RESOURCES - Selecting a Program

RESOURCES

The following are resources to assist you in making a decision on an architecture.

First, contact each of the programs in which you are interested to receive promotional materials both from the university and the academic unit (architecture program).  I fully understand that each institution will have a website but sometimes having materials in your hands can be helpful.

All of these materials are helpful in learning more about the university and its architecture program; however, recognize that they are designed to persuade you to select the institution. Review the materials alongside materials not produced by the program or visit the campus to see for yourself.

STUDYARCHITECTURE.COM
Maintained by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), StudyArchitecture.com is a valuable resource for researching programs. Its primary content is a compilation of descriptions of the over 125 institutions offering professional degree programs in architecture.

The website provide you the ability to search the institutions and programs by a number of different criteria, including location (school, state, region), degree, population (female, minority, international, and out of state), curriculum (related disciplines and specialization), and financial factors (scholarships, tuition, residence, and degree level).

NAAB NATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL ACCREDITING BOARD

NAAB accreditation is the primary means by which professional degree programs in architecture assure quality to students and the public.

Like ACSA's StudyArchitecture, NAAB maintains a list of accredited architecture programs.

Architecture Program Search

CAMPUS VISITS / OPEN HOUSE
A very helpful resource is the campus visit. Campus visits are an absolute must, especially for your top choices. When arranging one, consider spending the night with a current student to get an inside feeling about the institution. If possible, request that you stay with an architecture student. In addition, visit with a faculty member or administrator within the architecture program, ask for a tour of the facilities of the program, and attend a class.

In the fall, most schools host open houses as an opportunity for prospective students to meet with faculty and students and to learn more about curricular opportunities. While these are excellent opportunities, recognize that they present the campus at its best. In addition to these planned events, visit unannounced to see the campus, including the design studios, in its normal setting. Many graduate programs in architecture host an open house in the fall for prospective candidates and a parallel one in the spring for admitted candidates. Take advantage of these opportunities to learn more about a program and make an impression.

In the spring, schools again host open houses but they are reserved for admitted students.  Visit again if your schedule allows, but sometimes visiting on your schedule may be more helpful.  

ADMISSIONS COUNSELOR ADMINISTRATOR
As you narrow your choices, one of the best resources is an admissions counselor or an administrator (director, advisor, or faculty member) from the architecture program. Remember, the task of these individuals is to assist you in learning more about their university and the architecture program. Develop a personal relationship with them to obtain the information you need to make an informed decision. Do not hesitate to keep in touch with them throughout the admissions process.

STUDENTS / FACULTY / ALUMNI / ARCHITECTS
An often neglected but important resource is conversations with individuals associated with the architecture program—students, faculty, and alumni.  During campus visits, ask for an opportunity to speak with students and faculty. Request the names of a few alumni in your area, both recent and older graduates, to ask their impressions. Finally, seek out architects in your area and ask them their opinions about the schools you are considering for admission. If you are unable to visit a program, request the email addresses of students or recent alumni to ask questions.

ARCHITECTURE CAREER / COLLEGE DAYS
While many high schools and community colleges host annual college fairs, these events do not usually focus on the architecture programs.  Fortunately, there are a handful of annual events that are specifically about architecture!

Held in the fall, the architecture Career Days/College Fairs are a great opportunity for you to learn more about pursuing a degree. You can interact with representatives from a variety programs and ask specific questions (see examples below); you will connect with faculty, program administrators, and possibly students and alumni. Having these conversations will help you gain a better insight and help make a decision about which program is right for you.

Below are the events slated for Fall 2018.

