Choosing courses
Course numbers and levels
Generally, courses at UBC are numbered as follows:
- 100: First-year
- 200: Second-year
- 300: Third-year
- 400: Fourth-year (final year of undergraduate degree)
- 500+: Graduate-level courses
Course-load requirements
At UBC, a full-time course load for undergraduate students varies depending on the faculty and degree program. The average UBC degree-student registers in 15 credits per term, but some science and engineering students register in 18 to 20 credits per term.
We recommend that you register in 12 to 15 credits per term. Go Global is not able to advise you on the minimum course load required by your home university.
Getting permission to take a restricted or full course
If you want to take a course that is full or restricted, you must first complete this Registration Form.
Taking graduate-level courses
Undergraduate students wishing to take graduate-level courses are required to complete the Enrolment of Undergraduate Exchange Students in Graduate Courses form after arrival at UBC.
View more information about taking graduate-level courses under the the Faculty of Graduate Studies section below.
Course and program restrictions
Many faculties, schools, and programs at UBC are available to visiting exchange students, however admission into some programs is limited. Further course information can be obtained on UBC's Course Schedule web page and on the faculty websites.
Admission into the following programs is limited:
- Applied Science
- Architecture
- Commerce
- Creative Writing
- Education
- Kinesiology
- Landscape Architecture/Environmental Design
- Law
- Music
| Area of Study | Availability |
|---|---|
| Faculty of Applied Science (Engineering) | |
| All Engineering courses | There is limited space for exchange students in the Faculty of Applied Science. Only those students applying to be admitted to the Faculty of Applied Science will be permitted to register in Applied Science courses. Also, only those students pursuing a degree in Applied Science at their home university will be admitted into this faculty for exchange. While UBC will make every effort to register Applied Science students in their requested courses, registration in requested courses is not guaranteed. Applicants are encouraged to have a back-up plan in the event that they are not accepted. Courses with a lab component are not available due to space limitations. 100- and 200-level courses are not available due to space limitations. APSC 450, 452, and 456 are not available. In addition to the restrictions noted above, all UBC students are subject to course registration restrictions and pre-requisites as noted in the Course Schedule. Please note that admissions and registration for exchange students in the Faculty of Applied Science may not follow the same timelines as for exchange students in other UBC faculties. |
| Civil Engineering | Design courses (CIVL 409, 413, 437, 441, 478, 493) are not available. |
| Clean Energy Engineering | Not open to exchange students |
| Mechanical Engineering | MECH 306, 366, 420, 421, 422, 451, 452, and 467 are not available. |
| Pulp and Paper Engineering | Graduate-level only available. |
| School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture | |
| Architecture | Graduate-level courses only. Students should complete four years of architectural training prior to their exchange at UBC. |
| Environmental Design | Must be enrolled in a comparable undergraduate environmental design program. |
| Landscape Architecture | Graduate program with limited undergraduate courses. Must be enrolled in the second year (or higher) of a comparable undergraduate or graduate professional landscape architecture program. |
| Faculty of Arts | |
| Anthropology | Graduate courses (500-level) not available. |
| Creative Writing | Most 200-level courses are available. As there is limited availability in 300- and 400-level courses, in order to apply students must submit a manuscript directly to the department as soon as possible. Indicate that you are applying as an exchange student on your manuscript cover letter. Most courses are offered for the full year. For manuscript guidelines, please download the non-majors application from the Creative Writing website or email Pat Rose at pat.rose@interchange.ubc.ca. |
| Economics | ECON 490, 495 and 499 are not available. Graduate courses (500-level) not available. |
| English | First-year (100-level) courses not available. Limited availability in courses. |
| Film | Many courses – particularly production courses (FIPR) – are restricted. |
| History | Most courses last for the full year. |
| Italian | All ITST courses are conducted in English. |
| Political Science | Political Science or International Relations majors may register in a maximum of three 300-level courses/term. Non-Political Science majors may register in a maximum of two 300-level courses/term. All first- and second-year courses are open to exchange students. Fourth-year seminars not available (all 400-level courses are seminars except for POLI 465). Graduate courses are limited. |
| Psychology | Graduate courses (500-level) not available. |
| Theatre | Many courses are restricted. |
| Visual Arts | Limited availability. A portfolio is required for students interested in studio art courses (except for 100-level courses, which are open to all students). |
| University Writing Centre Courses | WRIT 098 and WRIT 099 are open to exchange students but are not covered under your tuition waiver. You will need to pay tuition for these courses. |
| School of Audiology and Speech Sciences | |
| Audiology and Speech Sciences | Not available to exchange students. |
| Sauder School of Business | |
