How to ensure smooth communication with advisors
- Take a close look through relevant UBC webpages to see if your question has already been addressed. Be especially sure to check the UBC Academic Calendar (UBC’s rulebook).
- When composing an email to an advisor, always include your student number either in the subject heading, your signature, or both.
- When asking a question regarding Degree Navigator to your Faculty or Department/Program Advisor, in addition to your student number, please include the Degree Navigator version you are using (e.g. 2019W).
Where to direct questions and find more information
UBC has numerous advising offices that provide student support in a wide variety of areas. Therefore, it is useful to know which authority to direct your questions to. This can reduce cases where you go to an appointment (or wait several days for an email response) only to discover the particular advising office you contacted does not have the most reliable answer for you.
If you are a prospective COGS student
- To apply to UBC:
Admissions Office - To apply to one of the COGS B.Sc. streams at the end of your first year as a B.Sc. student:
Science Advising - To apply to the COGS B.A. streams in second or third year as a B.A. student:
COGS Program Coordinator (after consulting the Application Instructions and the FAQ first) - To switch from another major to the COGS B.A. streams or the B.Sc. Cognition and Brain stream after second year:
COGS Program Coordinator (after consulting the Application Instructions and the FAQ first) - To switch from another major to the COGS B.Sc. Computational Intelligence and Design stream:
Computer Science Advising - Minors and double majors:
COGS Program Coordinator AND your home Faculty (Arts Advising or Science Advising) - Transfer credits (from transferring or exchange):
Transfer/Admissions Office - Registering for a COGS course (and if you do not not satisfy one or more of the prerequisites):
Your course instructor (cc. cogs.advising {at} ubc.ca) after consulting the FAQ - Registering for a non-COGS course:
The course instructor or the Department offering the course. More information can be found in the FAQ - Any course-specific questions (e.g. where to submit labs, write-ups):
Your course instructor or TA - In-term academic concessions:
Your course instructor - Standing deferred requests:
Do let your course instructor know, but you must apply for deferred standing through your home Faculty’s Academic Advising office.
If you are a current COGS student
- B.Sc. Computational Intelligence and Design stream-specific question:
Computer Science Advising - To switch from one B.A. stream to another B.A. stream:
COGS Program Coordinator - Module course credit (e.g. PSYC301, PHIL333A) not appearing correctly on Degree Navigator:
COGS Program Coordinator after verifying that your degree navigator version is the correct one. More information can be found in the FAQ - Required courses for the program (e.g. PHIL441A) not appearing correctly on Degree Navigator:
COGS Program Coordinator after verifying that your degree navigator version is the correct one. More information can be found in the FAQ - Taking PHIL 326, 351, or 455 in place of PHIL 441 or 451 to fulfill the PHIL451 (or PHIL441/451) requirement:
COGS Program Coordinator - Minors and double majors:
COGS Program Coordinator AND your home Faculty (Arts Advising or Science Advising) - General academic advice related to COGS:
COGS Program Coordinator and the Cognitive Systems Society (undergraduate student society) - Questions related to careers:
COGS Program Coordinator and Career Advising - Questions related to graduate school:
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies or the specific program’s graduate advising office - Faculty requirements (Language, Research, Literature, Writing, Breadth, Upper-level, Upper-level Science, First-year credit, Elective credit:
Your home Faculty (Arts Advising or Science Advising) - Course credit limit increases:
Your home Faculty (Arts Advising or Science Advising) - Credit/D/Fail-related questions:
Your home Faculty (Arts Advising or Science Advising) - To switch Faculties:
Your home Faculty and goal Faculty advising offices - Questions about transfer credits from your previous post-secondary institution:
Transfer/Admissions Office and/or your home Faculty (Arts Advising or Science Advising) - Questions about transfer credits from Go Global exchange:
Go Global Advising - Registering for a COGS course (and if you do not not satisfy one or more of the prerequisites):
Your course instructor (cc. cogs.advising {at} ubc.ca) after consulting the FAQ - Registering for a non-COGS course:
The course instructor or the Department offering the course. More information can be found in the FAQ - Any course-specific questions (e.g. where to submit labs, write-ups):
Your course instructor or TA - In-term academic concessions:
Your course instructor - Standing deferred requests:
Do let your course instructor know, but you must apply for deferred standing through your home Faculty’s Academic Advising office (Arts Advising or Science Advising) - Financial hold and other tuition-related questions:
Enrolment Services Advising - International student-specific questions:
International Student Advising - Hardships/extenuating circumstances:
Centre for Accessibility, Student Health Services, or Counselling Services depending on the issue - Co-op for COGS students:
Arts/Science Co-op Offices - When UBC says ‘speak to an Academic Advisor’:
The Faculty’s Advising Office (most likely Arts Advising or Science Advising) - When UBC says ‘speak to your Departmental/Program Advisor’:
COGS Program Coordinator (or Computer Science Advising if you are in the B.Sc. Computational Intelligence and Design stream)
If you are a graduating COGS student
- Module course credit (e.g. PSYC301, PHIL333A) not appearing correctly on Degree Navigator:
COGS Program Coordinator after verifying that your degree navigator version is the correct one. More information can be found in the FAQ - Required courses for the program (e.g. PHIL441A) not appearing correctly on Degree Navigator:
COGS Program Coordinator after verifying that your degree navigator version is the correct one. More information can be found in the FAQ - Taking PHIL 326, 351, or 455 in place of PHIL 441 or 451 to fulfill the PHIL451 (or PHIL441/451) requirement:
COGS Program Coordinator - Questions related to careers:
COGS Program Coordinator and Career Advising - Questions related to graduate school:
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies or the specific program’s graduate advising office - Applying for graduation / graduation checks:
Your home Faculty (Arts Advising or Science Advising) - Graduation photos / composites:
Artona