Program Overview

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Master of Education in Arts-Based Educational Inquiry

The Master of Education in Arts-Based Educational Inquiry (ABEI) is a unique program blending art, inquiry, and teaching to meet contemporary educational needs. Develop expertise in the theories, methodologies, and practices of visual, literary, performative, and digital arts within educational inquiry.

Collaborate with World-Class Faculty

Engage with leading faculty and scholars who use artistic practices in collecting, analyzing, and mobilizing creative research processes, practice, and findings. This program’s hybrid delivery model combines in-person summer intensives, including studio-based courses, with a variety of online options throughout the academic year, fostering a dynamic community of practice and participatory learning.

Explore Diverse and Relevant Topics in Arts-Based Educational Inquiry

Students will delve into topics such as a/r/tography, arts-based educational research and inquiry, visual art practice, poetic and narrative inquiry, performative inquiry, and digital media. These areas of inquiry promote equity and diversity through creative practices in K-12 education, teacher education, community education, and higher education.

Program Details

• About
• Schedule
• Requirements
• Fees
• How to Apply
• Info Sessions
• Contacts
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About

This program invites students to:

• nurture a inquiry community and build international connections dedicated to ABEI theory, methodology, and practice.
• critically analyze visual, literary, digital, and performative theories and discourses in learning, teaching, and inquiry.
• address historical contexts that inform ABEI methods and practices.
• assess how ABEI practices are applied rigorously across various disciplines, including Education, Fine Arts, Arts and Humanities.
• demonstrate the integration of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (EDID) principles in ABEI.
• apply arts-based educational inquiry in professional practice across institutional, community, and personal settings.

Schedule

Cohort Schedule

Students will take either 30 credits of coursework OR 27 credits of coursework and 3 credits graduating paper, which will be developed from original research conducted by the student. While you may complete 90% of this program entirely online, you may also take electives at UBC-Vancouver or Okanagan campus. Courses are offered across 3 terms, starting in September. Note that approved electives may be taken at other universities, subject to the terms of the Western Deans’ Agreement.

There are a wide variety of on-campus (UBC-Vancouver or Okanagan) and online courses which are acceptable as electives and vary in the offering from year to year.

Below is the proposed schedule of required courses – it may be subject to change.

Year 1

Date	Course Title	Course Description	Course Code
Fall '25 WT1	Artwork Scholarship	Surveys artwork scholarship and the turn to art as research.	EDCP 585 - Online
Winter '26 WT2	Perspectives, Practices, and Curriculum Issues in Contemporary Art Education	This course examines major perspectives, theoretical issues, and curriculum practices underpinning the expansive field of art education, such as: critical visual culture, decolonizing narratives, community-based practices, social justice, disability studies, and identity.	EDCP 520 - Online
Spring '26	A/R/Tography	As artists-researchers-teacher, this course explores concepts and practices through geographies in relation, inquiry culminates in activities with critical, experimental, speculative, non-representational openings.	EDCP 514 - Online
Summer -July 2026	STUDIO – Arts-Based Inquiry	Summer intensive – UBC Vancouver campus (1.5 week)	EDCP 581 In Person
Winter - Spring or Summer	Elective	Select a 400/500-level course supportive of your discipline specialization.	Elective A or B

This is the proposed schedule and is subject to change.

Year 2

Date	Course Title	Course Description	Course Code
Fall '26 WT1	Curriculum Issues and Theories	Curriculum theories and issues are explored through a review of literature (historical and contemporary) and critical reflection on existing practices. Provides a basis for examining knowledge claims, beliefs, and assumptions underpinning contemporary understandings and practices of curriculum	EDCP 562 - Online
Winter ’27 WT2	Indigenous Visual Expression as Pedagogy	Pedagogical implications of Indigenous art making and visual expression both for Indigenous peoples and for non-Indigenous viewers and consumers through the lenses of misrepresentation, self-representation, and auto-pedagogical potential and practice.	EDCP 546 - Online
Spring ’27	Research Methodologies in Education	This course provides an introduction to educational research methods, methodologies, and philosophies; it familiarizes with reading and writing research, analyzing paradigmatic orientations to inquiry, and it addresses challenges and regulation of research ethics and law.	EDUC 500 - Online
Summer-Fall ‘27	400/500 Level Course	Select a 400/500-level course supportive of your discipline specialization. Important note: A maximum of 6cr can be at 400 level. Choosing a third elective ‘C’ is for the 30 credits of coursework MEd (without the graduating paper).	Elective A and/or B and/or C
May to December ‘27	CAPSTONE PROJECT – Graduating paper	The MEd Graduating Project may take a number of forms:

