Student Life

The pulse of the student life. Studio is a dedicated space to connect and engage with other interior design students and faculty while working on program projects and course work. This space consists of individual and collective work areas with furniture, equipment, and technology to meet studio work demands. 

At MRU, our secure (accessible 24/7), flexible, and connected studio classrooms are organized by program year with both individual and collaborative work areas and equipment and technology to meet the demands of studio projects. Faculty offices are located directly across the corridor from the studio.

 

 

The connection to industry products. The design library is a secure dedicated space that provides interior design students access to hundreds of current materials and products used in professional practice. The library is organized to meet industry standards, e.g. Master Spec Format, and is updated bi-weekly by industry representatives.

Design Library Assistants

As knowledge and experience in a professional library are essential in practice, students have the opportunity to apply for one of four paid student design library assistant positions. There is one assistant position available in each year of the program. The typical part-time hours vary from .5 – 6 hours/week in the Fall and Winter semesters.

Responsibilities

Assist classmates with product order requests from and returns to industry representatives, liaise with class and department regarding Lunch + Learn / Product Knowledge sessions, and coordinate with other design library assistants, department faculty and industry representatives.

Lunch + Learn

The connection to valuable industry knowledge. The program organizes ‘Product Knowledge’ sessions for students every semester. These sessions with interior design industry product representatives are typically 1 hour long.

 

The connection to making. The Design Lab is a secure and dedicated space that provides interior design student access for program-specific coursework and prototyping in two connected spaces: 

• Hand ‘messy’ work (cutting, painting, etc.)
• Digital student work, the DTech Lab (3D printers + laser cutter/engraver).

The DTech Lab space and equipment are managed by the department and DTech lab assistants.

DTech Lab Assistants + Enthusiasts

The connection to others + learning. The Design Commons is a secure and dedicated space with large windows with views of the Rocky Mountains. The Commons provides a venue for several program-specific courses, student/faculty/department events/forums/town halls, and presentations.

 

The gallery is a dedicated program space for the presentation of student work. Several times throughout the academic year the space is open to the larger Mount Royal University community.

 

Technology + computer specifications

Technology demands are not as intensive for first-year students. Because of this, students enrolled in the first year of the BID program may decide to use Mount Royal University computers, work with their existing technology, or purchase a new laptop guided by the specifications below.

Typical software used in the BID program are AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Enscape, and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign). Students wanting to use software outside of the program will be confident in knowing the BID specifications are substantial enough to do so.

While technology is rapidly changing, these specifications may change throughout the program. The development cycle for hardware allows for outdated specifications to continue to work without the need for upgrades for several years. This cycle is typically 5 – 8 years, or longer if you don’t require hardware upgrades with software packages.

All courses in the Interior Design Department are taught and supported on a PC platform only! Apple products will not be supported as they are not guaranteed to meet the requirements of the program's specific software even when using Bootcamp or Parallels®

Full computer requirements for laptops.

Internship 

The BID degree program has a 450-hour (4 months) required paid internship typically undertaken in the spring/summer semester at the end of the third year in the program. The internship allows students to practice the knowledge, skills, and abilities developed in the BID program and gain valuable, diverse work experience related to interior design. 

The internship process is facilitated by a dedicated internship coordinator who works with employers and students to find and support industry internship placements.

Students in leadership roles

In the first year, interested students have the opportunity to represent their classmates in a variety of leadership roles, e.g. internal or external rep. While every student in the ID program is a member of the IDSS, only elected executive members occupy leadership positions. These student representative roles are part of the larger Interior Design Student Society (IDSS) that seeks to elevate the educational experience of student members by promoting a rewarding design studio experience, providing opportunities for interactions with Calgary’s design community, advocating on behalf of students to external organizations, and advocating for student mental health. 

The IDSS holds various events throughout the academic year that strive to enrich the ID experience and curriculum through industry exposure and networking, community involvement, and opportunities to connect with fellow students.

Study abroad

Several interior design schools have been identified for students interested in being immersed in another culture while studying at an international partner institution. 

If you're interested in studying abroad, we recommend that you speak with the BID Academic Advisor in your first year to plan for this study option, as it is only available to students in year two of the degree. 

Grad Show 

To celebrate the completion of their BID program requirements, fourth-year students organize and display their final thesis projects in a public location for invited guests and employers. The event is open to the public for a limited time. 

Scholarships and bursaries

Mount Royal University has several entrance scholarships and bursaries available for first-year students. Interior design students are encouraged to apply for MRU and program-specific awards. Each year approximately 38 industry/department-sponsored scholarships and bursaries (valued at over $47,000) are awarded to BID students in years 1 – 4 of the program.

Campus services

Mount Royal has many resources on campus to support student needs:

• Wyckham House, SAMRU
  • Wyckham Food Court
  • West Gate Social
  • Peer Support Centre
  • Clubhouse
  • Pride Centre
  • Student Advocacy Resource Centre
  • Cultural and Indigenous Inclusion Centre
• Wellness Services
  
  • MRU Injury and Prevention Clinic
  • Student Counselling Services
  • Health Services
• Cougar Athletics and Recreation
  
  • Aquatic Centre
  • Fitness Centre
  • Gymnasiums
  • Indoor Track Level
  • Climbing Centre
  • Squash Courts
• University Library
  • Individual + group study
  • Academic Media Lab
  • Audio Production Rooms
  • Data Hub
  • Experience Lab
  • Ideas Lounge
  • Immersion Studio
  • Maker Studio
  • Visualization classroom
• Cougars Campus Store
  • Books, supplies and printing
• Campus Saftey
  • 24/7 support
  • SAFEWALK Program

Discover all of our campus services.