Boston, MA – Saturday, September 29, 2018

Boston Society of Architects – Architecture / Design College Fair

https://www.architects.org/programs-and-events/architecturedesign-college-fair

Philadelphia, PA – Saturday, October 6, 2018

Temple University – Philadelphia Architecture + Design Fair

https://tyler.temple.edu/philadelphia-architecture-design-fair

Dallas, TX – Saturday, October 13, 2018

AIA Dallas – 2B an Architect

https://www.aiadallas.org/v/event-detail/2B-An-Architect/5a6/

Chicago, IL - Saturday, October 20, 2018

Consortium for Design and Construction Careers – Chicago Architecture + Design College Day

http://chicagocareerday.org

New York, NY – Saturday, November 3, 2018

Center for Architecture – Architecture & Design College Fair

https://www.centerforarchitecture.org/k-12/architecture-college-fair/

Seattle, WA – Sunday, December 30, 2018

American Institute of Architecture Students Expo 2018

http://www.aias.org/events/forum-2018/

Finally, feel free to contact me with more specific questions on the process.

Dr. Architecture

Questions on pursuing Master of Architecture

Hello sir , I am from India. I have read your suggestions  in architecture  career thought to contact you personally to learn  more. I have  completed my bachelor of engineering (chemical engineering) in India in 2012. Now I am 27. I want to pursue master of architecture because I would like to learn and I want to make my career in this.  Can you please tell me what is the  process to get an admission in the school? Will I be a licensed architect after completing Master program? What is portfolio designing? I have no basics in architecture. Will that become a problem?
_________

Thanks for contacting me and your question.

First, I must share that my expertise is in the process of becoming an architect in the U.S. 

To learn the process of admission, I will suggest you review the websites of graduate programs in architecture and consider contacting them directly for more details.

A great website to review graduate programs in the U.S. and Canada is -- http://studyarchitecture.com/

In its simplest terms, you will need to submit the following (may vary by program).

Statement of Purpose

Portfolio

Transcripts

Three letters of recommendation

GRE (if required)

TOEFL (for international applicants)

In the U.S. the licensure of architects is maintained by the individuals states/jurisdictions; for most states, an individual seeking licensure must meet the requirements of 1) education, 2) experience (AXP), and 3) examination (ARE).  Thus, you are NOT a licensed architect upon completion of your graduate program.

As for portfolio design, again, contact the graduate programs for insights.  Plus, you may wish to review the following website.

http://portfoliodesign.com/

Remember, your portfolio does NOT need to be architecturally focused as your background is NOT in architecture.  It needs to be more about creativity -- artwork.

Thanks! 

Dr. Architecture

Syracuse U or Ball State U

I am hoping you can provide some guidance to my daughter.  She is considering two very different schools and programs.  The largest difference is cost.  One, our state school, Ball State is a 4&2 program with the Master's program accredited.  The second is Syracuse, a 5 year B Arch program.  She feels like she fits in better at Syracuse, but the cost is 5x what the cost is for Ball State.  Knowing she wishes to eventually work and live on the East coast, she feels she stands a better chance of interning and working on the East coast if she attends school there.
 
As a parent, the cost difference is huge.  Knowing she will have significant debt following school at Syracuse, and virtually none at Ball State I am having a difficult time endorsing school out east.
 
It is our understanding a B Arch is equivalent to an M Arch in most circumstances.  Or are we in error, is the M Arch more financially rewarding?
 
Any advice would be appreciated.

____________

First, congrats on your daughter being admitted to Ball State and Syracuse University; that is truly great news and you should be proud.

Next, let me explain the differences in degrees -- both the five year Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) and 4+2 Master of Architecture (MArch) are equivalent in one sense as they are both first professional degrees accredited by NAAB (http://www.naab.org). However, as you might imagine, the two degrees are quite different in how they teach architecture.

NAAB dictates the "what" is to be taught in architecture degress, but not the "how."  This is why it is extremely difficult to compare programs.

With that said, neither degree is necessarily better than the other - they are just different.  With my almost 20 years of experience, I would suggest you discuss which is a better fit for your daughter.  The BArch is best suited for individuals who have a STRONG desire to pursue architecture as you pursue studio immediately.  The 4+2 MArch is better for choice and option as you typically do not start studio until sophomore or junior year allowing you to pursue more liberal arts courses.  Plus, many graduates at the undergraduate level may pursue a different institution for the +2 or pursue another discipline.

