Thursday, July 28, 2011

BArch vs. MArch - Follow-up!

I have two last questions: With the 4+2 program, do people usually continue on to grad school right after undergrad? I've heard that it is beneficial to first gain experience in the real world through years of internships before acquiring an MArch, but this is just what I've heard (Or is it yet for another path??)

The BArch and MArch are professional programs and accredited for licensing purposes. What does this "professional" part mean, and to employers, is a person with a professional degree (specifically the BArch) with no license on the same plate as a person with a nonaccredited degree (BS Arch for example)? 
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Your question on what graduates in the 4+2 program is the million dollar question.  In other words, it is truly up to you as to what is best for you.  Truly, I think that most graduates from a four-year pre-professional BS in Architectural Studies degree will continue their studies in a Master of Architecture upon graduation.  Another question for you is whether you stay at the same institution or pursue graduate studies at a different one.  Personally, I did six years of study consecutively, but I entered a different institution for my graduate studies.

However, some graduates will take time between their degrees to enter the workforce and gain experience in the profession.  They do so to earn monies, determine their next step in their career, or simply take a break from their studies.


Still others will depart from architecture and pursue graduate studies in another discipline (urban planning, landscape, law, to name a few) or seek employment in another field.


As to your other questions -- professional means that the degree program (BArch or MArch) is the degree for which you need to enter the profession.  Lastly, someone with a BArch would have an advantage over someone with the BS Arch (pre-professional) degree because they have the degree necessary for licensure.

Think of it this way; you are an employer that has two employees, one with a BArch and one with a BS Arch.  At one level both employees can do parallel tasks, but the BArch has the professional degree and needs no further education to obtain the license.  The BS Arch candidate does need further education and may depart after a certain length to pursue the MArch. 


This does NOT mean that the BArch is better than the BS Arch.  It is just one more aspect of the degrees to consider.

1 comment:

Tarun Kumar said...

you are right... you can also find latest Graduate Education alerts online.