Getting Started Graduate

Welcome to LFS

Locations, Facilities and Services 

The MacMillan Building (MCML) is home to the following Faculty Units:  

• Dean’s Office (Administration, Faculty Relations, Development, Communications, Human Resources) – MCML 248  
• LFS Grad Office:  MCML 291 & 293 
• The Learning Centre (IT, Multimedia, Learning Management System) – MCML 264  
• MacMillan Learning Commons (Student study space) – MCML 360  
• Agora Cafe (Student-run cafe, Land and Food Systems Undergraduate Society LFSUS) – MCML Lower Level  
• Conference Rooms: MCML 139 & MCML 350  

LFS students and staff may book classrooms and equipment in MCML. Booking link (CWL login required): here.

The Food, Nutrition and Health (FNH) Building is home to:

• Main Office (Admin, Human Resources/Finance, IT) – FNH 230
• Vij’s Kitchen – FNH 130  
• Faculty/Staff/Graduate Student Lunch Room: FNH 200 

LFS students and staff may book classrooms and equipment in FNH. Booking link (CWL login required): here.

Laboratory Facilities  

Laboratory space, equipment and materials in the various buildings are organized by the student’s Supervisor. LFS technical staff supervises and monitors shared laboratory spaces and equipment. These technicians will assist you with the resolution of technical problems encountered during your research. All students working in laboratories are expected to contribute to maintaining a clean and safe workplace. All students are required to obtain relevant safety certificates and participate in a lab safety orientation session prior to conducting working in a laboratory.

Mailboxes  

Graduate students in the MCML building have mailboxes in Room 262 and in Room 200 in the FNH Building.  

Keys and Building Access

Please use the following online form to submit key requests: link.

Degree Program Summary 

Master of Science, MSc  

Completion of the MSc program requires a minimum of 18 credits (or 12 credits) of coursework plus 12 credits (or 18 credits) of thesis research for a total of 30 credits. Offered by the Applied Animal Biology, Food Science, Human Nutrition, Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems, Plant Science & Soil Science Graduate Programs.  

Doctor of Philosophy, PhD  

Research-based Doctoral programs are offered by the Applied Animal Biology, Food Science, Human Nutrition, Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems, Plant Science & Soil Science Graduate Programs. Course requirements are depended upon the student’s academic background.  

Master of Food Science (MFS)   

The 12-month MFS course-based program consists of 30 credits of coursework plus a 3-credit mandatory workshop series. The workload involves two required courses (6 credits), a required summer practicum (6 credits), four graduate courses in food science (12 credits), two elective courses (6 credits), and a practicum pre-requisite MFS workshop series (3 credits).  

Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE)   

The 12-month MFRE course-based program includes a mandatory 4-week Summer Program, five required courses in term 1, MFRE Concentration-based courses in term 2, and a Graduating Project in term 3.  

Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)   

The 12-month MLWS course-based program includes 33 credits of elective-friendly coursework and a major project on the topic of your choosing in the summer term. 

Master of Nutrition and Dietetics (MND)   

The MND is a 28-month full-time entry-to-practice professional graduate program consisting of 87.5 credits of coursework, 39 of which involve practice education (practicum) placements.

Registration 

Graduate students must maintain continuous registration throughout their degree program. Students must be registered in at least one course each term (Winter terms 1 & 2, Summer term) to be considered registered.  

• Continuous registration: Please ensure you are continuously registered every term. If you are nominated for any awards, they will only be processed and paid out if you are registered.
• Students in research/thesis-based programs who are not required to take any courses must be registered in a thesis or dissertation course.  
• Thesis courses: Here is a list of thesis course codes for both MSc and PhD students. Pease be sure that you have registered in the correct course with the correct course code, as applicable: 

Graduate Program	Thesis Courses
	MSc	PhD
Applied Animal Biology (AABI)	AANB 549 003	AANB 649 003
Food Science (FOOD)	FOOD 549 003 (link to seminars)	FOOD 649 003 (link to seminars)
Human Nutrition (HUNU)	HUNU 549 003 (link to seminars)	HUNU 649 003 (link to seminars)
Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems (ISLFS)	LFS 549 003	LFS 649 003
Plant Science (PLNT)	PLNT 549 003	PLNT 649 003
Soil Science (SOIL)	SOIL 549 003	SOIL 649 003

Courses

Required Coursework for Research-based Programs 

For most research-based programs, the graduate seminar is required. Please consult with your supervisory committee on any program-specific required courses and any additional coursework. 

Required Courses for Course-based master’s programs 

 MLWS  |  MFS  |  MFRE  |  MND 

Courses Outside a Student’s Program 

Students in research-based programs are encouraged to take appropriate graduate courses outside LFS. Approval must be granted in advance from the Graduate Program Advisor and the course instructor.  

For all courses, please ensure that you either complete the course (your grade is included in your total GPA), or drop the course, preferably by the add/drop deadline. If you drop the course after the deadline, a W will be recorded on your transcript.   

Adding and Dropping Courses 

Except in special circumstances, a one-term course may be added to your program only within the first two weeks of the course, and a two-term course within the first three weeks of the course. If you drop a course within these periods, no record of registration in the course(s) will appear on your transcript.  

If you want to add or drop a course outside of these time periods, you need to complete a Change of Registration Form (Add/Drop form), provide a reason for the late request in writing and have signed the Form before submitting to the relevant course instructor and Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Students in LFS for approval.  

Students may withdraw from courses in which they are registered at any time up to the end of the sixth week of class for courses that are offered in a single term, and up to the end of the twelfth week for courses that span two terms. Withdrawals will be noted on the academic record by a standing of “W”. Such standings will not be included in computing averages.  

