Why pursue a graduate degree?

Thinking about returning to school for a graduate degree?

It’s a significant decision and you’ll want to ensure you choose the program that’s the best fit for you and your goals. The Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) and Master of Health Leadership and Policy (MHLP) are unique interdisciplinary graduate degree programs. Combining a solid grounding in business fundamentals with advanced specialization in a technical field, the 12-month programs are designed for professionals who want to gain new knowledge and skills, expand their network, and pursue a degree at one of the world’s leading universities.

Is the MEL or MHLP the right choice for you?

Read on to learn more about these innovative degree programs.

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP?

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP? To shift into a related industry

Professionals are pursuing the MEL and MHLP to gain experience in a related industry.

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP? To shift into a related industry

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP? To move your career forward

Professionals are pursuing the MEL and MHLP to accelerate their career progression.

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP? To move your career forward

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP? To make a difference

Professionals are pursuing the MEL and MHLP to make an impact on society and in the world.

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP? To make a difference

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP? To expand your horizons

Professionals are pursuing the MEL and MHLP to live in a new city.

Why pursue an MEL or MHLP? To expand your horizons

A new path to a leadership position

You’re respected in your workplace for your knowledge and skills.

A new path to a leadership position

Speaking the language of business is fundamental to leadership

Being an effective leader of teams and projects requires a deep technical understanding of your sector, whether you work in energy management or seniors care.

Speaking the language of business is fundamental to leadership

UBC MEL MHLP - Integrated Knowledge Key to Leadership

Today's leaders need integrated perspectives

It’s not enough for today’s leaders to have subject matter expertise in a specific area – they need a holistic understanding of their industry.

Today's leaders need integrated perspectives

UBC MEL MHLP - Career Advancement Strategies

Career advancement strategies: One-off courses or a graduate degree?

A commitment to lifelong learning is essential for any professional. That’s why so many professional regulatory bodies require that their members engage in ongoing learning to keep their skills and knowledge up to date

Career advancement strategies: One-off courses or a graduate degree?

Building your expertise in a new field

For many, big questions are prompting personal and professional reassessment. Is your current career path aligned with your goals and values? Are you using your skills to your full potential?

Building your expertise in a new field

Decisions, decisions: The pros and cons of a postgraduate degree

Is going back to school the best strategy for achieving your personal and professional goals? It’s a good question. And to answer it, you’ll need to ask yourself a few others.

Decisions, decisions: The pros and cons of a postgraduate degree

Becoming a leader

With “leadership” embedded in the very name of the degrees, the Master of Engineering Leadership and Master of Health Leadership and Policy were designed from the beginning to support leadership development.

Becoming a leader

Learning how to lead

Learning how to be a leader is a lifelong journey. As with any journey, you’re more likely to reach your goals if you are equipped for the challenges.

Learning how to lead

UBC MEL MHLP - Returning with New Skills

Returning to work with new skills

Learning how to be a leader is a lifelong journey. As with any journey, you’re more likely to reach your goals if you are equipped for the challenges.

Returning to work with new skills

Becoming a cross-silo leader

In today’s increasingly interconnected work environments, leaders are expected to work confidently across subject areas and organizational functions.

Becoming a cross-silo leader

Opportunities for learning

The courses you’ll take as an MEL or MHLP student will give you the knowledge and skills to advance your career and make a difference in your industry.

Opportunities for learning

Start with your strengths

Other early-career professionals have used UBC’s MEL or MHLP as a stepping stone to a more fulfilling job.

Start with your strengths

Shape your future

Professionals who want to stay on the leading edge embrace continuous learning.

Shape your future

Integrating Diverse Perspectives

Great leaders are inclusive; MEL & MHLP programs equip students to become one.

Integrating Diverse Perspectives

Advance with Confidence

MEL and MHLP programs equip emerging leaders the integrated knowledge and skills they need to understand critical issues in their industry and then lead teams to find innovative and sustainable solutions.

Advance with Confidence

Broadening Experiences

The practicum and capstones enable students to directly apply knowledge from their classroom learning, expand their skill set and grow their network – and also give them transferable leadership skills.

Broadening your experience through projects, practicums and capstones

UBC MEL MHLP - Gaining Credibility Credentials

Developing your credibility credentials

Gaining leadership credibility credentials can be tricky when you are in the early stages of advancing into leadership positions. That’s where graduate degrees like the MEL and MHLP can really make the difference.

Developing your credibility credentials

Cultivating a growth mindset

As both current and past MEL and MHLP students attest, it’s often a process of deep transformation that empowers them to achieve rewarding personal and professional growth.

Cultivating a growth mindset

When to quit and when to persist in your career

When to quit, when to persist

How do you know when the time is right to move on from your current position? It can be hard to know when to keep going in a job that doesn’t quite satisfy your personal and professional goals versus moving on.

When to quit, when to persist in your career

Follow your purpose for long-term success

There’s a lot of well-meaning career advice focused on the importance of following your passion. However, new research suggests that we need to adjust that advice and follow our purpose.

