Master of Arts (MA) in Sustainability

Sustainability is concerned with maintaining the conditions necessary for the wellbeing of humans and the environment. Critical for all life on Earth, sustainability is a complex issue that requires a broad and integrated approach to address its many facets, ranging from political and social issues to scientific study and technological solutions.The interdisciplinary graduate degree in sustainability at UBC Okanagan transcends conventional approaches, bringing together diverse perspectives, insights, tools, and techniques to seek solutions to the challenges of sustainability. Students will benefit from the knowledge and resources of four faculties and eight departments, and the collaborative opportunities resulting from the interdisciplinary nature of the program.The MSc and MA interdisciplinary degrees in sustainability give graduate students access to the expertise of diverse, nationally and internationally recognized researchers from a variety of faculties and disciplines in a coherent, thematic framework.Graduates of the program will come away with a nuanced understanding of contemporary sustainability issues, and be able to approach complex sustainability concerns from a holistic, systems perspective that integrates concepts from applied science, natural science, social science, and the humanities. Graduates will be prepared for positions in government, the private sector, and teaching and research institutions.

Applicants to the master’s program are expected to:

• hold the academic equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree from UBC
• demonstrate superior academic standing

Applicant background training must be sufficient for advanced work in their chosen field.

Applicants from a university outside Canada at which English is not the primary language of instruction must present evidence of competency to pursue studies in the English language prior to being extended an offer of admission. Acceptable English language proficiency tests for applicants to graduate studies are:

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): 90 overall with a minimum score of 22 in Reading & Listening and a minimum score of 21 in Writing & Speaking (Internet version), or
• IELTS (International English Language Testing Service): minimum overall band score of 6.5, with no individual component score less than 6.0, or
• PTE (Pearson) Academic: minimum overall score of 65, with no section score less than 60