Master of Science in Planning (MSCP)
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Overview
SCARP's Research Masters degree is a thesis-based research program of study, intended for any of the following:
- Those interested in progressing to Doctoral research
- Mid-career professionals not prepared to undertake a PhD
- Those building a professional platform of high-level planning and public-policy work
- Researchers seeking in-depth insights in the field of Planning
MAP and MScP represent the same degree program. Graduates are conferred a Master of Arts in Planning (MAP) if having entered the program with a Bachelor of Arts degree, or a Master of Science in Planning (MScP) if having entered the program with a Bachelor of Science degree.
What makes the program unique?
- With the freedom to undertake a regimen of SCARP and other UBC courses, students can build their degree based on their envisioned research inquiries and from a truly transdisciplinary position.
- Working under the guidance of a SCARP Faculty Supervisor, students benefit from some of the most extraordinary academic minds in the Planning world, from a diverse array of sub-specialties and lenses.
- Accepting those with undergraduate degrees from either an Arts program or a Science program solidifies the transdisciplinary nature Planning enjoys when at its best, creating scholars and professionals with the diverse array of perspectives needed to address the challenges of the field.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Contact the program
Admission Information & Requirements
Program Instructions
SCARP requires that students applying to the MAP submit a pre-application questionnaire prior to being invited to submit an official application.
The Admissions Committee considers many factors in making admissions decisions. Factors include academic preparation, academic capability, experience, and fit with School of Community and Regional Planning.
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:
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: 100
Reading
22
Writing
21
Speaking
21
Listening
22
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
Overall score requirement: 7.0
Reading
6.5
Writing
6.5
Speaking
6.5
Listening
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 optional.
Prior degree, course and other requirements
Prior Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree.
2) Meet Deadlines
September 2025 Intake
Application Open Date
02 December 2024Canadian Applicants
International Applicants
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 Planning (MSCP)
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.
Research Information
Research Focus
Community Development and Social Planning, Comparative Development Planning, Disaster and Risk Management Planning, Ecological and Natural Resources Planning, Transportation Planning, Urban Development Planning
Program Components
MAP/MSCP students can access all elective courses available to MCRP students except core MCRP courses and studios reserved for MCRP students only.
Required courses:
- PLAN 558: The Role of Theory in Planning Research
- PLAN 559: Design of Planning- and Policy-oriented Research
- PLAN 560: Master's Thesis Workshop
- Any non-SCARP UBC course re: qualitative research methods (if approved first by supervisor)
Concentration courses:
- 12 credits of approved courses tailored to your interest, in careful consultation with your advisor.
- PLAN 549C: Master's Thesis
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $116.25 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,838.57 | $3,230.06 |
| Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $5,515.71 | $9,690.18 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $1,116.60 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living | Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies. | |
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
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
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Master of Science in Planning (MSCP). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
ENROLMENT DATA
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 10 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 1 |
| Offers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New Registrations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Enrolment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Disclaimer
Research Supervisors
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 Planning (MSCP)
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.
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Angeles, Leonora (Gender analysis, gender mainstreaming and other gender planning related tools, including feminist critiques and perspectives on the intergration of gender and other social axes of difference and diversity in community planning and international development work)
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Barudin, Jessica (All other social sciences, n.e.c.; Indigenous health; Indigenous Planning; Traditional Indigenous medicine and treatments; health; Indigenous methodologies; Community planning; North American Indigenous languages)
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Binet, Andrew (Community development / social planning; Community health and care; Equity; Participatory action research; Participatory planning; Public engagement)
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Campbell, Heather (Urban and regional planning; how academics can work more effectively with non-academics to enhance impact of research; how academics can work more effectively with non-academics to enhance the relevance of research; how ethical values can be incorporated into public policy relating to city and regional planning)
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Chang, Stephanie (All other social sciences, n.e.c.)
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Clifton, Kelly (transport and land use interactions, travel behaviour, pedestrian modeling, equity in transportation policy)
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Hooper, Michael (Social sciences; Urban planning; Urban Policy; Comparative Politics; Spatial Planning and Policy; International development; Disasters; Displacement; Densification; Organizations)
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Kamizaki, Kuni (Architecture; Community development / social planning; Displacement; EDI perspectives and practice; housing; Planning theory)
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Lim, Theodore (Environmental and Climate Justice; Urban Analytics; Sustainability Planning)
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Low, Margaret (Urban and regional planning; Indigenous community planning; Indigenous sovereignty; Reconciliation)
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Senbel, Maged (Urban design, environmental planning, climate change planning, public engagement, urban agriculture, multi-media, social media and youth engagement)
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Stevens, Mark (evaluating the effectiveness of local and regional government land use planning efforts, with a goal of producing new knowledge that can help communities anticipate and adapt to changes according to the principles of sustainable development; plan-making and implementation, growth management, natural hazard mitigation, and legal issues in planning; (1) a study of municipal climate change planning in BC, (2) a meta-analysis of environmental policy adoption, (3) a plan evaluation study of award-winning plans, and (4) a study on the content and delivery of quantitative methods courses in urban planning programs)
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Tran, Martino (systems science, predictive modelling and simulation for understanding and tackling societal challenges in energy and sustainability)
Further Information
Specialization
Planning emphasizes an integrated approach that encompasses urban policy and community development, international development, environmental and natural resources, urban design, and planning processes and methods.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
Classification
September 2025 Intake
Program Enquiries
Contact the program
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.
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