FAQs

Normally, students in the MET program and certificate program take ETEC 500 in their first term of study. ETEC 500 offers core academic and research skills that will benefit you in later courses. If for some reason you are unable to begin with ETEC 500, we recommend you start your MET program with a core course and complete the four required core courses as early in your program as possible.

Select your electives according to your interests, goals, and the expertise you want to develop through the program. Unlike the core courses, electives are not always offered in the same term each year. The UBC MET program Course Calendar is posted for several years ahead so that you can plan your program.

NOTE: You can not register in ETEC 590 until you have completed 8 courses, including ETEC 500.

We always recommend beginning with the core courses, particularly if your major was not in Education. There are four core courses: ETEC 500, ETEC 510, ETEC 511, and ETEC 512.

If you have been admitted to MET, the admissions committee believes you have the prior knowledge necessary for success. We recommend taking core courses as early in the program as possible. It is useful to be fluent with common applications such as the Microsoft Office 365 suite.  MET uses Canvas, the UBC learning management system, for most courses, and the UBC Student Guide to Canvas offers useful tips and tricks.

A range of other applications you may be asked to use are listed on the CTLT website. You will be directed to tutorials for learning applications, if necessary, in your courses.

UBC’s calendar of dates for each term is always available on the UBC website.

Note that the listed ‘term dates’ indicate ‘teaching dates.’ It is normal for deadlines for final assignments or project work to extend into the ‘exam period’ for a term.

MET course descriptions are available on the MET website. You are welcome to contact a course instructor with questions about deadlines.

As a MET student, you are responsible for planning which courses you will register for and for planning your program path over time. The MET course schedule for several terms into the future is provided on the MET website. The UBC courses site also allows you to review courses planned for each term in the current academic year.

We carefully monitor registration and open courses, or new sections of courses, if the need arises. All students will be able to get into courses; however, if you do not register early, you may not get into your first choice of courses. Register early.
Waitlists are often available for you to register in – to allow us to see where there may be need or demand for an additional section.

There are courses scheduled every term, including summer. The registration process remains the same. You can view the MET course schedule on the MET website. Most MET summer term courses are of ‘standard length’ – 13 weeks – and run from May to August.

MET also sometimes plans ‘Summer Institute’ intensive courses that may be 1-3 weeks in length and may be online or on-campus. Information about Summer Institutes and registration is always distributed to MET students well in advance.

MET is a part-time program designed for professionals, and it is normal to take only one course at a time. We strongly advise you to take no more than two courses per term. If you take two courses per term, you will complete the degree in five terms (20 months). If you are not working, you may be able to register in three courses in a term. Students report that taking three courses per term is an exceedingly heavy load, and we do not recommend it.

This recommendation is also true for courses in the summer term.

You must obtain special permission from the Academic Advisor to register in more than two courses in a term. If you are registered in more than two courses without permission from the Academic Advisor, MET will require you to withdraw from additional courses.

Regular MET courses are offered over 13 weeks in one of three terms: Winter 1 (Fall), Winter 2 (Spring), and Summer 1/2 (May-August). All courses are online. MET may offer a Summer Institute, normally in July. In non-Covid years, the institute has been face-to-face on the UBC Vancouver campus. Due to Covid, we offered synchronous online Summer Institutes via Zoom in 2020 and 2021.

Summer Institutes are clearly designated in the registration system and are compressed courses. Normally there is pre-reading and preparation followed by a week of full-time synchronous classes. Major assignments are due a few days after the course is finished. That is, you should allot approximately three weeks of time for a Summer Institute.

The amount of time individual students spend preparing for class and completing course assignments varies widely in any educational setting. The time students spend completing activities for a MET online course will depend on a number of factors, including individual reading speed, writing competency, familiarity with web-based learning environments, familiarity with the subject matter at hand, and investment in the learning process. The time commitment is usually comparable to a graduate-level, 3-credit, face-to-face course. A common rule of thumb for online graduate courses is ‘up to 6 hours per week per credit,’ or up to 18 hours per week for a 3 credit course.

