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Overview
The mission of the Adult Learning and Education graduate program at UBC is to contribute to the creation, elaboration, exchange and application of knowledge concerning the education and learning of adults in diverse contexts. This includes the development of scholars and reflective practitioners who will shape society and its institutions in ways that promote lifelong education and learning for all in critical ways.
What makes the program unique?
The Adult Learning and Education (ALE) program is the oldest graduate adult education program in Canada with historical roots in traditions of social welfare, community development and extension education. ALE is concerned with the development of scholars and practitioners who will shape society in ways that promote lifelong learning for all. Our ALE program challenges students to understand the diverse contexts in which adult learning occurs and their role in these from a wide variety of theoretical, conceptual and philosophical perspectives.
Program Structure
The M.Ed. program is considered a professional degree for people who wish to work as practitioners in any adult education setting, most often as instructors, program planners, consultants or administrators. It is a 30-credit program with required and elective courses.
All on-campus master's students take a core of 9 credits of the following adult learning and education courses:
- EDST 503 (3)
- EDST 514 (3)
- EDST 518 (3)
These core courses are supplemented with electives that allow students to deepen their study of adult learning and education or to explore topics and issues addressed elsewhere in the department and the university that have implications for adult learning and education.
Students must also take a 3-credit research methods course approved by their pro-tem advisor (for available options, refer to the Program’s website).
To complete their 30-credit program, students can a) complete 15 credits of electives and the 3-credit graduating paper (EDST 590); or b) complete 18 credits of electives.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Admission Information & Requirements
Program Instructions
Please ensure you follow the instructions in the online application system. After submitting your application, it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all supporting materials are submitted properly and by the application deadline. The Admissions Committee will only review complete applications. You can check the status of your application and supporting materials through the online application system.
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: 92
Reading
22
Writing
22
Speaking
22
Listening
22
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
Overall score requirement: 6.5
Reading
6.0
Writing
6.0
Speaking
6.0
Listening
6.0
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.
2) Meet Deadlines
September 2025 Intake
Application Open Date
01 August 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
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.
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
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $116.25 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $2,628.52 | $5,407.74 |
| Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $7,885.56 | $16,223.22 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $1,500.00 (-) | |
| 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.
Program Funding Packages
We do not offer any scholarships within the department for our MEd programs, however you can check out the information on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Graduate Awards website about possible funding opportunities.
Average Funding
Within this program 10 students received funding in the form of teaching or research assistantships or internal or external awards averaging $16,000.
- 1 student received an internal award valued at $16,000.
Teaching Assistantships exclude lectureships; Internal Awards = awards funded from UBC budget; External Awards = government and other funding paid through UBC. Other funding (employment income, work learn, co-op, government sponsorship, independent research agencies, etc.) are not included. Please note that these historical values cannot speak to anticipated changes in future years.
Employer support
Organizations may provide their employees with tuition benefits as part of an employment package to support lifelong learning of their workforce.
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)
Professional / course-based programs usually do not provide merit-based funding. Some programs may offer bursaries.
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.
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Master of Education in Adult Learning and Education (MEd). 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 | 90 | 85 | 98 | 74 | 61 |
| Offers | 26 | 24 | 29 | 17 | 25 |
| New Registrations | 13 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 14 |
| Total Enrolment | 30 | 26 | 29 | 26 | 25 |
Completion Rates & Times
Disclaimer
Further Information
Specialization
The Adult Learning and Education (ALE) program has historical roots in traditions of social welfare, community development and extension education. ALE is concerned with the development of scholars and practitioners who will shape society in ways that promote lifelong learning for all.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
September 2025 Intake
Program Enquiries
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.
Why should you choose UBC?
From academic excellence and modern facilities to our diverse degree program listings to being named one of the “most innovative universities” by Reuters in 2019, UBC has a lot to offer.