She is probably right in that SU will have a better reputation for positions on the East Coast, but to what end - large debt.

May I offer the following --

1) As I shared, the 4+2 allows choice - she could attend Ball State at the undergraduate level, do extremely well and pursue SU for their Master of Architecture.  In this way, you save monies but she still graduates from SU.

2) Depending on Ball State, she could attend a community college for a year while living at home to save monies but to allow her to apply to other four year programs; in the region (Michigan, MiamiU, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Illinois, Wisconsin-Milwaukee).  From each of these she could pursue SU or any other graduate program as her pursuits might change through her studies.

With the details you have shared, option 1 above is probably the best choice for both of you.  Option 2 is a viable option depending on what other programs you considered this past year.  Regardless, have a conversation with SU about her chances for admission at the graduate level coming from Ball State or other undergraduate programs.

If you wish to contact me and discuss, we can do this - do let me know the decision.

Best.

Admission Decisions: Where to Go?

My daughter is keen on studying architecture in the US. She has just completed her IB diploma and is an international student.

At present she has secured admission into 3 universities

• Iowa State University for Barch. She has been awarded a $ 7,000 scholarship as an international ambassador for 3 years.
• University of Cincinnati for Bsc in Architecture with a scholarship of $ 5,000 for 3 years. University of Cincinnati offers the co-op program.
• Penn state for Landscape architecture

She is keen on architecture and so our options are limited to the first 2. Since she is an international student with an F1 visa, the ultimate objective is for her to chose a school and a course which provides her the best options for employment when she completes her course. I've read that Iowa State Barch degree is NAAB accredited and this is a big plus point. But I've also heard that the co-op program in Cincinnati is very highly rated and employers rate the students from cincinnati very highly.

My instinct and logic tells me to focus on getting an NAAB accredited degree first and then look for employment thereafter. But I need your advise as the information on the net is getting me confused.

Finally she has also applied to Virginia Tech and has yet to hear from them. if she gets into Virginia tech should she chose this over the other 2?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks and kind regards

____________

In this role, I am not in a position to tell you which program is best for your daughter.  However, what I can share is to discuss with her the criteria by which she will make the decision.  In my book, Becoming an Architect, I discuss three categories - You, Institution, and Academic Unit.  Within each, there are criteria to determine which are most important.

Below, you outlined a factor of employment and NAAB accreditation.  You and your daughter need to discuss these criteria to determine what program is best for you.

What is critical is comparing each program against the criteria that you determine are most important.  By doing so, it will become clear which is the program to attend.

I do hope this helps.  Also, feel free to contact each of the programs and ask for either students or alumni that you could connect with to learn firsthand about the program.

Best.

CAD Course

I have just found your blog and I have noticed that you seem to answer some questions from the public. I have a question about the necessity of CAD classes. I am in a community college in California applying this Fall for university. At my community college, they offer a class on Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD). I am currently enrolled in this class but  I feel like it might seem unnecessary.

The main reason I took this class is because I planned on adding my projects from that class in the portfolio needed to transfer. My main hope is to transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. There is also the notion that if I take this class, I will be more competitive towards being accepted into the major.

Could you please give me any help if possible? 

_________

If you desire is to transfer to Cal Poly SLO, I would suggest you pose your question to the Architecture Department at Cal Poly SLO.  They will be able to help you best determine if taking the CAD course will be beneficial or not.

I will suggest that you take a freehand drawing/art course instead of CAD.  Most architecture programs that require a portfolio for transfer admission typically do not want to see work from CAD courses.  Instead, they wish to see creative work.

Review the following for prospective transfers applying to Cal Poly SLO.
 

http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/prospective/transfer.html

Please do not misunderstand me; you will want to learn CAD, BIM, and other softwares that architects use, but you need not do it now in the community college.

Best!

