Graduate Programs: General Information
Department Philosophy
The demand for specialists in the statistical sciences is increasing, with statisticians needed for both interdisciplinary research and for basic theoretical research in statistics. The Department is committed to fulfilling these needs through its research and graduate programs.
Research interests of the Department are diverse, from the very theoretical to the very applied, but most research combines some applied work and some theoretical work. Through joint, associate and adjunct appointments, the Department interacts regularly with the Department of Medicine, the Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, the Division of Management Science in the Faculty of Commerce, the Department of Mathematics, and the British Columbia Cancer Agency. There are also a number of informal contacts with other statisticians around the UBC campus. Thus, students have a wide choice of thesis/project supervisors and research topics. Current students' research activities include work with Air Care (the province's automobile emission monitoring agency), with the Environmental Protection Agency on a joint project with Harvard University, with the BC Lung Association on a joint project with researchers in Medicine at UBC, with the Multiple Sclerosis/MRI study conducted in Medicine at UBC, with UBC's Medical Genetics Department, and with the BC Health Research Foundation.
Graduate studies in Statistics at UBC has several components: course-based work, research work, and participation in general Deparmental activities. In our graduate courses, we are moving away from the traditionally structured, lecture based, textbook oriented curriculum to a more discovery-style of learning. We integrate current research into our courses. For instance, students regularly work on individual course projects by reading relevant journal articles, downloading related software, and using that software for data analysis or simulation studies. The knowledge gained is either presented to the class or in a departmental seminar.
UBC and Vancouver
The student body at U.B.C. consists of approximately 33,000 students, with about 6,400 of these in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The campus, which overlooks the mountains and sea, occupies approximately 4 square kilometres at the western tip of the peninsula on which Vancouver is located. It is approximately 12 kilometres from the downtown area of Vancouver, the bus and railroad stations, and approximately 13 kilometres from the airport. Vancouver, with a population of one and a half million in the metropolitan area, offers its residents a variety of activities, from attending symphony performances and theatrical productions to outdoor recreation, such as hiking and sailing. The climate is mild, with summer temperatures seldom above 25C, and winter temperatures only occasionally below freezing. While it rarely snows in the city of Vancouver, the nearby mountains are snow-capped for half of the year, providing excellent opportunities for skiers, and beautiful vistas for non-skiers.
Housing
The Faculty of Graduate Studies has the following housing information, and many other useful housing links on its web site www.grad.ubc.ca/housing.htm.
On-campus housing includes dormitories, studio apartments and shared apartments at a reasonable cost. However, the demand for on-campus housing is high so it's best to apply as soon as possible. Inquiries should be sent directly to
Housing AdministratorBrock Hall, 1874 East Mall
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada, V6T 1Z1
The UBC Department of Housing and Conferences assures housing in single student housing facilities in certain UBC residences for major award winners. Students need to apply directly to Housing by the deadline of June 1st. There is limited housing on campus but as long as students apply before the deadline you are assured a single room.
UBC also has several residential Colleges that provide a community setting for scholars who blend social and intellectual life through living together, academic programs, dining and cultural events. See, for instance, St. John's College at www.stjohns.ubc.ca or Green College at www.greencollege.ubc.ca.
Off-campus housing notices are posted around campus and sometimes on the web. See the Faculty of Graduate Studies web site. New students who plan to seek off-campus accommodation in Vancouver are advised to arrive well before September 1.
