Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctor of Design Program

The Doctor of Design (DDes) is a post-professional program for mid-career design practitioners offered by the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary. This unique three-year program is designed for architects, landscape architects, and planners who want to leverage their expertise in a specific topic area into an innovation with real-world impact.

Program Overview

The DDes program helps bold design professionals to rethink the status quo ways that buildings, communities, and landscapes are designed, built, and operated. Students formulate a design-based research question from their existing practice-based knowledge and professional experience. They develop their research through online studio-based pedagogy with a cohort of fellow practitioner-students, working closely with assigned supervisors and participating in dedicated design research symposia to test their work with recognized external experts and thought leaders.

Program Structure

The DDes is a three-year program for mid-career professionals to explore a research question in an intense and rigorous practice-based project that is distinct from, but parallel to, their professional work. Students continue to work full-time in their profession during the degree, working closely with their supervisory committee for feedback and mentorship.

Required Courses

• APLA 680 Design Practice Research Project Definition: Introduction to practice research in the design fields.
• APLA 682 Contexts of Design Practice Research: Exploration of diverse contexts crucial to the student’s research question and development of skills associated with the evaluation and use of extant research.
• APLA 684 Strategies for Design Practice Research: Comparison of alternative strategies for conducting practice research in the design fields.

Thesis Research Proposal

The Thesis Research Proposal for the DDes is a 3,000 to 5,000 word written document (or equivalent combination of textual and non-textual design-based graphic representations). It must be approved by the supervisory committee and clearly describe the project (Title, Objectives, Background, Methodology, Expected Outcomes, Research Progress to date) and include an explicit component related to professional practice.

Candidacy Requirements

• All course requirements as identified in the calendar.
• Thesis Research Proposal approved by the Supervisory Committee.
• Field of Study (FoS) Examination conducted during one of DDes Research Symposia to evaluate their understanding of the relevant contexts and strategies for conducting their practice-based research.

Dissertation Requirements

In the dissertation, the student writes a thesis on their selected topic that represents a significant research accomplishment and contribution to knowledge and makes a positive impact in the student’s area of professional practice. Students will present a portfolio of both textual and non-textual work, including a written thesis and supporting artefacts that tell a comprehensive story about the research project.

Typical Three-Year Schedule

Year 1

• Fall term: Completion of APLA 680, development of research project, and Research Presentation 1 at the DDes Fall Research Symposium.
• Winter term: Completion of APLA 682 and development of research project.
• Spring/Summer term: Completion of APLA 684, development of research project, and Research Presentation 2 at the DDes Spring/Summer Research Symposium.

Year 2

• Fall term: Completion and submission of Thesis Research Proposal Document and Candidacy examination as Research Presentation 3 at the DDes Fall Research Symposium.
• Winter term: Development of research project.
• Spring/Summer term: Development of research project and Research Presentation 4 at the DDes Spring/Summer Research Symposium.

Year 3

• Fall term: Completion of research project, development of final dissertation documents, and Research Presentation 5 at the DDes Fall Research Symposium.
• Winter term: Development of final dissertation documents and post for Defense.
• Spring/Summer term: Preparation of final exhibition and Dissertation Defense as Research Presentation 6 at the DDes Spring/Summer Research Symposium.

Message from the Dean

The Doctor of Design program is a place for motivated professionals to develop their particular response to the opportunities and challenges in the design field and get them ‘project-ready’ for integration into practice. DDes graduates use the knowledge generated through their research to open up new areas of innovation, create competitive advantages, and more clearly articulate their value proposition to clients and the broader public.

Related Programs

Interested in expanding your professional expertise through a degree program, but not sure if the Doctor of Design is right for you? Consider:

• Master of Design Research
• PhD in Environmental Design

About the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape

The School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary is situated on land Northwest of where the Bow River meets the Elbow River, a site traditionally known as Moh’kins’tsis to the Blackfoot, Wîchîspa to the Stoney Nakoda, and Guts’ists’i to the Tsuut’ina. The school strives to learn together, walk together, and grow together “in a good way.”