Preservation Education

I am in the process of applying to doctoral programs in historic preservation and I am wondering if you have any advice. I have a B.A. in Environmental Design and had my own practice as a building designer for ten years. There are many historic buildings in the area and so I have done a lot of work with historic structures. I have also taken some preservation classes at the local Junior College. I have a masters in technical theater (long story) and now would like to pursue a PhD in preservation. I have found likely programs at the University of Colorado in Denver, University of Maryland, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Cornell. I would prefer a program which emphasizes design/technique over policy/theory. I also enjoy teaching and have some teaching experience.

1. Would you recommend any of those programs in particular and are there any others I missed?

2. Do you have any tips for getting accepted into these programs? Is there anything I should emphasize about my experience and interests?

_______

First, my true expertise is on becoming an architect and your question is about preservation.

I do not provide recommendations or endorsements on particular programs, but one resource you may wish to consider is the National Council for Preservation Education

http://www.ncpe.us/chart.html

As for tips on gaining admission, the best advice is to contact each of the programs and ask directly what it takes to gain admission.  How do they make decisions on admissions?  What materials do they emphasize?  How can you put your best foot forward?  If possible request connections to current students or recent alums and ask them the same questions.

I hope this helps!

Direct Admission or Review Process

I have been researching Arch programs for my son and I think it is important for students to note that many of the 4 year programs require presenting a portfolio at the end of sophmore year in order to be “picked” to continue.  Univ of Wash, Univ of Utah, Univ of Montana and Univ of Idaho to name a few.

If a student is paying OOS fees, it can be kind of a rude awakening to find out that you not only can not continue in your program but that you may have trouble transferring to another if you have not completed their prereqs.  Students should note when they are making up their lists which schools are “direct entry” ie Univ of Boulder or Phil Univ with no portfolio and which are “direct entry” after portfolio review ie Univ of Maryland and Univ of Mass.

Thank you for keeping your blog.  I just found it and it is very helpful.

________

Your observation is a very good one; the actual path of the curriculum with subsequent reviews is not always apparent on an architecture program website; during my professional career, I have worked at three different architecture programs -- Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), University of Maryland, and University of Illinois.  Of the three, only the University of Maryland had what was referred to a Review Process in the spring of the student's sophomore year.  During that review, students accepted to the major as incoming freshmen had to meet certain academic GPA requirements and submit a portfolio to be able to continue to studio as a junior.  In my eight (8) years there, students were not allowed to continue, but the percentages were very low and the students knew the expectations upon entry and also during the recruitment process.

At IIT and University of Illinois, a student was admitted from high school (without portfolios) and could continue through to graduation as long as they meet the University's academic standards, usually a 2.00 GPA.

I do remember that as a student at Michigan many years ago, we had to apply to the architecture program after two years in Literature, Sciences and Arts.  I and my classmates were certainly anxious to hear of the decision; fortunately, I was admitted and graduated.

I would love to hear more of your thoughts and flush out a list that you have compiled for a blog post or incorporate in the next edition of Becoming an Architect, 2nd edition.

Dr. Architecture 

Graduate Admissions

I am so confused where to start as I make this transition. Would a B.S. in biology help in any way for admissions into a graduate program for architecture? What do I need to apply and what is the portfolio made up of? How can I prepare a competitive resume in the next year, since I have probably missed the application deadlines for 2010. Do you think I can get into a program such as Princeton?

I would appreciate your advice! Thanks again for your help.
________

In applying to a graduate Master of Architecture, what is important in possessing an undergraduate degree regardless of the major; thus, your B. S. in Biology is sufficient in applying.

Most graduate programs require the following but check with each program for specific requirements:

Application
Statement of Purpose
Portfolio
2-3 Letters of Recommendation
GRE - www.gre.org
Transcript(s)

For what to include in your portfolio, contact each program to which you are applying, but you will want to include creative work - drawing, artwork, painting, etc. Do not worry about if the work is architectural. Consider taking a freehand drawing course at an area community college to build your portfolio. Another source is www.portfoliodesign.com --.

As for your likely admission to Princeton, you will need to contact them directly. I am not in a position to comment.

Dr. Architecture