The application portal for the 2026-2027 class of the Advanced Professional Certificate in Behavioural Insights is now open!
UBC’s Advanced Professional Certificate in Behavioural Insights Program
Developed in response to requests from Canadian employers and employees, UBC’s Advanced Professional Certificate in Behavioural Insights is rigorous practitioner training to help you develop the skills to create behaviourally-informed, evidence-based programs, policies, and products.
Key details:
- Program structure: Part-time & online with a combination of 8 courses plus a capstone project
- Duration: 9 months, August 24, 2026-May 30, 2027
- Live online seminars: Wednesdays, 5-7pm Pacific
- Cost: $5,995 (minus the cost of the prerequisite course, if taken within 3 years of applying). The program is eligible for a $4,000 BIG Difference BC scholarship as well as other scholarships and funding opportunities.
- Application deadlines: Apply by April 30, 2026, for a free copy of a top BI book! Late application deadline is May 31, 2026.
- Required prerequisite course: Fundamentals of Behavioural Insights, must be completed before May 31, 2026.
Learn more and apply now at https://sauder.ubc.ca/cbs-bi.
UBC’s Fundamentals of Behavioural Insights Course
Over 3 weeks, this introductory course provides an overview of behavioural insights, experimentation, and ethics as well as a sample of the pacing and rigour of the full certificate program.
Key details:
- Program structure: Part-time & online
- Duration: 3 weeks, next offered: April 20-May 10, 2026
- Live online seminars: Thursdays, 5-7pm Pacific
- Cost: $995 (cost can be applied toward the cost of the full certificate program, if taken within 3 years of applying). The course is eligible for a $800 BIG Difference BC scholarship and other funding opportunities.
Learn more and register at https://continuingstudies.sauder.ubc.ca/courses/fundamentals-behavioural-insights
What our alumni say about the Advanced professional certificate
The Advanced Professional Certificate in Behavioural Insights proved to be an invaluable learning experience. I was uncertain about what to expect, but I quickly discovered that the program exceeded my expectations in every aspect. The professors were not only knowledgeable, but incredibly supportive and engaging, fostering an enriching learning environment. Working on the capstone project allowed me to collaborate with an interdisciplinary group of professionals, which significantly enhanced my understanding of Behavioural Insights. The knowledge and skills I acquired during this program have helped immensely, both in my work in marketing strategy, and in my ongoing studies.
Anne Mburu
Class of 2023
Independent Contractor, Marketing Strategy in Mental Health & Wellness
The Advanced Certificate in Behavioural Insights offers an amazing opportunity and hands-on methodology to rethink how we invite people – employees, citizens, clients – to make and implement the best choices for their health & wellbeing. The faculty do an amazing job of establishing cohorts and capstone project teams to promote cross-functional, collaborative learning on complex but accessible topics in behavioural science theory and methodology. It was inspiring to see the different real world contexts and problems the teams within my cohort tackled with BI methods, and I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned to building and transforming systems that better support the community I serve!
Janet Hankins
Class of 2024
Manager, Research Compliance & Occupational Hygiene, VPFO, Safety & Risk Services, The University of British Columbia
What our alumni say about the Fundamentals of BI Course
Fundamentals of Behavioural Insights was a great introduction to a new lens I’ll take into my work as a consultant and change practitioner. Anyone whose work centres on encouraging people to make better decisions for themselves, their communities, or the planet, needs to add the Behavioural Insights lens to their toolbox. Kirstin Appelt was a generous and knowledgeable instructor. I appreciated the sample readings and group discussions. I left each class inspired and wanting to learn more. I look forward to continuing to deepen my knowledge of behavioural science and hope I can take the certificate program in the near future.
Trish Kelly
2024
Untapped Accessibility
The Fundamentals of Behavioural Insights course has been an incredibly insightful experience. It provided me with the tools to elevate consumer and citizen research to a more rigorous and robust level. The course opened my eyes to the profound impact of human behaviour on the decisions we make daily, often without even realizing it. It also offered a unique opportunity to rethink how we can better ‘nudge’ individuals in making and following through on decisions that promote their health and wellbeing.
Gazal Dhillon
2024
Destination British Columbia