Follow your purpose for long-term success

Challenge the status quo

UBC’s MHLP and MEL degrees are for professionals with industry experience and can help you develop the competencies to lead transformative projects.

Challenge the status quo

Grow your network to create opportunities

The MEL and MHLP programs were intentionally designed to help students to grow their networks by building meaningful relationships with other students, instructors and industry leaders.

Grow your network to create opportunities

UBC MEL MHLP - Becoming a leader in your field

Become a leader in your field

The MEL and MHLP support students’ leadership development by teaching theories and then asking students to apply these concepts first within the classroom and, ultimately, within the work environment.

Become a leader in your field

Find your courage

As a MEL or MHLP student, you will have many opportunities to push beyond your comfort zone and practice courageous leadership in a range of settings.

Find your courage

UBC-MEL-MHLP-Emotive-More_than_a_degree-410x410

Gain more than a degree

The interdisciplinary education that will set you apart from others in your field, from conferences, and experiential learning to professional development and networking opportunities – make this far more than a degree.

Gain more than a degree

Reinvent yourself

Students choose the MEL and MHLP because they are ready for reinvention – to pursue opportunities and career paths more aligned with their values.

Reinvent yourself

Lead transformation in your industry

No matter what industry you work in, staying on top of emerging trends is crucial if you want to lead change and add value.

Lead transformation in your industry

Technical Expertise is fundamental to leadership

The article emphasizes the importance of technical expertise in leadership and highlights the MEL and MHLP programs at UBC for developing cross-disciplinary and business perspectives.

Technical expertise is fundamental to leadership

MEL and MHLP Professional Leadership Master Degrees

Is this the graduate program for you?

Deciding to go back to school is a big decision and you have many options to choose from. But should you pursue a master’s in your technical speciality or an MBA?

Is this the graduate program for you?

Learning Structure

Students are expected to study throughout the program in a manner that reflects how their career may operate upon graduation.

MEL & MHLP - Learning Structure

UBC MEL MHLP - Considering a Professional Degree?

Is a postgraduate degree right for you?

Although going back to school is a major investment of time and money, it can have big payoffs in terms of career advancement, new opportunities and self-fulfilment.

Is a postgraduate degree right for you?

The power of your peers

The MEL and MHLP provide structured opportunities to learn from your professional peers.

The power of your peers

Unique degrees, uniquely relevant

A professional master’s degree is an excellent way to update your technical knowledge and expand your skill set.

Unique degrees, uniquely relevant

Thinking about working while doing a master’s degree?

We spoke with Chelsea Ousey, our Student Recruitment Specialist, about some of the things to consider if you’re planning to work while pursing your postgraduate degree.

Thinking about working while doing a master’s degree?

MHLP

Work While You Study

When possible, classes are condensed into only two days of the week.

Work While Pursuing UBC's Master of Health Leadership and Policy

Part-time MHLP meets the needs of the working professionals

Starting in January 2021, students in the Master of Health Leadership and Policy (MHLP) Clinical Education and Seniors Care programs can choose from either a 24-month option or the standard 12-month program.

Part-time MHLP meets the needs of working professionals

UBC MHLP - Skills to become an effective healthcare leader

How do you develop the skills to be an effective health-care leader?

Becoming a health-care leader is a process: it takes time to develop the knowledge, skills and experience needed to effectively and confidently head up interdisciplinary teams to have a far-reaching impact on care.

How do you develop the skills to be an effective leader in healthcare?

What is leadership and management in health care?

Great health-care leaders are as adept in their understanding of policy as they are in the nuances of supporting individual team members through regular check-ins and keeping everyone accountable.

What is leadership and management in health care?

Patient-Centred Care in Canada

The MHLP enables students to become leaders that are capable of imagining and implementing the changes needed to move the system in a new direction.

Patient-Centred Care in Canada

Making a Career Change in Health Care

Health care leaders can leverage their skill sets for a career change but may need additional education for further credibility and success.

Career Change in Health Care

MEL

Engineering a more sustainable world

Given that our planet is a closed-loop system, our unrestrained consumption of resources and focus on economic growth cannot continue without significant repercussions.

Engineering a more sustainable world

UBC MEL Business Leader Business Strategist

Engineering Leaders, Business Strategists

Many engineering professionals arrive at a point in their career when a post-graduate degree is the next logical step?

Engineering leaders, business strategists

UBC MEL - Leadership and Management in Engineering

How can engineers successfully transition into leadership roles?

There are tangible steps you can take to expand your current level of responsibility, learn new skills and increase your credibility and respect.

How can engineers successfully transition into leadership roles?

What is leadership and management in engineering?

Great engineering leaders and engineering managers inspire others to innovate, do great things and achieve more than they thought possible.

What is leadership and management in engineering?

How Sustainable Engineering Practices are Shaping the Future

Sustainable Engineering Practices are the fundamentals in unlocking a career in green building design, renewable energy systems, and sustainable transportation solutions.

How Sustainable Engineering Practices are Shaping the Future