Program Requirements

Master's Degree

The minimum credit requirements for IGS M.A. or M.Sc. programs are 30 in total. Specific coursework requirements may vary from Theme to Theme. Within the limits indicated in the overall IGS program guidelines, supervisors and supervisory committees may, with the approval of the relevant Theme Coordinator, require students to enrol in coursework beyond the IGS mandated minimums. Specific additional courses applicable to the student's program must be approved by the student’s supervisor and supervisory committee and the Coordinator of the relevant Theme.

Minimum course requirements for the IGS M.A. and M.Sc. are as follows:

• 3 credits in a Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies.
• 3 credits in a Theme Seminar in Interdisciplinary Approaches.
• 3 credits in Theme Methods.

And

1. For an MA or an MSc that requires 12 credits of thesis work, 9 credits of additional coursework that is relevant to the research the student will undertake to complete the Thesis; OR
2. For an MA or an MSc that requires 18 credits of thesis work, 3 credits of additional coursework that is relevant to the research the student will undertake to complete the Thesis; OR
3. For the Indigenous Knowledges Theme: iʔ sqilxʷ aʔ cmiy̓ t smypnwíɬnsəlx Capstone Project Pathway, that requires a 6-credit capstone project (IGS_O 597), 15 credits of additional course work. 

Master’s students are permitted a maximum of 3 credits of “Directed Readings” or “Directed Study” coursework toward completion of their degree requirements.

Master’s students are permitted a maximum of 6 credits of coursework at the upper undergraduate-level (300-400 level).

Master's Thesis

• IGS_O 599 - Master's Thesis.

Ph.D. Degree

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program are expected to have a prior master's degree, the subject matter of which is relevant to the interdisciplinary study they propose to undertake in their IGS Ph.D. program.

Minimum course requirements for the IGS Ph.D. are as follows:

1. 3 credits in a Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies.
2. 3 credits in a Theme Seminar in Interdisciplinary Approaches.
3. 3 credits in Theme Methods.

Ph.D. students who have completed an IGS Master’s program at UBCO may enrol in suitable alternatives as determined by the Theme Coordinator in consultation with the student’s supervisory committee.

Within the limits indicated in the overall IGS program guidelines, supervisors and supervisory committees may, with the approval of the relevant Theme Coordinator, require students to enrol in coursework beyond the IGS mandated minimums. The total number of required courses for a Ph.D. in IGS may not total more than 18 credits. Specific requirements and guidelines for achieving candidacy, including the successful completion of a comprehensive examination, are posted on the IGS website.

Specific requirements and guidelines for achieving candidacy, including the successful completion of a comprehensive examination, are posted on the IGS website.

Individualized Option

An Individualized Option is available at the Ph.D. level in the IGS program.

Applicants to the individualized option must propose a demonstrably interdisciplinary program of study and research.

Minimum course requirements for the IGS Individualized Option Ph.D. are as follows:

1. 3 credits in a Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies.
2. 3 credits in a Graduate Seminar in Interdisciplinary Approaches.
3. 3 credits in Interdisciplinary Methods.

Ph.D. students who have completed an IGS Master’s program at UBCO may enrol in suitable alternatives as determined by the Faculty IGS Coordinator, in consultation with the student’s supervisory committee.

Doctoral Dissertation

Ph.D. students must successfully complete:

• Comprehensives as outlined in the Guidelines for the Comprehensive Examination Process for Doctoral Students in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Program; and
• IGS_O 699 Doctoral Thesis.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Course Offerings

The following courses, classified into two categories, are available to students in the IGS program. This list does not include non-IGS_O courses at the graduate or upper undergraduate-level in which students may, with appropriate permission and consistent with these guidelines, enrol to fulfill IGS course requirements.

Research Methods and Analysis

• IGS_O 501 Interdisciplinary Topics in Research Methods and Analysis;
• IGS_O 503 Indigenous Research Methods;
• IGS_O 504 Multivariate Statistics;
• IGS_O 505 Introduction to Qualitative Enquiry;
• IGS_O 506 Creative Research Methods;
• IGS_O 509 Directed Studies in Interdisciplinary Research Methods;
• IGS_O 515 Advanced Qualitative Methods;
• IGS_O 601 Advanced Topics in Research Methods and Analysis;

Special Topics and Directed Studies

• IGS_O 520 Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies;
• IGS_O 523 Special Topics in Indigenous Studies;
• IGS_O 524 Proseminar in Interdisciplinary Studies;
• IGS_O 529 Directed Studies in Indigenous Studies;
• IGS_O 530 Special Topics in Creative and Critical Studies;
• IGS_O 539 Directed Studies in Creative and Critical Studies;
• IGS_O 540 Special Topics in Optimization;
• IGS_O 541 Special Topics in Urban Studies;
• IGS_O 542 Directed Studies in Urban Studies;
• IGS_O 543 Special Topics in Sustainability;
• IGS_O 544 Directed Studies in Sustainability;
• IGS_O 549 Directed Studies in Optimization;
• IGS_O 550 Special Topics in Social Science Research;
• IGS_O 559 Directed Studies in Social Science Research;
• IGS_O 560 Special Topics in Latin American and Iberian Studies;
• IGS_O 561 Directed Readings in Latin American and Iberian Studies;
• IGS_O 620 Advanced Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies;