Program Overview

Master of Design Research (MDR)

The Master of Design Research (MDR) is a research-intensive degree that enables recent graduates of a professional architecture, planning, or landscape architecture degree to explore an area of expertise or practice specialization that will build their cv, increase their value to prospective employers, and accelerate their career objectives.

Program Structure

• Format: The MDR is a 16-month program with a Spring or Fall start.
• Supervision: Admission to the MDR is competitive as there is limited supervisory capacity and research areas.
• Course Work: Required courses address fundamental principles and conceptual paradigms of design-based research. Courses establish the context in which students define their research project.
  • APLA 670 Design Research Methods
  • APLA 672 Design Research Writing
  • APLA 674 Design Innovation
  • Minimum 3 units of elective credit, course(s) selected in consultation with the supervisor
• Thesis Details:
  • Thesis proposal approved by the supervisor
  • Execution of thesis research
  • Submission of a thesis document describing the research and its findings
  • Satisfactory completion of the Thesis Oral Examination

Mitacs Accelerate Program

Students enrolled in the Mitacs Accelerate stream partake in a unique version of the MDR that partners students with leading design firms. Students split the time of their studies between a paid internship, courses, thesis-writing, and defense.

Features Stories

• Digital analysis + design = award-winning sculpture: Guy Gardner of UCalgary design lab tackles innovative commission on behalf of Calgary software firm.
• Class of 2019: Students envision practical, low-carbon ways to build cities: Mitacs Accelerate program celebrates first graduates Seyi Arole, Kristen Forward and Hayden Pattullo.

Graduate Projects

• NICK HAMEL: RECALIBRATING RUSTIC
• GORDON SKILLING: MODULAR URBANISM
• KRISTEN FORWARD: CONTEMPORARY ORNAMENT FOR CIRCULARITY
• OLUWASEYI AROLE: PROCEDURAL PASSPORT
• HAYDEN PATTULLO: DIGITAL FABRICATION FOR CONTEMPORARY MATERIAL SPECIFICITY

Message from the Graduate Program Director

The Master of Design Research (MDR) is a research-intensive degree that enables recent graduates of a professional architecture, planning, or landscape architecture degree to explore an area of expertise or practice specialization that will build their cv, increase their value to prospective employers, and accelerate their career objectives. The MDR typically involves 4-6 semesters of study and can be completed in two different formats. The first is 16-months of continuous study starting in the Spring term. The second format extends the program over two years with a fall start.

About SAPL

The University of Calgary, located in the heart of Southern Alberta, both acknowledges and pays tribute to the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, which include the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda. The city of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation within Alberta.

More Programs

• Master of Architecture
• Master of Planning
• Master of Landscape Architecture
• PhD in Environmental Design
• Doctor of Design