MET courses are primarily asynchronous. That is, there are usually no scheduled (synchronous) course times when all students must be present to attend lectures, etc. However, MET courses are not ‘self-paced.’ Instead, you will be expected to work through material and activities set for each week when you are able. Lectures are not a common instructional strategy in MET, but any “lectures” would normally be recorded and available for you to view in your own time.

Some courses do include a limited number of synchronous class meetings. Times for these meetings are worked out with students to ensure everyone is able to attend. The only courses in MET that are synchronous (have set meeting times) are special Summer Institutes, which are condensed courses normally offered on campus.

No, MET courses are not ‘self-paced.’ Instead, you will be expected to work through material and activities scheduled week by week when you are able and to participate in mostly asynchronous discussions and activities with classmates.

Students in the Master of Educational Technology program may apply for up to a maximum of two non-MET elective courses (6 credits) to be credited towards their degree, either as transfer credits or after admission. Graduate certificate students may apply for a maximum of one non-MET elective courses (3 credits) to be credited towards their certificate, either as transfer credits or after admission.

After admission, you may choose to enrol in online or face-to-face courses offered by other UBC departments. Many of them can be found on the Faculty of Education’s Professional Development & Community Engagement website or through UBC Distance Learning Courses.

For a non-MET UBC course to be credited towards a MET degree or certificate, the following criteria must be met:

• For MET students, the course must be 3rd year undergraduate level or higher.
• For Graduate Certificate students, the course must be graduate level.
• The course must be structured for academic advancement (non-credit continuing education, training, or professional development courses or similar are not acceptable).
• The course must be graded (courses that offer only pass/fail assessment are not acceptable).
• You must not have already reached the maximum number of non-MET courses allowed for your program (6 credits for MET; 3 credits for Graduate Certificate).
• Remember that out of the ten courses you must take to complete the Master of Educational Technology degree, at least eight of these must be related to the application of learning technologies in education (or at least four out of five courses, for Graduate Certificate completion).

If you wish to enrol in a non-MET UBC course as an elective, you must obtain the approval of the MET Academic Advisor for each course. Your request for approval should include a rationale for how the course fits within your program and interests. Please note that if you take an on-campus UBC course, you will be required to pay applicable student fees.

MET students may include up to a maximum of 6 credits of senior level (3rd or 4th year) undergraduate courses in their program, either after admission or as transfer credits, provided that these credits have not been applied to another degree.

Graduate certificate students may not count undergraduate courses towards their graduate certificate.

For an undergraduate course to be credited towards your MET degree, the following criteria must be met:

• The course must be 3rd year undergraduate level or higher.
• The course must be structured for academic advancement (non-credit continuing education, training, or professional development courses or similar are not acceptable).
• The course must be graded (courses that offer only pass/fail assessment are not acceptable).
• You must not have already reached the maximum number of non-MET courses allowed for the MET program (6 credits).
• Remember that out of the ten courses you must take to complete the Master of Educational Technology degree, at least eight of these must be related to the application of learning technologies in education.

If you wish to enrol in a non-MET UBC course as an elective, you must obtain the approval of the MET Academic Advisor for each course. Your request for approval should include a rationale for how the course fits within your program and interests. Please note that if you take an on-campus UBC course, you will be required to pay applicable student fees.

MET students may enrol in up to the UBC-equivalent of six credits of courses at a university other than UBC, as long as you have not already transferred any outside credits into your program.

Graduate certificate students may not take courses at other universities.

For a non-MET UBC course to be credited towards a MET degree, the following criteria must be met:

• The course must be 3rd year undergraduate level or higher.
• The course must be structured for academic advancement (non-credit continuing education, training, or professional development courses or similar are not acceptable).
• The course must be graded (courses that offer only pass/fail assessment are not acceptable).
• You must not have already reached the maximum number of non-MET courses allowed for the MET program (6 credits).
• Remember that out of the ten courses you must take to complete the Master of Educational Technology degree, at least eight of these must be related to the application of learning technologies in education.
• The host university should be a university having standards comparable to the University of British Columbia. Except in unusual cases, courses taken at another university should be on topics not available at UBC.

