Graduate Admissions

First Consideration Date: January 13, 2013. 

If you have missed the first consideration date, we still welcome your application. However, first consideration for scholarships and awards etc. is given to those who apply on or before the deadline indicated above.

For further information on deadline dates, English language proficiency and the online application, please visit or contact the Graduate Admissions Office.

Admission Requirements

The graduate program in Urban Development demands high standards from students entering the program. The program will be offered in the following two formats:

The two-year regular stream will require a four-year honours bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with a minimum GPA of 3.00/4.33 (B) in the last two years of study from a recognized university. The undergraduate degree may be in a field other than planning. All applicants are expected to have taken a university-level course in statistics.

The one-year accelerated stream will require a four or five-year accredited bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, in planning with a minimum GPA of 3.00/4.33 (B). Applicants with a bachelor's degree (four- or five-year) in a related discipline (non-Planning degree) who show evidence of a significant number of years of relevant professional experience in planning will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis. Planning degree holders must have planning experience of no less than two calendar years. All applicants are expected to have taken a university-level course in statistics.

Program Specific Documents

The Statement of Intent (about 500 words in length) that should address/include the following:

• whether your application is to the two-year or one-year option (please include this information in the header of your statement);
  
• for one-year stream only: Please submit detailed work experience and its relevance to planning. Also, please indicate whether you have a minimum of two calendar years of professional experience in planning;  
  
• whether you have taken a university-level statistics course or a course in which a substantial portion of it was statistics. If you have completed a statistics course, please indicate the course code, name, year it was taken, the institution at which it was taken and what the course covered (please be prepared to provide an original course outline). In the case of you having not yet completed a statistics course, please indicate whether you intend to take a university-level statistics course and complete it before joining our program.  
  
• your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in Urban Development;
  
• the research interest(s) of planning issues you wish to pursue in a research paper or project;
  
• how your previous studies and/or professional experience have prepared you for the program;
  
• your career objectives and how this degree program relates to them.
  

Two Letters of Recommendations are required. 

TWO academic recommendations (eg. faculty members familiar with your academic performance). One of the recommendations may be submitted by a professional (non-academic) referee if needed. Please note that we reserve the right to contact your referees at any stage during the application process.

Recommendation letters are a key component of your application and close attention should be paid to the selection of a referee.  It is the applicant's responsibility to contact the referee before providing the name of the referee on the application form to confirm their availability.

To review a listing of all required documents, please refer to the Material Checklist.