The University of Calgary’s Bachelor of Design in City Innovation (BDCI) is the first of its kind in Western Canada, writes the university in a statement. The degree course, held by the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL), will welcome its first students in autumn 2023. Its multidisciplinary curriculum will include 2D and 3D visualisation, history and theory, sustainability studies, entrepreneurship and data science to help students tackle the challenges facing cities today.
Dr. John Brown, SAPL dean, explained that big problems in the world, such as climate change and social injustice, are grounded in the built environment. He said: “This program came about because we identified that there’s a significant knowledge and skills gap to address these critical challenges.”
For Calgary Economic Development CEO Brad Parry, the course can help make cities more liveable. He said in the statement: “The BDCI degree will generate the skills needed for the design and management of Calgary’s physical and social infrastructure and will promote the pursuance of meaningful careers in shaping better futures for urban areas and their inhabitants.”
According to the statement, graduates could proceed to further education or go straight into careers in the public, private or non-profit sectors, including neighbourhood rescue coordinators, community development officers and green building analysts. Applications for autumn 2023 are now open.
