2025 Zurich Spring/Summer Program
Explore practices of planning and urban design in one of the world's most livable cities
The city of Zurich is one of the most livable cities in the world regularly ranked in the top 5 in livability on multiple international surveys. The city offers multiple opportunities for learning best practices in planning and urban design. This program will allow students from the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape to benefit from immersion in one of Europe’s most geographically, historically, and culturally unique cities.
Through participation in this program, students will learn:
- Zurich’s urban design approach for a high-quality public realm
- The city’s environmental and sustainability strategies
- Effective land management and densification strategies used to preserve the agriculturally and environmentally important areas
- Heritage management in an European city
- Sustainable and affordable housing initiatives
- Swiss urban agriculture
- The city’s impressive public infrastructure programs
Upon completion of this program, students will learn foundational urban design concepts and will be able to effectively compare the areas of Zurich and Calgary as well as other urban environments throughout the world. This program partners with The Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich). This University is a highly ranked school for architecture and urbanism, and also offers graduate studies in planning and urban design.
Key information
Application information
Student Experience
Have questions?
For program information, please contact your professor Francisco Alaniz Uribe at falanizu@ucalgary.ca
For application and registration support, please contact group.study@ucalgary.ca
Other useful links:
- Travel Advisory for the Switzerland
2025 SAPL Zurich Info Session
Other SAPL Group Study Programs
Explore other Group Study Programs offered for students from the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL).
2025 Barcelona Spring/Summer Program
2025 Tokyo Spring/Summer Program
2025 Los Angeles Winter Program
Program details
Questions about these courses should be directed to the program instructor.
Please note: course descriptions are tentative and subject to change.
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Courses offered
Students on this program are required to enroll in both of the following courses:
PLAN 616 - Urban Design Studio-Zurich: Sustainable Livability (6 credits)
ARCH 675 - Urban Systems (3 credits)
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Prerequisites
Enrolment in this program
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Pre-departure
Students will be required to attend one Pre-Departure Session in Winter 2025. Date TBD
Other Pre-Departure Activities:
May 5-16: Virtual Studio Phase 1Introduction of cultural and economic context. Precedent research, open source data gathering via of Swiss GIS source Base mapping and spatial analysis of case studies, including site analysis and socio-demographic profiles.
This first phase of the studio can be conducted at a distance before going to Zurich and will help the students focus as well help to lower the cost of our stay in the city.
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In-field
May 20: Students to travel to Zurich and be ready for start of the course on site.
May 21: First day of class, (Zurich Main Train Station).
May 22 - June 19: Students are expected to attend classes which will be scheduled on weekdays. Some classes will take place at ETH Hönggerberg (TBC) and some at different field locations. These weeks will include site visits, lectures, invited guest speakers, site research, and tutorials.
Students may develop their own study visits on the weekends.
June 20: Final day of classes on site in Zurich. Final studio presentations in person with ETH reviewers followed by social event.
June 21: Students are free to return to Calgary. Some students might stay longer and travel to other destinations.
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Post-field
Professor to review submissions and final feedback. Date TBD.
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Costs
The estimated cost of this Group Study Program will include tuition, airfare, field trips, local transportation, accommodations and meals. For the full cost breakdown and payment deadlines, please see the program Student Cost Summary
Important information regarding deposit payments: Deposits are non-refundable. Deposits secure your space in the program and allows payment for logistical arrangements to be made in advance.
Please note: Flight and accommodation costs are estimates. You are responsible for booking your own flights and accommodations and so the prices may vary based on your selections.
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Funding
Our office administers several awards, including the Global Access Fund (based on a funding-first model where students apply prior to committing to a global learning program) and the Global Learning Award (students apply after being accepted to a global learning program; the amount varies year-to-year as the money is split among chosen recipients). Students may only receive these awards once. Please see the funding page, linked here, for more information.
Student loans: If you qualify for student loans, your program should qualify. We are able to provide you with a letter confirming your participation in the program for funding purposes. Please email group.study@ucalgary.ca to request a letter.
Please note that eligibility for student loans is determined by your loans provider.
Waterman Study Abroad Funding will be available for MArch students (no equivalent funding for MPlan or MLA students) participating in these programs. More details will be provided at a later date.
For this program, students will be booking their own accommodations and are responsible for the quality.
Check with your professor as he will have suggestions on convenient locations within the city.
Here are some preliminary suggestions from your professor:
This program is only open to students enrolled in a graduate program in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape who are in good academic standing.
Applications will be considered by your professor and faculty administrator after the application deadline.
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Statement of Purpose
- You can start your application and statement of purpose through the RAISA portal.
- Please tell us why you want to study abroad, why you have selected this particular program (academic reasons, personal interest, career prospects, etc.), how this program will meet your academic objectives and/or complement your degree, how you plan to finance your program and why you should be selected (max 500 words).
- Note: Because the online application will time out after one hour, we recommend that you compose your statement of purpose in advance in Word to check for spelling, grammar, and word count and then paste it into the online application.
Please ensure that you have read the Group Study Program General FAQs thoroughly before applying.
Getting started
Program-Specific Info Sessions
Info sessions are scheduled for every Group Study Program. Attending an info session is not required to apply, but strongly recommended as it will give you an opportunity to meet the instructor and learn more about the travel experience.
We also recommend watching Global Learning 101 for general information.
Global Learning Advising
If you have questions about this program, you can meet with one of our Global Learning Advisors by emailing group.study@ucalgary.ca or booking an appointment through the link below.
1. Select "Advising"
2. Select “Study Abroad”
3. Select “Book by Appointment Type”
4. Select your program advisor to view available times.
Academic Advising
Before applying to study abroad, you should ask your academic advisor how a Group Study Program might align with your degree.
After you are accepted, you should ask your academic advisor more specific questions about courses/credits. It’s also recommended to follow up with your advisor again once you return to Calgary.
Start your application
Once you have gathered everything you need, you can begin your application!
Please note: Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are submitted in full.
International travel presents challenges that may not be found when attending classes on campus. There may be a lack of resources, emergency services, hospitals, accessibility issues and/or demands on the physical and the mental self, all of which can challenge individuals when away from their usual support systems and structures. Adequate preparation is essential.
For this reason, it is imperative that you evaluate all aspects of your own physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition against the rigors of the particular global learning program you are selecting. If you are unsure of whether or not this program is a good fit for you and/or if you have any circumstances that could impede your enjoyment of the program, please contact us. Our Global Learning Advisors will be happy to assist in finding the best options for you and arrange any supports or accommodations necessary to ensure your success.
If you have or are seeking a certificate from Student Accessibility Services, you should provide this early to your Global Learning Advisor to ensure that the option that you are seeking can support your needs.
Please note: All participants must adhere to COVID-19 and other vaccination-related requirements for the destinations visited on this program. Failure to do so may have consequences such as being denied access to accommodation/housing, program activities, or to the host country itself.