, a B.A.Sc. in Engineering Physics or Electrical Engineering.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Science in Medical Physics (MSc)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Options

Graduates will be equipped to pursue careers in hospitals, specialized areas of medicine (e.g. cancer treatment and research and brain research), government, industry and other medical research environments. Their work is interdisciplinary in nature and in many cases, translates to innovative solutions to real world medical problems relating to diagnosis and treatment of many disease types from cancer to brain and cardiac research.

Many of our medical physics faculty hold associate or adjunct professor status in the Department of Physics and Astronomy but have primary appointments in Departments of the Faculty of Medicine (Radiology, Surgery, Oncology) or work at the BC Cancer Agency Treatment or Research Centres.

In BC alone, population growth and replacement of retirements requires about 5 new radiotherapy physicists each year.  Growing demand for advanced medical imaging (CT, MRI, PET) creates a similar requirement for imaging physicists.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Master of Science in Medical Physics (MSc). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates & Times

• Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Ford, Nancy (Medical physics; Medical biotechnology diagnostics (including biosensors); Dental materials and equipment; micro-computed tomography; physiological gating; contrast agents; models of respiratory disease; image-based measurements; dental imaging; x-ray imaging)
• Kolind, Shannon (Medical physics; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; brain; Imaging; MRI; medical physics; multiple sclerosis; myelin; Neurological Disease; spinal cord)
• Kozlowski, Piotr (development and application of MRI techniques to study pre-clinical models of human diseases with specific focus on cancer and spinal cord injuries; development of the multi-parametric MRI techniques for prostate cancer diagnosis in the clinical setting.)
• Laule, Cornelia (Medical physics; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Pathology (except oral pathology); Auto-Immune Diseases; Axons; brain; Central Nervous System Inflammatory Diseases; Cerebral Atrophy; Histology; image analysis; Imaging; Inflammation; magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; multiple sclerosis; myelin; Nervous System Development; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neurological diseases; Neuronal Systems; pain; Pathology; Schizophrenia; Spinal Cord Diseases; spinal cord; Spinal cord injury)
• Rahmim, Arman (Clinical oncology; Medical physics; Physical sciences; Image Reconstruction; Machine learning and radiomics; medical physics; Molecular imaging; Quantitative Imaging; Theranostics)
• Rauscher, Alexander (Other physical sciences; Medical and biomedical engineering; magnetic resonance imaging; physics; quantitative susceptibility mapping; myelin water imaging; brain; maschine learning)
• Reinsberg, Stefan (Medical physics, MRIs )
• Sossi, Vesna (Medical Imaging, Brain imaging )
• Zeng, Haishan (Family practice, dermatology)

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Anthropomorphic phantoms for quantification of ¹⁸F-PET and ¹⁷⁷Lu-SPECT imaging in radiopharmaceutical therapies
• Development of a novel method to estimate kinetic micro-parameters in dynamic whole-body PET imaging protocols
• Myelin water, magnetization transfer, and inhomogeneous magnetization transfer imaging orientation dependence : observations and thoughts
• Impact of formalin fixation on multi-compartment T2 relaxation and its tissue orientation dependence in excised pig spinal cord white matter
• Using in vivo respiratory-gated micro-computed tomography imaging to monitor pulmonary side effects in 10 MV FLASH and conventional radiotherapy

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Physics (PhD)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Astronomy (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD)
• Master of Applied Science in Engineering Physics (MASc)
• Master of Science in Astronomy (MSc)
• Master of Science in Physics (MSc)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

Further information, specialization.

Required core courses of the Medical Physics program include Quantum Mechanics I (PHYS 500), Radiotherapy Physics I (PHYS 534), Radiotherapy Physics II (PHYS 535), Advanced Radiation Biophysics (PHYS 536), Radiation Dosimetry (PHYS 539), Image Reconstruction (PHYS 540), and Anatomy, Physiology and Statistics for Medical Physicists (PHYS 545) and Clinical Experience in Medical Physics (PHYS 546). There is one elective which should be chosen from Nuclear Medicine (PHYS 541), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PHYS 542), and Biomedical Optics (PHYS 543).

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Curious about life in Vancouver?

Find out how Vancouver enhances your graduate student experience—from the beautiful mountains and city landscapes, to the arts and culture scene, we have it all. Study-life balance at its best!

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