Program Overview

PhD Program Overview

The PhD program in Computer Science at the University of British Columbia is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in the field, preparing them for careers in research and academia. The program is structured to ensure that students gain a breadth of knowledge in computer science, as well as sufficient depth in a specific area of research.

Program Requirements

To complete the PhD program, students must fulfill the following requirements:

• Pass the Research Proficiency Evaluation (RPE)
• Complete the Comprehensive Course Requirement
• Successfully defend the Thesis Proposal Exam
• Pass the Final Doctoral Examination
• Have the final thesis approved by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Research Supervisor and Supervisory Committee

Every incoming graduate student is assigned a faculty member as their advisor. Students are expected to formalize a supervisory relationship with a faculty member in their area of interest within one term.

Research Proficiency Evaluation (RPE)

Students admitted to the PhD program must demonstrate their research proficiency by completing a research project under the supervision of one or more faculty members and presenting their results in a written report and oral examination before their RPE committee.

Comprehensive Course Requirement

All PhD students must submit the Comprehensive Course Requirement form to the Graduate Affairs Committee within the first two months of initial registration. The objective is to ensure that students obtain a breadth of knowledge in computer science and sufficient depth in a specific field.

Thesis Proposal

Having formalized a thesis supervisor and completed the RPE, students will develop a PhD thesis proposal. This proposal must be presented in written form to the supervisory committee by the end of the second year of the PhD program.

Completing the Research Program

Once the thesis proposal examination is passed, students must carry out a research program in accordance with their research proposal under the supervisor's guidance, with periodic reviews by the student's committee. A thesis describing their research findings must be written, approved by the committee and an external examiner, and defended at a final oral examination.

Program Timeline

A student is expected to be admitted to candidacy within 36 months from the date of initial registration and to complete the PhD within 6 years. Extensions to these deadlines may be granted under exceptional circumstances with the permission of the Graduate Affairs Committee and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Subsections of the PhD Program

Prospective Grads

• Admissions
  • Eligibility
    • List of Required Undergraduate Courses
  • Online Application
  • Documents To Be Uploaded
    • Transcripts & Degree Certificates
    • Statement of Intent
    • Letters of Reference
    • English Proficiency Requirements
  • Evaluation & Timeline
  • Deferral
• Transfer Credits
• Prospective Grad Programs
  • Full-Time Master's Programs
  • PhD-Track Program
  • Part-Time Master's Program
  • PhD - Doctoral Program
• Awards & Financial Support for Prospective Students

Graduate Programs

• MSc Program
  • 12 Credit MSc Thesis (Thesis Master's)
  • 6 Credit MSc Thesis
  • Master's Essay
  • MSc Program Requirements
    • Finding a Supervisor
    • MSc Program Timeline
  • Academic Regulations
• Master of Data Science
• PhD Track Program
  • Finding a Supervisor
  • Coursework
  • Program Timeline
• PhD Program
  • PhD Supervisory Committee
  • Research Proficiency Evaluation (RPE)
    • RPE Design
    • RPE Examination
    • RPE Process
  • Comprehensive Course Requirement
    • Courses by Research Area for Comprehensive Course Requirement
  • Thesis Proposal
  • PhD Program Timeline
• Co-op Internship
• Forms for Each Graduate Program

Registration Info

• Grads in CS
• Grads outside CS
• Non-Degree Students
• Undergraduate Students

Grad Courses

• Courses - Winter Term 1
• Courses - Winter Term 2

Awards & Support for Current Grad Students

• Awards and Deadlines
• Tuition Fee Scholarships
• Financial Assistantship
• Policy for Teaching Assistantship
• Teaching Assistantship: Conflict of Interest and Tutoring

Grad Student Life

• Orientation Day
• Networking & Mentoring

The University of British Columbia's PhD program in Computer Science is designed to foster academic excellence and prepare students for successful careers in research and academia. With its comprehensive curriculum and research opportunities, the program provides students with a solid foundation in computer science and the skills necessary to contribute to the field.