Applications for September 2012 are no longer being accepted. Applications will re-open in the fall, check back for more information.
Late applications will not be accepted.
Thinking of applying to RMES? Follow these steps to ease the process.
- Establish your eligibility. Please note that our departmental requirements are higher than the minimum requirements set by UBC’s Faculty of Graduate Studies.
- Take a look at the profiles of our faculty and associates. You may wish to contact some of them regarding your thesis proposal ideas.
Note: You will be asked to suggest potential supervisors for yourself later in the application process. - Read our FAQ’s and the this page carefully, they should provide the answers to all of your questions.
Should you have any other questions about the application process, please contact the RMES (Resource Management Environmental Studies) Graduate Coordinators at admissions@ires.ubc.ca
Successful applicants to the RMES program begin studies in September.
Applicants must submit the following documentation in the required format before the application deadline.
Submit only the following:
- Please complete the Application form and pay the application fee of $91.80 for domestic students and $153 for international students, online at www.grad.ubc.ca/apply/online/
- Two (2) copies of your official University transcripts from all post-secondary institutions – sent directly from the issuing institution in signed, sealed envelopes. We require a GPA weighted A- average, (3.7 GPA) or 80% minimum. For institutions using a different grading scheme, First-Class Honors status or the equivalent must have been obtained.
Please have your transcripts sent to:
- Graduate Program Coordinator,
- IRES, AERL 430-2202 Main Mall,
- The University of British Columbia,
- Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada.
- Three (3) letters of recommendation (no more, no less!) Please arrange for your referees to submit reference letters via the online application system at www.grad.ubc.ca/apply/online/. Instructions for inviting referees to the online reference form can be found at that site.
If it is not possible for the referee to use that system, paper references must be submitted in sealed individual envelopes sent directly by the referee to the RMES program to the address above. The envelope’s seal and the letter must be signed in ink by the referee.
- Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) are desirable and should be submitted if possible. Please consult this document to find the correct codes.
- English proficiency – all candidates whose degree was not taken in English will need to fulfill the University’s English requirement. For these students a TOEFL score of 600 (paper based), 250 (computer based) or 100 (internet based). The required minimum IELTS score should be 7 with no component less than 6.5. The University code for UBC is 0965 and the department code for IRES and the RMES program is 46.
The following requirements are specific to the RMES program:
Please submit the following documents in pdf format by using our online submission form: http://www.ires.ubc.ca/admissions/admissions-form/
- Thesis Proposal – a thesis proposal or statement outlining the issues to be addressed, the perceived relevance or importance of the issue, the objectives of the research and proposed methods to be used. The thesis proposal is limited to 4 pages (12 point font, 2.5cm margins). The page limit includes references.
- Writing Sample – of work done in the previous degree, or subsequently in English. 15 page maximum.
The thesis proposal and writing sample should be submitted electronically as separate .pdf files.
You will need to complete the online application before you submit these documents.
We encourage potential applicants to the program to consider applying for funding such as NSERC or SSHRC awards in the same academic session as they apply to us. However, please note that whilst funding confirmation will be taken in to consideration when assessing your application it cannot guarantee you a place in the program. For more information on awards applied for by our students, please see the awards page.
Please note that because of the number of applicants to the RMES program, and the limited number of faculty members who supervise students, not all students who meet these minimum criteria can be admitted to the program.
The IRES admissions committee of the RMES program makes recommendations to the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies based on the information provided in the application and its supporting documentation. The ultimate decision and admission offer comes from the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
View this chart for more information on how our admissions process works.
