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Degree Requirements

The Master of Science is primarily a two-year program for applicants who hold a prior degree in design or related field.  Applicants without a design background may apply for and take designated undergraduate courses as preparation for graduate studies. Minimum graduation requirements are 36 credits.

Core Requirements

Core requirements include studios that may include a practicum, technical courses, a research forum and field work.

All students in the Master of Science degree program are required to assemble a coherent research plan to further their individual development in an "area of knowledge".

The following interdependent groupings contribute to each Area, which is defined by a viewpoint of interiority and/or architecture.

Agency: Anthropology and Cultural Studies, Archeology, Assistive Technology, Economics, Gender Studies, Legal Studies, Resource Economics.

Inhabitation: Anthropology and Cultural Studies, Assistive Technology, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Mechanical Engineering, Performance Arts, Physics of Sound, Planning, Psychology, Sociology.

Legacy: Archeology, Art/Architectural History, History, Legal Studies, Public History, Politics, Religion.

Material: Visual Arts, Construction, Building Materials and Wood Technology, Materials Science, Structural Engineering, Resource Economics.

Sustainability: Anthropology and Cultural Studies, Building Materials and Wood Technology, Environmental History, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Geosciences, Landscape Architecture, Legal Studies, Resource Economics.

Terrain: Landscape Architecture, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Geosciences, Urban and Regional Planning.

Students have access to rich and diverse course selections to design their Area of Knowledge through a network of courses and resources across the University and the Five College consortium, also consisting of Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith colleges.

PREREQUISITES: Professional bachelors degree in architecture, interior design, or similar.
COURSE NUMBERS: Course numbers, titles, and credit hours are subject to change

UPDATED: 2009