Global Mine Waste Management

Take your time reading the following information below, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you require any further information.

This certificate program is designed for mining industry professionals who want to deepen their knowledge of best practices in the field without interrupting their career.

We’re looking for people who meet the following requirements:

• Undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Mining, Civil or Geological Engineering or a related field or Geosciences from a recognized university.
• GPA: Equivalent of a B+ average (at UBC, this is 76%).
• Three or more years of industry work experience in tailings or mine waste management.
• An English Language Proficiency Test may be required if you completed your degree at a university where the primary language of instruction was not English.

North America

Applicants who have a four-year baccalaureate degree (or its academic equivalent) that does not meet the requirements stated above, but who have had significant formal training and relevant professional experience to offset such deficiencies, may be granted admission on the recommendation of the NBK Institute of Mining Engineering, with approval of the Master of Engineering Program Office.

International

International applicants are eligible who hold a credential deemed comparable to a Canadian four-year baccalaureate degree and who demonstrate superior academic standing equivalent to an overall degree standing of B+ (at UBC 76% or higher).

UBC has established specific minimum admission requirements for graduates of different countries.

Ready to deepen your expertise in mining waste management and learn from leaders in the field? The next cohort will be starting in September 2021. This program will run courses as follows:

• Year 1: January 2022 to April 2022, including a 2-week synchronous session in the period.
• Year 2: January 2023 to April 2023, including a 2-week in-person session with a field trip in the period.

Application Deadlines

• Round 1: September 15
• Round 2: October 15
• Round 3: November 15

1. Complete and submit the Certificate Program Application Form.
2. Request that each of your three referees supply a reference letter or form.
   • References should be requested from individuals who can provide a report on your professional experience and your academic ability and qualifications.
   • They can use one of the reference forms available under the Supporting Documents section (below) or write a letter.
   • They should send the completed form or reference letter to the department (see address below) in a sealed endorsed envelope from their place of employment. All forms and letters should be in sealed, endorsed envelopes from the referee’s place of employment or organization.
3. Mail official transcripts.
   • We require official transcripts from all post-secondary studies you have completed (even if a degree was not conferred).
   • To be deemed official, transcripts must be in sealed, stamped, endorsed envelopes from the issuing university.
   • Please visit the graduate studies website for specific information on what is required for a transcript to be official and how to obtain an official translation if required.
   • All transcripts should be sent directly to the Department of Mining Engineering department. Please see address below.
4. Submit English proficiency information if you did not complete a previous degree in an English-speaking country.

• • If you are an international applicant and your undergraduate degree is from a university the official language of instruction was not English, you must take and pass one of the following English language proficiency exams:
    • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): minimum score of 90 for the Internet-based exam (with minimum component scores of 22 [reading, listening] and 21 [writing, speaking]).
    • IELTS (International English Language Testing Service): minimum overall band score of 6.5 with no other component score less than 6.0 of the academic (NOT general) IELTS test.
  • Use the University of British Columbia’s institution code (0965) and the NBK Institute of Mining Engineering department code (69). Give the reason for taking TOEFL “to enter a college or university as a graduate student.”
  • Your English language proficiency exam must have been completed within two years of your application submission date.
  • For more information, visit the graduate studies website.
  • All English proficiency test scores should be sent directly to the Department of Mining Engineering. See address below.

Physical and Electronic Submission Addresses

Physical documents can be mailed to:

UBC Mining Engineering
Graduate Certificate Program
517- 6350 Stores Road
Vancouver, BC  V6T 1Z4
Canada

The following documents can be sent by email:

• Application form
• Proof of payment of application fee (screenshot)
• Statement of intent including descriptions of any special projects, research work, employment experience, publications, memberships and awards that are relevant to your area of interest and could assist in evaluating your application.
• Current CV
• Signed declaration page
• If you have unsealed/un-official transcripts for any of your post-secondary course work you can send scans of them.

Electronic documents can be submitted to:

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and professional qualifications. Of the three references, at least one should be an academic reference.

There are two possible formats for references:

Letter of Reference

Your referee may wish to send a paper letter. Paper letters of reference should be on the referee’s official letterhead. The envelope should be sealed and endorsed by the referee.

Due to current COVID-19 protocols, many BC staff are working from home. Our office does not currently have regular mail delivery. Please verify the address that reference letters should be sent to the program staff before sending.

Reference Form

UBC provides an academic reference form and a professional reference form.

The academic reference form is used in situations where the referee is someone with who you have interacted within an academic setting (e.g. referee was the professor of a course in which you were enrolled).

The professional reference form is used in situations where the reference is someone with who you have interacted in a professional setting (e.g. referee was your supervisor at work).

Your referee will fill out the applicable reference form and mail it directly to the relevant program in a sealed and endorsed envelope.

Tuition is charged at approximately $1800 per credit for both domestic and international students, with each course in the program equivalent to three credits. This rate is subject to annual tuition increases established by the university.

Field trip and activity fee

You will be advised of the cost of the annual field trip and activity fee when you are admitted to the program. The fee is subject to change depending on transportation and accommodation costs; however, the maximum fee would be C$3000.

We expect the fee to be approximately C$1500 for the next few years. The actual amount will be outlined within the offer of program admission.

The fee will cover the following activities:

• Welcome lunch for all certificate students
• SWAG bag/folder
• Networking event
• A two to three-day field trip to visit a mine waste facility (covering the transportation, accommodation and meal costs for the trip)

Student fees

Student fees cover the cost of university resources that benefit students, including U-Pass and AMS/GSS Extended Health Care. If you meet certain requirements, you may be able to opt-out of some of the student fees.

To see if you qualify for the U-Pass fee exemption, read the U-Pass FAQ information. If you think you qualify for an exemption, login to the Student Service Centre (SSC) and click on the Financial Summary tab to navigate to the U-Pass fee exemption page.

If you already have medical/dental coverage (other than BC MSP), you may be able to apply for an exemption if you meet certain requirements and follow the opt-out procedures. Visit the Student Service Centre (SSC) for more information. You must opt-out of these fees within the first two weeks of the program.

Due date

Your admission letter will advise you of the fees you must pay and the deadline for payment, which will depend on the date of the offer and is usually around two weeks from the date of the admission letter.

To accept the offer of admission, you must pay the required fees by the deadline.