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3.1 Admissions

Admission to graduate degree programs in the Faculty follows Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations and requirements and Degree Program admission requirements identified below. Current Graduate Studies and Faculty admission requirements are available on the University website.

Applicants to the masterâ€™s degree programs will require a four-year baccalaureate degree from a recognized university with a grade point average (GPA) in the final two years of study of at least 3.00 (based on a four-point grading system). The Faculty of Graduate Studies may approve special admission requests.

Consistent with Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements, prior to admission to the Faculty of Environmental Design, all applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency for purposes of admission. Please refer to the Faculty of Graduate Studies website () for current special admission request and English language proficiency requirements.

Admission to the Minor in Architectural Studies follows Program admission requirements identified below.

Because of limitations on enrolment, all applicants meeting admission requirements are not necessarily admitted.

Master of Architecture

Admission to the professional Architecture Program is a competitive process. Applicants must meet minimum Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements (including a 3.00 GPA and English proficiency) and the Architecture Program admission requirements (see the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar and additional information is also available on the Faculty of Environmental Design website). For admission to the two year MArch degree program, applicants must demonstrate successful completion of prerequisite requirements in four areas: Design, Technology, Communications, and History/Theory. Without these prerequisites, students apply for the MArch Foundation Year, which must be successfully completed before advancing to the two-year MArch. Therefore, admission to the MArch may be achieved in one of the following three ways:

Admission into the MArch Degree based on the completion of a recognized four year undergraduate degree with a minimum 3.00 GPA calculated on the final two years but needing to complete one or more of the ten half course prerequisites required for admission. A student with these qualifications would enter the MArch Foundation Year and complete its studies prior to taking the regular two year curriculum in the MArch.
Admission into the MArch Degree based on the completion of a four year undergraduate degree from the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓÆµµ¼º½ with a Minor in Architectural Studies (ARST) and a minimum 3.00 GPA calculated on the final two years.
Admission into the MArch Degree based on the completion of a recognized four year undergraduate pre-professional architecture degree (or equivalent) program with a minimum 3.00 GPA calculated on the final two years.

Candidates for the MArch Program (including those entering into the Foundation Year of the Program) must submit a digital portfolio (along with the other application requirements). The portfolio must provide evidence of original and/or creative work in any field or medium, and provide in writing a brief description of the work. The requirements for digital portfolio submissions can be found on the Environmental Studies website: . Candidates are also required to submit a clearly-written statement of intent and three reference letters.

Students seeking advanced credit for courses should refer to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar.

Master of Environmental Design

Applicants for the Master of Environmental Design must provide:

a) Applicants must submit a clear, concise and substantive statement of interest (1,000 to 1,500 words), which informs the Admissions Committee of:

the applicantâ€™s reasons for wanting to pursue the MEDes degree
how the applicantâ€™s specific educational background and professional and personal experience relates to their proposed thesis project
the applicantâ€™s thesis research interests and ideas to clarify the applicantâ€™s supervisory needs

b) Required: Applicants must submit at least one example of the applicant's previous academic or professional work such as an essay, published research paper, major academic paper, thesis, design project, or consulting report.

In addition (optional): a portfolio of the applicant's choosing that provides examples of or illustrates the applicantâ€™s design work, professional work, research, creative thinking, community action, planning products, or graphics and visual communication.

If any of the work submitted involved collaboration with others, applicants must clearly identify what aspects of the work are their own. The examples of work and (if applicable) portfolio should be submitted in digital form (portable document (PDF) files), uploaded by the applicant to their Student Centre, upon submission of their online application.

c) Three reference letters.

Master of Planning

Admission to the Master of Planning is a competitive process. Applicants must meet minimum Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements (including a 3.00 GPA and English proficiency) and the Planning Program admission requirements (see the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar and additional information is also available on the Faculty of Environmental Design website). In addition to Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements, the Faculty of Environmental Design requires:

a) A clear, well-written, statement of intent which describes the applicant's preference for one of the planning streams and how the applicant's specific educational background and professional or personal experience relates to Planning as a field of study and the applicant's future "vision" for pursuing a graduate degree in Environmental Design (related to personal and professional goals and intentions.

b) A portfolio of the applicant's work, as selected by the applicant, to include at least one example of the applicantâ€™s previous academic or professional writing, such as a written essay, published research paper, major academic paper, design project or consulting report.

The portfolio may also include examples of the applicantâ€™s design work or design thinking, including creative work or ideas, community action, planning or design products, or graphics and visual communication.

The requirements for digital portfolio submissions are found in the Faculty of Environmental Design website at: .

The portfolio will be submitted in digital form (portable document (PDF) files), uploaded by the applicant to their Student Centre upon submission of their online application.

c) Three reference letters.

Minor Field of Specialization in Architectural Studies

In order to be eligible for the Minor, students must have successfully completed a minimum of 4.0 full-course equivalents in post-secondary study by the end of the Fall Term in the year in which they apply. Admission to the Minor will be granted for the Fall Term only. Students must apply via their online Student Centre by January 15.

The Minor has a fixed number of places for students. Students will be admitted on a competitive basis. The application to the Minor will include consideration of the applicantâ€™s grade point average.

A minimum grade point average of 3.20 is required for consideration for admission, but does not guarantee admission. The grade point average for admission purposes will be calculated over the most-recent course work to a maximum of 5.0 full-course equivalents inclusive of the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓÆµµ¼º½ courses and/or transferable courses taken at other institutions.

Effective Fall 2015: Applicants to the Minor must submit a digital portfolio that provides evidence of original or creative work in any field or medium, and includes a brief statement of their interest in the Minor. The requirements for digital portfolio submissions can be found on the Environmental Studies website: .

Application Procedures

The deadline date for applications to the Master of Architecture, Master of Planning and Master of Environmental Design programs is February 1, for admission to the following Fall Term. The deadline date for applications to the Minor Field of Specialization in Architectural Studies is January 15, for admission to the following Fall Term. Degree Program Admission Committees for the Master of Architecture, Master of Planning and Master of Environmental Design and the Minor of Architectural Studies evaluate the respective pool of eligible candidates and offers admission to the most-qualified applicants. New admissions to all programs may be limited in number as required on an annual basis.

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