Transfers

Transfer requests must be received a minimum of one month prior to the start of the new program. Transfers can only be processed for the following start dates: January, May, or September.

Requests for transfer can take 2-3 weeks to be processed, as they may require approval from the graduate supervisor, the graduate advisor, the Faculty of Applied Science and/or the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

• Transfers from PhD to a Master’s program should not be for academic reasons, but rather must be justified on the appropriateness of a student’s personal or professional goals.

• Students must send an official request to the program office with the requested date of transfer (must be the first day of term – September, January, or May).

• Deadline: one month prior to start of new term.

• Students must send an official request to the program office with the requested date of transfer (must be the first day of term – September, January, or May).

• The department will request confirmation from your supervisor that she/he is in support of transferring credits to the new program. Transferable credits will be assessed at time of transfer request.

• Only courses with a minimum of B standing (74% at UBC) will be considered for transfer.

• Note: BMEG 597 typically cannot be used for credit unless the project was substantially different from the proposed thesis.

• Deadline: one month prior to start of new term.

• Students must send an official request to the program office with the requested date of transfer (must be the first day of term – September, January, or May).

• Students must have secured a supervisor who is able to provide SBME’s minimum funding.

• The department will request a memo from the supervisor to confirm that she/he is in support of the transfer, including the rationale.

• Supervisor will sign admission letter and student will receive a copy.

• Only courses with a minimum of B standing (74% at UBC) will be considered for transfer.

• Deadline: one month prior to start of new term.

Transfer directly into a PhD program should be accomplished after the first year of study and will not be permitted after the completion of the second year in a Master’s program.

Transfers may not be retroactive.

The transfer must be clearly justified by the student’s supervisor in a memorandum to Graduate Studies recommending the transfer.

Students who wish to transfer from a Master’s program to a PhD program must have:

• Completed one year of study in the Master’s program (and less than two years).

• Completion of minimum 18 credits for MASc coursework (not including BMEG 599). Of this coursework:

• minimum 80% average in 12 credits

• at least 12 of these credits must be at the 500 level or above

• at least 9 credits must be at 80% or above

• all grades above 68%

• no seminars can be used towards this requirement

• successful completion of a PhD Comprehensive Exam

• the student must also show clear evidence of research ability.

Conditions after transfer (MASc to PhD)

• Completion of remaining coursework required for advancement to candidacy either:

• (a) 24 months from start of registration in MASC program, or

• at least 4 months after transfer, whichever is later.

If a student transfers from a Master’s program to a PhD program without completing the Master’s degree, the commencement of the PhD program will be from the date of first registration in the Master’s program.

Further information on transferring to a PhD program is available on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

Students requesting a transfer to or from another department should discuss it with their supervisor and review the G+PS policies at Transfer Another Degree Program.