The Western Deans Agreement, and other similar agreements, do not apply to MET students because in the MET program you pay a per course fee rather than a program fee. You must instead apply to enter that university as a visiting student. If accepted by the other university, you will enrol in and complete the course. When you have your final grade, submit your transcript to the MET administrative office with a request to have the credits transferred into your MET record.

If you wish to enrol in a course at another university as an elective, you must obtain the approval of the MET Academic Advisor for each course. Your request for approval should include a rationale for how the course fits within your program and interests.

Yes! MET degree students who have completed at least six courses in their program are eligible to enroll in ETEC 581 - the MET Practicum.

Typically, these experiential learning practicum experiences are undertaken through online collaborations with a partner organization or institution. Note that MET cannot organize visas or coordinate placements involving travel, and cannot offer or coordinate compensation for work completed in a practicum placement.

See the MET Practicum page to learn more about finding a practicum placement.

You can view the full list of free software available to download for UBC students on the UBC IT website. This list will be updated if software is added. Check back term by term for new additions. MET is not involved in software licensing for UBC and does not provide any additional software beyond what is listed on the UBC IT Software Licensing page. If you have questions about UBC software licensing for students, please contact UBC IT directly.

UBC students are eligible for academic rates for some software and hardware products through the UBC Bookstore; some software vendors also offer student pricing when you purchase from them directly.

MET is not a technical training program, and we do not offer any courses focussed on teaching you to use particular applications. You will use a range of applications in completing course assignments and are expected to be self-directed (and collaborative) in learning these applications.

MET uses Canvas, the UBC learning management system, for most courses, and the UBC Student Guide to Canvas offers useful tips and tricks.

A range of other applications you may be asked to use are listed on the CTLT website. You will be directed to tutorials for learning applications, if necessary, in your courses.

We recommend you have a UBC address. Some UBC applications may require it. If you wish, you may continue to use your personal/work email address. Be sure that address is registered with MET and your instructors.

A UBC card identifies you as an active student, faculty, or staff member and also acts as your UBC library card if you plan to visit libraries on the UBC campus and borrow hard copy resources. Your CWL (campus-wide login) already gives you remote access to all eResources available online from the UBC library. You may apply here for a digital card, if you wish. If you intend to come to campus at any time during your program, your card can be used to access various resources and discounts.

No. You can review the U-Pass eligibility guidelines here.

MET students are not assessed AMS fees and therefore are not eligible for a U-Pass.

The $250 registration deposit is non-refundable. See the UBC Student Services tuition refund page for more details about dropping courses and tuition refunds.

As in any course, any problem should first be taken up with the course instructor. If this does not result in a satisfactory resolution of the issue, contact the MET Academic Advisor. If this does not result in a satisfactory resolution, you may contact the Director of the Master of Educational Technology program (review the current MET People page to find contact information for the current MET Director).

You must take at least one course in your first academic session (September through April) after your admission to the MET program, or you will be considered to have refused your offer of admission and will have to reapply if you wish to continue.

Once you have taken your first course, you do not have to register in courses in a term if you are not able to. Please keep in mind that you have a maximum of five years to finish your MET degree, so if you need to take more than a term off, you should send a message to the MET administrative office requesting a leave from the program as required for up to two months.

The UBC Faculty of Education is dedicated to providing every student with full and equal access to University programs and services. We have worked to extend the accessible features of many of our online courses.

If you have challenges that affect your ability to understand or read course material, engage in discussions, or complete coursework, it is important that you discuss this with your instructor at the start of term, so that they are aware and can make any reasonable adjustments.

See Accessibility to learn about adjustments you can make to your computer and devices and software you can use to support your access to MET course materials.

You may also choose to speak with someone at the UBC Centre for Accessibility, who can assist you with requesting special accommodations and services.

Email: access.diversity@ubc.ca
Tel: +1 604 822 5844

A number of MET graduates have been admitted to on-campus PhD programs in related educational fields at UBC and elsewhere after graduation. At this time, the UBC Faculty of Education does not have plans to establish an online PhD program.

