Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still apply for the Fall semester?

The application deadline is January 1st.

Can I apply for the Winter semester?

The application deadline is September 23rd.

How do I apply?

If you are interested in applying for this future admission cycle, we would recommend waiting until the application opens to have your documents sent, otherwise there will not be an application number nor user ID to associate the documents with, making the papers susceptible to being lost in the months between their receipt and your application being submitted.

What do I need to include in my portfolio?

The calibre of the content in an applicant’s portfolio is critical, so one with four outstanding pieces could be more impressive than ten average pieces. Because CMD’s admissions are so competitive, we encourage you to work on your portfolio and review your previous work to see if anything you may have overlooked demonstrates your capabilities and how you would mesh with the CMD program.

Overly lengthy portfolios will not necessarily be considered in their entirety, so limit yourself to work that you really feel demonstrates your capabilities and how you would mesh with the CMD program. Samples are not provided.

It is required to be submitted as a PDF (one compiled document, not individual files) or as a link to a URL.

How long should it take me to get my master's/doctorate?

Master's students are expected to finish within two years and doctoral students are expected to finish in four years.

How do I find out more about visa and immigration requirements?

Recent federal legislation stipulates that only certified consultants may offer advice about immigration issues. The International Student Services (ISS) at the University of Calgary specializes in this area. Go to International Student Services or contact the office at international.advice@ucalgary.ca.

Can I use courses outside my bachelor's degree to meet the program's prerequisites?

You are able to take courses to meet the prerequisites, provided they meet the following criteria:

• They are from an accredited institution or learning resource
• You can produce a certificate or transcript that documents your completion and grade for the course
• The course is evaluated/graded in some way

Do I need to demonstrate English language proficiency?

Our program follows the same guidelines as set out in the CMD graduate calendar.

What are the admission requirements?

Please view the current Graduate Calendar for full details.

What is the difference between an “unofficial transcript” and an “official transcript”?

Unofficial transcripts (those uploaded or supplied by the student) can be used to evaluate an admission application to speed up the admission process. You can upload your unofficial transcripts in your Student Centre, which is accessible with your student ID. Admission would then be offered contingent on the receipt of your official transcripts by a certain date.

Official transcripts are those received by the University of Calgary directly from the issuing institution.

Where do I mail my transcripts to?

Official transcripts are to be sent in a sealed envelope or directly emailed to the program by the issuing institution. Request your transcripts to be sent to:

Computational Media Design 
Department of Computer Science, ICT 602
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4

When transcripts are emailed, the transcript retrieval instructions should be emailed directly to the program administrator (cmd@ucalgary.ca) by the institution or their third party contractor, with the transcript downloaded from a secure site (not sent as an attachment).

I'm a graduate from the University of Calgary, do I need to provide transcripts from the University of Calgary?

No, we are able to retrieve internal transcripts, and do not require them to be sent to the program.

Can I send transcripts via World Education Service (WES)?

We do not accept transcripts through WES or any other third party service.