Brent Peekeekoot
Master of Architecture (MARCH)
Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more
The Master of Architecture (MArch) graduate degree program offers an accredited three-year curriculum. This professional course of study is highly demanding with a large proportion of the curriculum being required coursework. Design studios are integrated with courses in architecture history and theory, technical and material systems, and design media and representation. Within this challenging program, opportunities to develop individual identity and special skills are made possible through the selection of special topic design studios, thoughtful engagement with electives, and especially through the execution of the Graduation Project.
Each student furthers their network by working with full-time faculty and local professional design community who are active participants in studio reviews, graduation project committees, and the mentorship program. Within the Faculty of Applied Science, students have access to a research library ranked among the best in Canada and other faculty in engineering or community and regional planning. With Study Abroad, there are opportunities to be engaged with the ever-changing cultural concerns in architecture and landscape architecture.
The full program is 119 credits. Students entering the program with an undergraduate degree normally take three and one-half years of full-time study to complete the requirements. Students holding a pre-professional architecture degree will be considered for advanced placement. At the time of application, the program's Admissions Committee will determine the extent of advanced placement on the basis of the applicant's undergraduate transcript and portfolio.
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.
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:
Overall score requirement: 100
Reading
22
Writing
21
Speaking
21
Listening
22
Overall score requirement: 7.0
Reading
6.5
Writing
6.5
Speaking
6.5
Listening
6.5
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.
Applicants to the MArch program must hold a degree in almost any discipline [BA, BSc, BFA, BASc, etc.] that is academically equivalent to a UBC four-year Bachelor's degree.
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.
A minimum of two references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. Each graduate program determines the type of reference (e.g. academic, professional) and number of references they require which can range from 2 to 4. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your qualifications for the program.
Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.
Course-based programs do not have a thesis component. While they may assign academic advisors to students, they do not require applicants to reach out to individual professors / faculty members to seek commitment as their thesis supervisor. Please do not contact faculty members for the purposes of thesis supervision if you are applying to this program.
Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.
All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.
Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
---|---|---|
Application Fee | $116.25 | $168.25 |
Tuition * | ||
Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
Tuition per installment | $2,103.54 | $18,198.63 |
Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $6,310.62 | $54,595.89 |
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | Not applicable | |
Other Fees and Costs | ||
Supplementary fees (yearly) | $350.00 Student Society Fees | |
Student Fees (yearly) | $1,144.10 (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. | |
Deposit to accept offer (if admitted) | ||
Deposit requirement | $1000.00 | $1000.00 |
Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options.
Organizations may provide their employees with tuition benefits as part of an employment package to support lifelong learning of their workforce.
Professional / course-based programs usually do not provide merit-based funding. Some programs may offer bursaries.
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.
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.
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 24 hours a week during academic sessions.
A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.
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.
Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.
While the majority of our graduates have gone on to careers directly in architecture, that path is by no means the only one. Over the course of your studies here, you’ll gain invaluable skills in:
These statistics show data for the Master of Architecture (MARCH). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Applications | 421 | 513 | 639 | 416 | 440 |
Offers | 126 | 126 | 114 | 121 | 114 |
New Enrolment | 57 | 49 | 55 | 60 | 56 |
Total Enrolment | 166 | 156 | 181 | 181 | 174 |
Architecture examines built environments relative to artistic, technical, social, cultural, and political circumstances. Our students design locally and globally, and approach architectural practice and research with critical inquiry.
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.