A listing of relevant graduate courses and their descriptions are found here.  

Incomplete Courses 

A student who ceases to attend a course, does not write the final examination, or otherwise fails to complete course requirements, and who neither qualified for a deferred examination nor has obtained official permission to drop the course, will be given a standing of “F” grade which reflects performance in the course.  

Auditing Courses 

Auditors are students registered in a credit course who are expected to complete all course requirements except the final exam. If you successfully complete the course requirements for an audited course, your academic record will list “AUD” as the final grade.  

If your performance is not satisfactory, you may be given Fail (F) standing. This mark will count toward your overall average.  

If you wish to audit a course, you must:  

• Obtain the approval of the Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in LFS.
• Register for the course using the Change of Registration form. Be sure to indicate AUDIT.  
• Inform the instructor at the commencement of the course of your intention to audit it.  

All changes between Audit and Credit standings must be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies on the Change of Registration Form by the appropriate course-specific deadline.  

Requests for changes between Audit and Credit standings submitted after the appropriate deadline may be granted if accompanied by a compelling rationale endorsed by the course instructor and graduate advisor of your program.  

Grading 

MSc students: a minimum of 60% (C) must be obtained in any course taken by a student enrolled in a master’s program for the student to be granted pass standing. However, only 6 credits of pass standing may be counted towards a master’s program. For all other courses, a minimum of 68% must be obtained. When repeating a failed course, a minimum mark of 74% must be obtained.  

PhD students: a minimum of 68% (B-) must be achieved in all coursework taken for credit. Where a grade of less than 68% (B-) is obtained in a course, and on the recommendation of the graduate program and the approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the student may repeat the course for higher standing or take an alternate course. When repeating a failed required course, a minimum mark of 74% must be obtained.  

“T” Grade 

A grade of “T” (also known as a T-standing) is recorded for each session of the thesis course until the thesis is completed. The “T” grade may also be used for graduating essays (in professional master’s programs), for directed individual study, or project courses in which the course requirements extend beyond the normal deadline for the submission of a final grade. 

Pass / Fail Grades 

• G+PS academic progress 

• Failed courses cannot be credited toward a graduate program.  

• Students failing a course require a LFS recommendation to continue.  

• Students failing more than one course normally will be required to withdraw.  

Seminars 

Create and present your own seminar, hone your public speaking skills while gaining invaluable experience and confidence for your future career. Graduate students must present in at least two public seminars during their degree program to fulfill LFS requirements. Each program has their own seminar requirements. 

Seminar courses: Here is a list of required seminars for both MSc and PhD students. Pease be sure that you have registered in the correct course with the correct course code, as applicable: 

Graduate Program	Seminars
	MSc	PhD
Applied Animal Biology (AABI)	Currently no required seminar
Food Science (FOOD)	FOOD 500 003	FOOD 600 003
Human Nutrition (HUNU)	HUNU 531 003	HUNU 631 003
Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems (ISLFS)	LFS 500 001	LFS 500 001
Plant Science (PLNT)	PLNT 523 003	PLNT 523 003
Soil Science (SOIL)	SOIL 500 003	SOIL 500 003

Directed Studies 

Students who wish to pursue independent research under the guidance of an LFS faculty member with relevant expertise and interest in the chosen topic can develop a Directed Studies proposal for 3 – 6 credits. A Directed Studies Registration Form must be completed, and the proposal must be approved by the Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, before the student can be registered in the course.  

Students cannot self-register in a Directed Studies course. Once approved, the LFS Grad Office will register the student and notify them as such.  

Conducting Research 

Research Involving Human Participants 

Any project carried out by a person connected with the University, which involves human subjects, must conform to UBC’s Human Research Policy (LR9). Research involving human subjects is defined as any systemic investigation (including pilot studies, exploratory studies, and course-based assignments) to establish facts, principles or general knowledge, which involves living human subjects, human remains, cadavers, tissues, biological fluids, embryos or foetuses. 

Research is defined as either clinical or behavioral research. The appropriate application forms must be completed and signed by the Associate Dean, Research, before they are submitted to the appropriate university screening committee for approval. Research funds are not released until the appropriate approval has been obtained. 

Clinical Research 

Any research conducted at UBC facilities (including UBC-Affiliate Hospitals*) or by persons connected to the University, involving clinical interventions such as the testing of drugs, medical devices, rehabilitation exercise programs, and/or the analysis of clinical data obtained from medical records or studies of a clinical nature involving linkage of data from existing databases must be reviewed and approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Board (CREB). 

Behavioral Research 

Any research or study conducted at UBC facilities or by persons connected to the University involving human subjects in procedures that require potential invasions of privacy, must be reviewed and approved by the UBC Behavioral Research Ethics Board (BREB). Behavioral projects may involve asking subjects to participate in studies that use, for example, questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, observation, data linkage, secondary use of data, deception, testing, video and audio taping. 

Research Involving Animals 

Any research or teaching conducted at UBC or by persons affiliated with UBC that involve the use of animals (including fish) must conform to UBC Policy LR2 (Research) and must have the approval of the UBC Animal Care Committee (ACC).  

The ACC is mandated to safeguard the welfare of animals involved in research and teaching at UBC and at all affiliated locations. The Committee is responsible for ensuring that all UBC animal researchers conform to the mandatory guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care.  

Before any animals are ordered and/or any procedures are performed, an animal care application must be submitted to the Animal Care Committee through RISe. Once approval is granted, the Principal Investigator is issued an Animal Care Certificate, and the Office of Research Services releases grant funding. This form is to be signed by the Associate Dean, Research who retains a copy.