Thank you for your interest. The recruitment for this program has now closed.
Program Overview
ECON 364B is a 3 credit community-based research course on sustainable economic development that includes an experiential learning placement at an international community organization. ECON 364A is not a required prerequisite course for ECON 364B but it is strongly recommended as students will have the opportunity to develop the skills and theoretical understanding necessary for the international community placement in ECON 364B. ECON 364A runs from January – April 2023 and although it appears full, there are reserved seats in ECON 364A for those that apply and are accepted for the ECON 364B ORICE program. Registration in 364A will be facilitated by the ORICE office.
Course Description
ECON 364B The Economics of Sustainable Development: International Placement (3 credits). This course builds upon that tradition of rigor and research-based analysis. It does so by starting with the recognition that it can be difficult to gain a realistic understanding of the experience of people living in conditions of poverty through lectures, textbooks and journal articles alone. The aim of this course is to both deepen and broaden students’ understanding of the process of sustainable economic development as it affects low resource communities through student participation in applied community-based research and an international placement. Students in the course will delve more deeply into debates about alternative policies aimed at resolving challenges and concerns of communities, principally in low and middle income countries.
Beginning in May 2023, the course will begin with intensive full day week long seminars, followed by an 8-week international placement with one of ORICE’s international community partners, and will culminate with final seminars and assignments virtually post-placement in July- August 2023.
Students in the Faculty of Arts are eligible for Arts Research Abroad (ARA) funding to cover up to 70% of the associated costs with the program. The course tuition will not be covered through any funding. Please see the Funding Opportunities section below for more details as some financial need coverage of up to 100% is available.
Note: Grades for this specific section of the course will be posted in September 2023. Students enrolling in this option will not be eligible for May 2023 graduation given that the international placements will be in progress at that time.
International Placement Details
Student enrollment in ECON 364B requires full participation in:
- ECON 364A classes on campus from January – April 2023 (Highly recommended)
- ORICE pre-departure learning sessions from January – April 2023
- ECON 364B seminar classes during May 2023
- A 8-week placement project with a community partner from May to beginning of July 2023
- Mid-placement workshop facilitated by ORICE in June 2023
- Final course seminars conducted online in July 2023
- Final assignments due August 2023
- Re-entry debrief and public engagement presentation on campus in September 2023
Pre-Departure Overview
The pre-departure learning program is designed to prepare you for an international placement. This will include:
- Pre-departure learning sessions taking place over the academic term leading up to departure led by staff and community development professionals.
- Creation of a learning and development plan
- Participant-led events/presentations
- Facilitated meetings with your placement team to explore learning topics
- Post-Placement overview
Post-Departure Overview
You will participate in post-placement activities in September – October 2023, including:
- Return seminar and final coursework in July – August 2023
- Debrief session in September 2023
- Presentation at an ORICE international development symposium in October 2023
More Information
Students who have completed their second year (54 credits) by May 2023 and who have completed a minimum of nine credits in Economics. ECON 364A is optional but strongly recommended for students taking part in ECON 364B. Those that apply and are accepted for the ECON 364B program can be enrolled in ECON 364A through ORICE using reserved seats if the course appears full.
Note: Grades will be posted in August 2023. Students enrolling in this option will not be eligible for May 2023 graduation given that the international placements will be in progress at that time.
As a part of the ECON 364B course, you will participate in an international placement. ECON placements may be located in India, Kenya, Uganda, or other countries where ORICE community partners are located. Specific placements are being confirmed with host organizations and will be announced in Winter 2023 or earlier as possible.
In Uganda, Kenya and India, you will live with host families in modest conditions. In most cases, you will take public transport to and from your placement.
In addition to its academic requirements, ECON 364B students must also participate in a number of activities to ensure their preparedness for their international placement.
Program Dates
| Date | Activity |
| August 2022 | Program applications open and will close when full. Applications will be considered in the order they are received. |
| January - April 2023 | [OPTIONAL] ECON 364A Course (Winter Term 2) |
| January – April 2023 | Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions (all successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions) |
| May 2023 | ECON 364B course intensive full day week long seminars |
| May – June 2023 | 8 week international placement including a facilitated workshop approximately mid-way through (exact dates TBA) |
| July- August 2023 | ECON 364B post placement seminar and assignments online |
| Sept – Oct 2023 | Post-placement reflection sessions and presentation at ORICE’s international engagement symposium |
**Please note these dates may be adjusted but will be confirmed prior to the offer.
Selection Process
To apply please fill out and submit an online application. Successful applicants will be invited to an interview. After interviews, you will be notified of a decision; successful candidates will be sent an offer letter with further details on the program and detailed instructions on how to accept. You will have approximately one week after receiving the offer letter to accept and pay a program deposit. Your selection into the program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview.
There are program fees, outside of tuition, for this course. The finalized cost per student is yet to be confirmed, but will be within the range listed below. A program deposit fee of $685.00 is payable upon acceptance of an offer to secure your spot in the program. The deposit fee will be deducted from the overall balance owing. The prices listed below are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
| Cost | Cost with ARA Funding |
| Program Fee: $3,900 - $4,500 | Program Fee: $1,170- 1,350 |
| Estimated flight cost: $2,000 | Estimated flight cost: $600 |
| Program fees do not include the cost of tuition. | |
*Note: Program fees may be adjusted before the offer. Program costs vary primarily due to cost of living expenses per country and region.
Program cost includes:
- Pre-departure learning sessions at UBC
- Room and board
- Transportation from the airport to your placement site
- Orientation in host country
- In-session debrief and workshop part way through your placement
- Reflection materials
- Community partner management fee
- Program management fee
Note: Additional expenses not covered in program costs are the responsibility of the student. Costs not included are airfare, visas, vaccinations, tuition, local transportation while in country, transportation from the site back to the airport at the end of the placement, personal items, and daily incidentals.
Please see the Funding Opportunities section below for information on awards that are available to cover some of the cost of the program.
Funding available for this program: Arts Research Abroad Award (ARA) or Regional and International Service Learning Award. Note: Students may only hold one award at a given time. Please visit the Funding page below for more information on the awards.
Thank you for your interest. The recruitment for this program has now closed.
- Review course and program details (please contact ubc.orice@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
- Next, fill out the ORICE international programs application form for this course below.
- Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue the selection process through an individual interview and a group interview.
- After interviews, you will be notified of a decision; successful candidates will be sent an offer letter with further details on the program and detailed instructions on how to accept. You will have approximately one week after receiving the offer letter to accept. Your selection into the program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview.
- Students who wish to be enrolled in ECON 364A must notify ORICE as part of their program acceptance. ORICE will directly enroll students in Fall 2022.
- Students will be directly registered into ECON 364B when summer course registration opens in March 2023.
Note: Although there are rounds of multiple deadlines scheduled, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we can not guarantee the number of spots remaining in the following round of deadlines. We encourage interested students to apply as soon as possible.
For more information about the program and the course, please contact ORICE at ubc.orice@ubc.ca