• Synthesis of ABER theory, methodology, practice for visual, literary, performative and/or digital arts, in relation to professional practice as an educator.
• Critical analysis of policies and programs involving ABER, culminating in a proposal for an innovative program of study for 21st C learners.
• A creative project with educational application and extensive documentation of artistic processes, practices, and production, resulting in a body of relevant arts research inquiry, including an exhibition, performance, or presentation of work(s) with an artist statement relating to ongoing research.
• Oral tradition: ABER final paper/project may be presented within the parameters of oral traditions, such as storytelling, with adherence to socio-cultural protocols, for instance, First Nations and Indigenous peoples worldwide, respective of local values, cultures, traditions, and worldviews.

Projects may be multi-media based, in person or online, customized to student needs, and in consultation with advisors. | EDCP 590 - Online |

This is the proposed schedule and is subject to change.

Application Requirements

All students must meet the admission and application requirements of both the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the program, which include:

• A four-year Bachelor’s degree in Education with at least a 76% average on a senior-level credits.
• In special circumstances, teacher education may be waived for those applicants who have a university degree with sufficient standing and experience related to their proposed field of study.
• Normally 18 credits of senior course work or a professional concentration in ABER.
• Normally two years’ teaching experience or other relevant professional experience within schools, communities, business, government, non-governmental organizations, or other education-oriented environments.
• Three letters of recommendation from educators, supervisors, colleagues, or clients that speak to your abilities to complete a graduate degree and interest in ABER.
• Resume/CV
• A 600-word statement of intent of your ABER experience, professional goals, and the anticipated benefit of involvement in the program.

Fees

Tuition Fees

Type	Per Installment	Total Tuition
Domestic	$2,435.86	$17,051.02
International	$2,871.79	$20,102.53

Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors and may be adjusted without prior notice. For the most accurate and up-to-date information on tuition and fees, visit the official UBC Calendar. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Graduate tuition is assessed as an annual program fee, which is divided into three equal installments due at the beginning of academic terms starting in September, January, and May. Students in this program will pay a minimum of 7 installments.

Student Fees

Student fees include fees established and authorized by the UBC Board of Governors and fees established and authorized by students societies. These fees are in addition to tuition fees. Please see the UBC Calendar for details on student fees.

Funding Eligibility

As this program is part-time, it is not eligible for student loans or other types of funding.

Application Timeline

After your application is submitted, all documents are uploaded, and references have been received, your application file is considered complete.

Once the application deadline for the program has passed, all completed application files are submitted to the Department for review. Applications recommended by the Department for admission are then confirmed against Graduate & Post-Doctoral Studies requirements, and accepted applicants are notified. Any special case admissions require an additional review by Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies.

The entire process generally takes 8 to 12 weeks.

Program Overview

The Master of Education in Arts-Based Educational Inquiry is designed for working professionals, offering a unique blend of art, inquiry, and teaching. The program is delivered through a hybrid model, combining in-person summer intensives with online options throughout the academic year. Students will explore diverse topics in arts-based educational inquiry, including a/r/tography, arts-based educational research, and visual art practice. The program requires either 30 credits of coursework or 27 credits of coursework and a 3-credit graduating paper. The proposed schedule of required courses is subject to change, and students may take electives at UBC-Vancouver or Okanagan campus. The program is offered by the Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy.

Key Program Information

• Start Date: September 2026
• Length: 2.5 years | part-time
• Format: 90% Online | 10% Face-to-Face
• Location: UBC Vancouver Campus
• Domestic Tuition: $17,051.02
• International Tuition: $20,102.53
• Application Deadline: March 15, 2026

Conclusion

The Master of Education in Arts-Based Educational Inquiry offers a unique opportunity for working professionals to develop expertise in arts-based educational inquiry. With a hybrid delivery model and a focus on diverse topics in arts-based educational inquiry, this program is designed to meet the needs of contemporary educators. The program requires a strong academic background, relevant professional experience, and a commitment to arts-based educational inquiry. With its flexible format and comprehensive curriculum, the Master of Education in Arts-Based Educational Inquiry is an excellent choice for educators seeking to advance their knowledge and skills in this field.