| Commerce | Please review the special guidelines for Commerce students. COMM 299, COMM 486R, and BUSI courses are not available. Commerce students on exchange from partner universities that have a commerce-specific exchange agreement, and who are on exchange with the Sauder School of Business, are allowed a maximum of 12 credits of COMM/COHR per term. Students on exchange with the Sauder School of Business from all other partner universities are allowed a maximum of 6 credits of COMM/COHR per term. Additional credits may be considered if space is available. Courses in other subject areas are available. Students not on exchange with the Sauder School of Business may request to take commerce courses, but enrolment may be limited. Enrolment in second-year courses (200-level) may be limited. Graduate courses (500-level) are not available. The following are commerce courses for non-commerce majors: COMM 100/329/398/458/465/473 and 493. These do not count towards the maximum course limits listed above. |
| School of Community and Regional Planning | |
| Community and Regional Planning | Graduate-level courses only. Limited availability in some courses. Core courses (PLAN 502, 506, 515, 540A, and 547C) are not available to exchange students. |
| Faculty of Education | |
| Education | Students wishing to take education courses must be registered in an education degree program at their home institution and must have completed at least three years of studies. EDUC 310, 311, 316, and 420 not available. |
| Art Education | ARTE 314 and 320 not available. |
| Business Education | BUED 301, 314, 375, and 376 are not available. |
| Computing Studies Education | CSED 314 is not available. |
| Counselling Psychology | Limited availability. |
| Curriculum Studies | CUST 314 and 440 are not available. |
| Educational Administration | Courses available at the graduate level only. |
| Educational Psychology & Special Education | EPSE 306, 313, and 423 are not available. |
| Educational Studies | EDST 314 is not available. |
| Higher Education | Courses available at the graduate level only. |
| Home Economics Education | HMED 314, 440, 441, and 442 are not available. |
| Language and Literacy Education | LLED 301, 310, 312, 313, 314, 315, 318, 320, 324, 325, 336, and 478 are not available. |
| Mathematics and Science Education | MAED 314 and 320 not available. |
| Music Education | MUED 314 and 320 are not available. |
| Physical Education–Teacher Education | PETE 314 and 320 are not available. |
| Science Education | SCED 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 320, 440, 441, 442, 443, and 444 are not available. |
| Social Studies Education | SSED 314, 317, 320, 440, and 441 are not available. |
| Technology Studies Education | TSED 314 and 320 are not available |
| Faculty of Graduate Studies | Before applying to do graduate studies at UBC, please check the Faculty of Graduate Studies website to see if you meet their minimum requirements. Many departments also have higher TOEFL requirements for graduate students. Economics, psychology, and anthropology courses are not available to exchange students at the graduate level. Students who intend to conduct research while on exchange must have a UBC faculty member ready to supervise their time at UBC prior to completing their online application. Students who have already completed an undergraduate degree may be considered graduate students at UBC. There is limited availability in graduate-level courses. Classification as a graduate student at your home university does not necessarily mean that you will be considered a graduate student at UBC. Undergraduate students wishing to take graduate-level courses are required to complete the Enrolment of Undergraduate Students in Graduate Courses form after arrival at UBC. |
| School of Kinesiology | |
| Kinesiology | Many courses are restricted and have a limited class size, particularly HKIN 230, 231, 261, and 284. |
| School of Journalism | |
| Journalism | Not available to exchange students. |
| Faculty of Law | |
| Law | Law courses are only open to students from universities that have a law exchange arrangement with UBC. Students applying to law must have completed at least one year of law studies with an average of 70% (or equivalent). Space in seminar courses is typically limited. Graduate law courses are not available. |
| School of Library, Archival and Information Studies | |
| Library Studies | Courses available at the graduate level only. |
| Faculty of Medicine | |
| Medicine | Not available to exchange students. |
| School of Music | |
| Music | Limited availability. Students must send in an audition CD and proposed course list. |
| School of Nursing | |
| Nursing | Not available to exchange students. |
| Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences | |
| Pharmacy | Not available to exchange students. |
| School of Rehabilitation Sciences | |
| Rehabilitation Sciences, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy | Not available to exchange students. |
| Faculty of Science | |
|
Some courses in the Faculty of Science are similar enough to other courses in the faculty that students can only obtain credit from one. Review the Credit Exclusion List to determine which courses count towards the same credit. Please do not list more than one of these courses in your selections. Science courses with laboratory components may have restricted enrolment because they are requirements for UBC students. Consult the relevant department if you're interested in taking any of these courses. |
|
| Botany | Courses available at the graduate level only. |
| Marine Science | MRNE courses are taught at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC) located on Vancouver Island. Students wishing to attend these courses must submit a separate application to BMSC. Additional fees will apply. |
| Earth and Ocean Science | Courses in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences can only be accessed with permission from the appropriate departmental advisor at UBC. This includes all courses under the following subject codes: EOSC, ENVR, and ATSC. Students must demonstrate that they meet the prerequisite requirements for these courses when submitting their course request forms. For any questions concerning this restrictions, please contact the Go Global office. |
| Zoology | Courses available at the graduate level only. |
