Welcome!
SAPL Orientation 2025
The Orientation Week chedule for 2025 is being developed and will be updated here soon. Please note everything listed below is from 2024 and is only to provide an idea of what the week will look like - activities and days/times are subject to change.
SAPL Orientation is a series of events, workshops, and information sessions where incoming students can learn about what to expect during the Fall and Winter semesters. For students starting in Fall 2025, it will take place from August 25 to 29. Mandatory safety training for the workshop will be provided.
Please note that some activities require registration, links are in the drop-down sections below.
Photo and Video Consent Form
Please complete the Photo and Video Consent Form and email it to the Admissions Team by August 22
Looking for us on main campus?
The UCalgary campus map room finder →
Master of Architecture (MArch) and Minor in Architectural Studies (ARST Minor)
Monday, August 25
CBDL Event Hall / Downtown Calgary
All incoming architecture students will meet, check in and grab a coffee and light snack. Just before 9:00am they will break into groups with faculty members and take a walking tour of downtown while getting to know each other. This should wrap up around 10:30-11:00am, then students can hop on the C-Train and head to main campus to join the pizza lunch!
Main Campus, Professional Faculties Building
PF 2145 Stantec Gallery
All incoming students are invited to join Dean John Brown for a pizza welcome lunch.
PF 2130
This is mandatory for all new professional program (MArch - Fnd, M1, ARST Minor, MPlan, MLA) students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18 - 22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Last Defense Lounge
2500 University Dr NW
Calgary AB T2N 1N4
All SAPL Students Welcome (all programs, all years)!
Tuesday, August 26
Workshop: Last Names A - L
This is mandatory for all architecture students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18-22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor. This morning session is for those students with last names beginning with letters between A and L.
CBDLab
Event Hall
MArch and ARST students with last names beginning with letters M - Z will be given a tour of the facilities and an orientation on the equipment.
Workshop: Last Names M - Z
This is mandatory for all architecture students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18-22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor. This afternoon session is for those students with last names beginning with letters between M and Z.
CBDLab
Event Hall
MArch and ARST students with last names beginning with letters A - L will be given a tour of the facilities and an orientation on the equipment.
Wednesday, August 27
GradO is your introduction to life as a UCalgary graduate student. Join FGS to support your transition into graduate school, whether you attend in person or virtually.
Please join us for a tour of the Taylor Family Digital Library. We will be meeting in the SAPL main floor gallery at 9:15 am (MT) to begin the tour, and then walk over to the Library as a group. This tour will cover information on library use including resources plus the Spatial & Numeric Data Services (SANDS) and Canadian Architectural Archives.
CBDL
Event Hall
Speed networking meet and greet with incoming and returning students, faculty, and alumni. Light refreshments will be available.
Thursday, August 28
Workshop
Drop-in time for students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Travel Downtown to CBDLab during this lunch break!
CBDLab
Dutton Theatre, 2nd Floor
CBDLab
Event Hall
We invite you all to join us for an evening to welcome incoming students to SAPL. The reception will begin at 5:00pm and dinner will be served at 5:45pm. Remarks from: Dean John Brown and our SAPLSA President.
Cash bar. Casual to business casual dress code.
Registration required to attend. Due to capacity limitations, this will be an internal event only. Registration open to SAPL Faculty, Staff, and incoming students.
Friday, August 29
Workshop
Drop-in time for students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
CBDL
Dutton Theatre, 2nd Floor
Join the Associate Dean and Graduate Program Administrator to hear about your course sequencing, how to choose electives, and to address any other course registration questions you might have.
CBDL
Dutton Theatre, 2nd Floor
Join the Associate Dean and Graduate Program Administrator to hear about your course sequencing, how to choose electives, and to address any other course registration questions you might have.
Enjoy lunch on or off campus! This is a great opportunity to explore UCalgary and the city.
Workshop
Drop-in time for students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)
Monday, August 25
CBDL
Student Lounge
Join us before your program intro session by checking in at the registration tables and enjoy light refreshments to start the day!
CBDL 418
Meet your professors! Introduction to the MLA program for incoming students.
Main Campus, Professional Faculties Building
PF 2160 Stantec Gallery
All incoming students are invited to join Dean John Brown for a pizza welcome lunch.
PF 2130
This is mandatory for all new professional program (MArch - Fnd, M1, ARST Minor, MPlan, MLA) students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18 - 22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Last Defence Lounge
2500 University Dr NW
Calgary AB T2N 1N4
All SAPL Students Welcome (all programs, all years)!
Tuesday, August 26
Computer Lab
PF 2165
Incoming students will be introduced to Adobe Creative Suite programs and various 3D modelling programs.
Enjoy lunch on or off campus! This is a great opportunity to explore UCalgary and the city.
Main Campus
PF 3160
Hands-on workshop for those students who would like to have an introduction to drawing for design. Materials will be supplied.
Wednesday, August 27
Workshop
This is mandatory for all planning and landscape architecture students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18-22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Enjoy lunch on or off campus! This is a great opportunity to explore UCalgary and the city.
Workshop
This is mandatory for all planning and landscape architecture students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18-22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
CBDL
Event Hall
Speed networking meet and greet with incoming and returning students, faculty, and alumni. Light refreshments will be available.