All courses are fully online. You will access course materials and participate in online discussions and project collaborations with your instructor and other students via the Internet. Currently, most courses are delivered via UBC’s Learning Management System, Canvas. Some courses are offered using other experimental online platforms. The UBC Student Guide to Canvas offers useful tips and tricks. A range of other applications you may be asked to use are listed on the CTLT website. You will be directed to tutorials for learning applications, if necessary, in your courses.

You will need a current computer [any operating system, Mac or Windows] with standard word processing software (Microsoft Office or equivalent) and reliable access to the Internet.

A tablet may allow reasonable access to Canvas and basic communication and editing tools. However, a tablet may not be ideal for working with some specialty software for online design, data analysis, video editing, etc. – which may be needed depending on assigned or chosen activities in your courses or decisions made by project groups you will belong to.

MET courses are primarily asynchronous. That is, there are usually no scheduled (synchronous) course times when all students must be present to attend lectures, etc. However, MET courses are not ‘self-paced.’ Instead, you will be expected to work through material and activities set for each week when you are able. Lectures are not a common instructional strategy in MET, but any “lectures” would normally be recorded and available for you to view in your own time.

Some courses do include a limited number of synchronous class meetings. Times for these meetings are worked out with students to ensure everyone is able to attend. The only courses in MET that are synchronous (have set meeting times) are special Summer Institutes, which are condensed courses normally offered on campus.

No, MET courses are not ‘self-paced.’ Instead, you will be expected to work through material and activities scheduled week by week when you are able and to participate in mostly asynchronous discussions and activities with classmates.

The MET program is considered ‘part-time’ regardless of course load, and MET tuition and fees reflect this part-time status. As a result, MET students do not qualify for student loans even if taking a full-time course load.

For general enquiries and support with financial issues, contact the Enrollment Services Student Support and Advising Team, either via their webform or by phone.

Most students take two to three years to complete the Master of Educational Technology degree and one to two years to complete a graduate certificate. You must complete the Master of Educational Technology program within five years. For graduate certificate students who ladder into the Master of Educational Technology program, the total time between beginning the graduate certificate and completing the Master of Educational Technology degree must not exceed five years.

No - prior coursework in education is not required. Refer to Admission Requirements.

Section 5.1 of the current BC Teacher Qualification Service Policy (PDF) describes the criteria for master's degrees that make graduates eligible to move up to category 5 or 6 in British Columbia. Successful completion of the MET degree program has historically met these criteria.

While at least one academic reference is preferred, it is not absolutely required. Work references that can speak to your initiative, intellectual capacity, and industry are welcome.

No, the MET degree does not allow you to get a Teaching Certificate in BC. However, if you are interested in attaining a Teaching Certificate in BC, UBC offer a Bachelor of Education Program that prepares teachers for their responsibilities in British Columbia schools. For more information regarding the B.Ed. program, please visit the UBC Teacher Education Office website.

You may transfer up to six previously completed credits (two 1-term courses or their equivalent) into your MET program record. For a prior course to be credited towards your MET degree, the following criteria must be met:

• It must approved by the MET Academic Advisor.
• It cannot have been used for any conferred degree (Master's program, diploma, etc).
• It must be 3rd year undergraduate level or higher.
• It must be structured for academic advancement (non-credit continuing education, training, or professional development courses or similar are not acceptable).
• It must be graded (courses that offer only pass/fail assessment are not acceptable).
• You must not have already reached the maximum number of non-MET courses allowed for the MET program (6 credits).
• Remember that out of the ten courses you must take to complete the Master of Educational Technology degree, at least eight of these must be related to the application of learning technologies in education.
• The institution where you previously completed the course must have standards comparable to the University of British Columbia.

Transfer credit requests that do not meet these requirements will be automatically rejected.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a member of Universities Canada. Incorporated in 1908 by an act of the provincial legislature, it operates under the authority of the University Act of the Province of British Columbia. Membership in Universities Canada and operation under the authority of the University Act is equivalent to accreditation in the US system.

No, students in online programs are not eligible for student visas.