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Expectations of Graduate Students
- Students are encouraged to take advantage of Vancouver and its unique surroundings and to make the most of their time as a graduate student at UBC. Vancouver is a beautiful place to live and work.
- Work/life balance is essential and a key goal of our program. Graduate students and other trainees will have the opportunity to participate in diverse, stimulating, and challenging research opportunities in the laboratory, field, and community. A healthy integration of career and life is key to rewarding graduate studies. Our collective programming is built upon the innate strengths of our team. The first priority should be maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
- Prospective students are advised to arrange a meeting with Drs. Bredin and Warburton to tour UBC and our available facilities before applying to the Physical Activity Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Unit. This may involve a virtual meeting.
- Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree under Dr. Bredin or Dr. Warburton’s supervision are highly recommended to apply for graduate student funding (from agencies such as CIHR, MSFHR, SSHRC, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, MITACs, and NSERC) before commencing their graduate program (preferably a year in advance). If this is not feasible, students are asked to apply for funding upon starting their program. Applications for national and provincial awards are generally due in September and October.
- Graduate Studies at UBC has a great website that outlines the diverse funding, scholarship and award opportunities open to domestic and international applicants and students.
- Newly accepted graduate students should plan to be at UBC by the third or fourth week of August. This time allows for familiarization with our facilities and our laboratory scheduling and for the completion of all necessary administrative tasks before commencing classes.
- Newly accepted graduate students should try to make housing arrangements as soon as possible as vacancy rates in the UBC area tend to be low.
- Each graduate student’s program of study is different; however, most trainees will work approximately 40 hours per week on their studies. This will routinely require working on the weekends.
- The summer months are generally the most productive periods for research activities in our laboratory. Therefore, graduate students will often conduct their studies throughout the year, including the summer months. Students will work with their supervisors and thesis committee members to determine the optimal times for data collection and analysis and the completion of related publications and presentations.
- Graduate students are expected to be involved in professional development events such as attending and/or presenting their research findings at local, national and/or international conferences.
- We are proud of our record of graduating trainees in a timely fashion. Our goals are for Masters students to finish their MSc degree within a two year period, with Doctoral students finishing their degree within a three to four year period.
- During their graduate studies, MSc and PhD graduate students are expected to publish their research findings in peer-reviewed journals. A general guideline for recommended publications and presentations for MSc and PhD students is as follows: Presentations: MSc (2-3) & PhD (6-8); Publications: MSc (2-3) & PhD (6-8). It is not uncommon
- Graduate students are expected to assist fellow graduate students and undergraduate students in their research projects. This may include assisting with the writing of manuscripts, related grants, and data collection and analyses.
