Program Overview

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Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in the field of chemical and biological engineering. The program focuses on the development of innovative and sustainable solutions to pressing local and global challenges in industry and society.

Program Description

Chemical and Biological Engineering provides innovative and sustainable solutions to pressing local and global challenges to industry and society, with faculty being engaged in the following broad areas:

• Biotechnology
• Chemical Process Engineering
• Energy and Materials
• Environmental Engineering

Admission Information & Requirements

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.

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.

Prior Degree, Course, and Other Requirements

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.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

Fees for the program are as follows:

• Application Fee: $118.50 (Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat), $168.25 (International)
• Tuition per year: $5,626.02 (Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat), $9,883.98 (International)

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based and need-based opportunities. The program provides a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD.

Career Outcomes

The program has a graduation rate of 95% based on 66 students admitted between 2011 - 2014. Based on 41 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 1.02 years and the maximum time is 9.22 years with an average of 5.37 years of study.

Research Supervisors

The program has a list of faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. Some of the research areas include:

• Biotechnology
• Chemical Process Engineering
• Energy and Materials
• Environmental Engineering

Sample Thesis Submissions

Some examples of thesis submissions in the program include:

• Per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) destruction in concentrated waste using advanced oxidation/reduction processes (AO/RPs)
• Biomass valorization: extraction, characterization and utilization of cellulose nanomaterials
• Transfer learning via Gaussian process and Probabilistic principal component analysis and its application in real-world industry data

Related Programs

Some related programs at UBC include:

• Master of Applied Science in Chemical and Biological Engineering (MASc)
• Master of Engineering in Chemical and Biological Engineering (MEng)
• Master of Science in Chemical and Biological Engineering (MSc)

Further Information

For more information about the program, please visit the UBC Calendar or the program website. The program identifier is VGDPHD-D2, and the classification is Engineering and technology » Chemical engineering » Chemical engineering.