The Spring Institute

The MACT Spring Institute is one of the most distinctive and valued parts of the program. Held each May in Edmonton, the Spring Institute brings you together with your classmates for an intensive in-person residency that combines graduate coursework, professional connections, and community-building.

For many students, the Spring Institute is where the MACT experience comes to life. It gives you the opportunity to meet classmates, faculty, and staff face-to-face before continuing the program online. Students consistently describe the Spring Institute as one of the best parts of MACT because it creates relationships, shared experiences, and a sense of community that carry into the online courses that follow.

During the Spring Institute, you will take core MACT courses in an intensive format. Coursework is supported by class activities, applied assignments, and opportunities for discussion and collaboration. The format allows you to focus deeply on your studies while connecting with other working professionals who bring diverse experience from across Canada and around the world.

The Spring Institute is also an important part of MACT’s blended learning model. By beginning and renewing the program through in-person residencies, you build the relationships and confidence that help make the online learning experience more engaging, supportive, and connected.

What to expect

At your first Spring Institute, you will meet your MACT cohort, faculty members, program staff, and students from the previous cohort. You will begin the first two core courses of the program: COMM 502: Human Communication and COMM 503: Social Impact of Digital Communications. You will also be introduced to the MACT program, the University of Alberta’s online learning environment, library resources, and supports for graduate study.
At your second Spring Institute, you will return to Edmonton to continue your core coursework and reconnect with your cohort. The second residency gives you an opportunity to deepen professional relationships, integrate learning from your first year in the program, and prepare for the final stages of MACT.

The Spring Institute also includes formal and informal opportunities to connect with classmates, faculty, staff, alumni, and invited speakers. Receptions, social events, guest lectures, workshops, and cohort activities create space for conversation, networking, and reflection beyond the classroom.

Learning in a cohort

MACT uses a cohort model, which means you move through the program with a group of peers who begin at the same time. This model creates a strong shared learning experience and helps you build lasting academic, professional, and personal connections.

The cohort model is especially important in a blended program. Because you meet and study with your classmates in person during the Spring Institute, the transition to online learning is more connected and collaborative. You already know many of the people you will be learning with online, which helps create a stronger sense of belonging and mutual support.

Many MACT students build friendships and professional relationships that extend well beyond the program. The Spring Institute helps establish that community from the beginning.