Thursday, August 28
Workshop
Drop-in time for students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
CBDL 415
Join the Associate Dean and Graduate Program Administrator to hear about your course sequencing, how to choose electives, and to address any other course registration questions you might have.
Travel Downtown to CBDLab during this lunch break!
CBDLab
Dutton Theatre, 2nd Floor
CBDLab
Event Hall
We invite you all to join us for an evening to welcome incoming students to SAPL. The reception will begin at 5:00pm and dinner will be served at 5:45pm. Remarks from: Dean John Brown and our SAPLSA President.
Cash bar. Casual to business casual dress code.
Registration required to attend. Due to capacity limitations, this will be an internal event only. Registration open to SAPL Faculty, Staff, and incoming students.
Friday, August 29
Workshop
Drop-in time for students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Enjoy lunch on or off campus! This is a great opportunity to explore UCalgary and the city.
Workshop
Drop-in time for students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Master of Planning (MPlan)
Monday, August 25
CBDL
Student Lounge
Join us before your program intro session by checking in at the registration tables and enjoy light refreshments to start the day!
CBDL 415
Meet your professors! Introduction to the MLA program for incoming students.
Main Campus, Professional Faculties Building
PF 2145 Stantec Gallery
All incoming students are invited to join Dean John Brown for a pizza welcome lunch.
PF 2130
This is mandatory for all new professional program (MArch - Fnd, M1, ARST Minor, MPlan, MLA) students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18 - 22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Last Defence Lounge
2500 University Dr NW
Calgary AB T2N 1N4
All SAPL Students Welcome (all programs, all years)!
Tuesday, August 26
Computer Lab
PF 2165
Incoming students will be introduced to Adobe Creative Suite programs and various 3D modelling programs.
Enjoy lunch on or off campus! This is a great opportunity to explore UCalgary and the city.
Main Campus
PF 3160
Hands-on workshop for those students who would like to have an introduction to drawing for design. Materials will be supplied.
Wednesday, August 27
Workshop
This is mandatory for all planning and landscape architecture students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18-22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Enjoy lunch on or off campus! This is a great opportunity to explore UCalgary and the city.
Workshop
This is mandatory for all planning and landscape architecture students who did not complete the previous week-long workshop training (August 18-22). Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
CBDL
Event Hall
Speed networking meet and greet with incoming and returning students, faculty, and alumni. Light refreshments will be available.
Thursday, August 28
CBDL 418
Join the Associate Dean and Graduate Program Administrator to hear about your course sequencing, how to choose electives, and to address any other course registration questions you might have.
Workshop
Drop-in time for architecture students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Travel Downtown to CBDLab during this lunch break!
CBDLab
Dutton Theatre, 2nd Floor
CBDLab
Event Hall
We invite you all to join us for an evening to welcome incoming students to SAPL. The reception will begin at 5:00pm and dinner will be served at 5:45pm. Remarks from: Dean John Brown and our SAPLSA President.
Cash bar. Casual to business casual dress code.
Registration required to attend. Due to capacity limitations, this will be an internal event only. Registration open to SAPL Faculty, Staff, and incoming students.
Friday, August 29
Workshop
Drop-in time for students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Enjoy lunch on or off campus! This is a great opportunity to explore UCalgary and the city.
Workshop
Drop-in time for students to work on their training projects. Sessions will be led by and more information will be provided by Nathan, SAPL Workshop Supervisor.
Master of Design Research (MDR) and PhD in Environmental Design (PhD)
Monday, August 25
CBDL
Student Lounge
Join us before your program intro session by checking in at the registration tables and enjoy light refreshments to start the day!
Main Campus, Professional Faculties Building
PF 2165
Meet your professors! Introduction to the programs for incoming MDR/PhD students.
Main Campus, Professional Faculties Building
PF 2160 Stantec Gallery
All incoming students are invited to join Dean John Brown for a pizza welcome lunch.
Main Campus, Professional Faculties Building
PF 2160 Stantec Gallery
All incoming students are invited to join us for a presentation about Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) at the University of Calgary.
Last Defence Lounge
2500 University Dr NW
Calgary AB T2N 1N4
All SAPL Students Welcome (all programs, all years)!
Tuesday, August 26
No scheduled Orientation events.
Wednesday, August 27
Registration: 10:15-10:45am (MT)
Orientation Session: 11:00am-12:00pm (MT)
Please join us for a tour of the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL). We will be meeting in the SAPL main floor gallery at 1:45pm to begin the tour, and then walk over to the Library as a group. This tour will cover information on library use including resources plus the Spatial & Numeric Data Services (SANDS) and Canadian Architectural Archives.
CBDL Event Hall
Speed networking meet and greet with incoming and returning students, faculty, and alumni. Light refreshments will be available.
Thursday, August 28
CBDLab
Dutton Theatre, 2nd Floor
CBDLab
Event Hall
We invite you all to join us for an evening to welcome incoming students to SAPL. The reception will begin at 5:00pm and dinner will be served at 5:45pm. Remarks from: Dean John Brown and our SAPLSA President.
Cash bar. Casual to business casual dress code.
Registration required to attend. Due to capacity limitations, this will be an internal event only. Registration open to SAPL Faculty, Staff, and incoming students.
Friday, August 29
No scheduled Orientation events.