University of British Columbia
speciality: Politics

UBC is a fantastic place to study—not just because of its academics, but also for how it preps you for the real world. The career programs here, especially Co-op and Work Learn, are like secret weapons to get you a leg up (or at least not floundering) when you graduate. Let’s talk Co-op first. You get to try out jobs in your field, make connections, and sometimes even score a job offer before you finish school. It’s not just resume filler; Co-op actually lets you see what you like (or don’t like) in a job without the “Oh no, I’m stuck in this forever” part. Plus, it’s a confidence booster when you realize you actually know stuff beyond lecture notes.

Then there’s Work Learn, UBC’s clever way of helping students earn some money and experience without wandering too far from campus. These part-time jobs are great—they work around your class schedule, and you’re usually doing something useful that builds your skills. Also, let’s be real: having some cash while you’re studying is pretty nice, especially in Vancouver.

UBC also throws in career fairs, workshops, and events to make sure we aren’t totally clueless about the job world. The Career Centre even helps with resume polishing and interview tips, so you’re not left winging it when it matters.

In short, UBC does a solid job of balancing academics with real-life prep. There’s a ton of support to help you figure things out, meet people, and maybe even stumble into your dream job.

I really love the University of British Columbia. The students that attend are a diverse range of all ages and races. Most of the professors are super engaged in their teaches and care about each of their students. There’s so many areas to study, indoors and outdoors.

My personal rationale regarding University of British Columbia can be described as a one word, fantastic. As I had been dreaming about entering the University of British Columbia, there is so many advantages at attending UBC since there will be tons of great opportunities. Also, connections are very important which I was able to learn at UBC.

I am currently a second year student at UBC, and after having spent a bit more than a year at UBC, I can say that from my experience, professors can be chosen with RateMyProf and usually those reviews help to guarantee a smoother experience, so with that tool my experience has been pretty smooth.

Overall, UBC demonstrated its serious attitude toward academic developing and care for students. I especially like about its course designs since great variety of choosing fields can cultivate students’ views and academic abilities. I will recommend this university to students, who posse a passionate heart to strive for the future.

The university program challenged and grew my ability to do multi-faceted research and to present it in an interesting way. The classes were both large and small. Large ones numbered in the hundreds of students while small ones had around twenty students. This allowed for a diverse range of learning experiences. The teaching staff were of exceptional quality with wide ranging credentials who made themselves available to students. The university, in general, was a very conducive learning environment. However, I did not like the cold winter walks between the carpark and my classes. Also, during part of autumn I had to dodge many worms hanging from trees along the main pedestrian corridor. Student life was abundantly available and the variety of food has increased a lot since I graduated. I would definitely recommend this university to others. Even to this day, when I walk around campus I cannot help but feel a very international vibe and I have heard that, at some overseas education fairs, the university gets a lot of visits from prospective students and parents even when it positions its booth in inconspicuous spots. I am grateful that, ever since graduation, the university has helped open doors for me in career opportunities.

The Political Science program at the University of British Columbia is exactly what you expect. The subject matter is engaging and the professors are incredibly passionate about what they are teaching. I would highly recommend this program to a friend.

As a third-year undergraduate student at UBC who is intending to major in political science with a history minor, UBC offers a wide range of courses not only for my selected major but for all undergraduate art programs. Classes are well organized and most professors follow the teaching guidelines as expected with the exception of some. As a student who has studied abroad, UBC courses have a heavier course load where classes are expected at least 2-3 times a week in addition to tutorials, however, many students seem to have accepted to heavier course load and usually power through it. Academically, there are no complaints about the teaching style, however, on the social aspect, there is not much student life on campus such as college-wide events to bring students together and raise excitement, thus most students are typically found minding their own life/studies which can make the school look seeming depressing at times. Another aspect that totally plummets the student life is the fact that the campus is completed isolated from the main parts of the city without convenient transportation to and from campus. The only mode of transportation is by bus which is guaranteed to be jam-packed on arrival, although the construction of a Skytrain stop nearby has begun a few years ago the project has yet to see completion for student use. Lastly, living on campus seems to be a great experience for students who are ABLE to afford it as there are restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores nearby where students are not required to leave campus, but a fair warning as most students do find themselves making trips off-campus for necessities due to the inflated prices of virtually everything one may need on campus.

The POLI department at UBC is very sofisticated and offers a variety of classes as well as some very qualified professors. Professor quality can sometimes variate a lot; however, I’m only speaking on behalf of a second year student. I never intended on doing political science at UBC, but their POLI 100 class really sparked my personal interests to the point where I am now applying for an honours degree in the department.