Admissions

Take the next step in advancing your French or Hispanic Studies career by applying to our Master of Arts (MA) or our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree programs at UBC Vancouver, British Columbia.

UBC French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies accepts applications for admission in September and January.

All new MA and PhD students are automatically considered for a certain number of fellowships awarded by the Department and the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Students who are Canadian citizens and who are applying for a program starting in January are encouraged to submit an application for a SSHRC scholarship during the Fall preceding their enrolment.


Admission Period


Application Process

All applicants are required to comply with the regulations of the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and to submit their application online. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their application and all supporting documents are submitted by the Departmental deadline.


Supporting Documents

The following documents are required and need to be uploaded to the online application system.

Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions are required. Transcripts issued in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

Three academic letters of recommendation written in English are required by the Department. At least two referees must have taught you in a senior undergraduate or graduate course. Applicants to the PhD program should request a letter of recommendation from their MA thesis supervisor. Your referees will need to upload their letters to the online application system.

An essay or writing sample in French or Spanish that you have submitted recently in a course or a chapter of your MA thesis if it is written in French or Spanish should be provided.

Applicants are required to include a brief statement of their academic and/or professional goals and how these align with the graduate program to which they are applying. This can be written in English or the target language of the program (French or Spanish).

Applicants to the PhD program in French or Hispanic Studies are required to provide a one- or two-page description of the doctoral research project that they hope to undertake. This description should be written in French (if you are applying to the PhD in French), or in Spanish (if you are applying to the PhD in Hispanic Studies).

The description, like the project itself, is in no way binding, but will give the admissions committee a more exact sense of your research interests. Where possible, you should also propose the name of the professor under whose direction you would like to work.

Applicants are required to submit an up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume detailing their academic and work history as well as relevant experiences such as courses, presentations, publications, and volunteer work.

The requirement applies to applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction. Those applicants must present evidence of competency to pursue studies in the English language prior to being extended an offer of admission.


Entrance Requirements for Master’s Programs

MA in French

Normally, students applying for admission to the MA program in French must have:

  • A four-year Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree (Major in French) or its equivalent
  • A minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC) in third- and fourth year courses (3.3. on a 4.0 scale)
  • Academic standing with at least 12 credits of third- or fourth year courses in the A grade range (80% or higher at UBC) in the field of study

MA in Hispanic Studies

Normally, students applying for admission to the MA program in Hispanic Studies must have:

  • A four-year Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree (Major in Spanish) or its equivalent
  • A minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC) in third- and fourth year courses (3.3. on a 4.0 scale)
  • Academic standing with at least 12 credits of third- or fourth year courses in the A grade range (80% or higher at UBC) in the field of study

Entrance Requirements for PhD Programs

PhD in French (Specialization in Literature or Linguistics)

The Department welcomes applications from students who fulfill the following minimum entrance requirements:

  • A Master of Arts (MA) degree with specialization in an area of French or francophone literatures, French language, and linguistics
  • A Master of Arts (MA) degree or a first-class Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in a related field and evidence of having completed sufficient work in an area of French or francophone literatures, French language and linguistics to reach a level considered satisfactory by the Department.

PhD in Hispanic Studies (Specialization in Spanish or Latin American Literature)

The Department welcomes applications from students who fulfill the following minimum entrance requirements:

  • First-class standing in a Master of Arts (MA) with specialization in Spanish or Latin American literature
  • First-class standing in a Master of Arts (MA) or a first-class Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) in a related field, and evidence of having completed sufficient work in an area of Spanish or Latin-American literature to reach a level which the Department considers appropriate for doctoral studies.

Part-time Doctoral Classification

Part-time Doctoral Classification is also available. Students who wish to be classified as part-time must obtain approval from their proposed supervisor and graduate program advisor as part of the admission process.


Students with International Credentials

The Department welcomes and encourages International students to submit an online application if their credentials are academically equivalent to a four-year BA degree from UBC.


Transfer from Master’s to Doctoral Programs without Completing Master’s Requirements

In exceptional cases, students accepted into the MA program may apply to transfer into the PhD program at the end of the first year, provided that they have completed at least 12 credits of graduate courses in the MA program with a first-class average.

Students must show clear evidence of research ability. Transfer directly into a doctoral 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.

After admission into the MA program, a student may apply for the transfer of up to 12 credits of graduate-level work from another university, provided that the courses have not been credited towards any other degree and that application is made at time of admission.

Under certain circumstances, the Graduate Studies Committee will recommend that an applicant who does not quite meet the minimum entrance requirements for graduate studies complete a Qualifying Year to improve their academic standing. The University will not admit students requiring Study Permits to a Qualifying Year.

On this page