STRENGTHS
Bolstered by its innovative City Building Design Lab, the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape delivers a distinctly different design school experience – one that combines a rich, interdisciplinary design-based philosophy with an entrepreneurial mindset. The program’s emphasis on working with industry stakeholders and community leaders, at local, national, and international levels prepares students to address some of society’s biggest challenges in new, creative ways.
OVERVIEW – Master of Architecture
The University of Calgary’s MArch program engages the challenges facing architecture today with a curriculum focused on innovation, responsiveness and critical thinking. Students are challenged to develop design approaches that engage cutting edge digital tools to address the challenges facing our built environments across many scales. This program – along with the the Master of Planning and Master of Landscape Architecture programs – prepares students to become licensed architects not only in Alberta, but in jurisdictions across North America and the European Union.
OVERVIEW – Master of Environmental Design
The MEDes is a thesis-based degree, allowing participants to undertake specialized research based on their interests, with the opportunity for paid experience through the government-sponsored Mitacs Accelerate program. The 16-month program enables students to extend their education beyond their initial professional degree by exploring an area of expertise or practice specialization that will build their CV, increase their value to prospective employers and accelerate their career objectives. Applicants with degrees in design-related fields such as architecture, planning and landscape architecture are encouraged to apply. Past research topics have included mass timber, energy performance, circular economies and life-cycle analysis.
OVERVIEW – Doctor of Design
The climate crisis, rising social inequality, computational design, and robotic fabrication are rewriting the way cities are being designed, built, and operated. This creates enormous opportunities for architects, planners, and landscape architects to expand their practice, increase their value to clients, and make a bigger and more positive impact in the world. Mid-career professionals have the experience to identify and capitalize on these opportunities but often need a framework to help bring these ideas to life. The new Doctor of Design (DDes) program is a place for motivated professionals to develop their particular response to these opportunities and get them ‘project-ready’ for integration into practice. The Doctor of Design also provides an appropriate terminal academic credential for design-based professionals interested in applying for post-secondary teaching positions.
NOTABLE ALUMNI
Knut Burgdorf, Joanne McCallum, Walker McKinley, Michael Popowich, Kate Thompson, Aurelie Tu
NOTABLE FACULTY
Marc Boutin, Enrica Dall’Ara, Alberto de Salvatierra, Graham Livesey, Zhongming Shi, Alicia Nahmad Vazquez
