Prepare yourself for an exciting future in architecture.
The BS in Architecture is a preprofessional degree in the Department of Architecture. It has an interdepartmental curriculum, including coursework in studio arts, art and architecture history, environmental design, engineering, and building systems. Students gain broad exposure to aspects of building and material science, as well as a variety of cultural, environmental, and historical perspectives, preparing them to make sustainable, innovative, and integrated contributions as architects and designers.
Concentrations
We offer two degree concentrations: Architectural Studies and Design Studies.
The Architectural Studies concentration is intended for students who plan to pursue a professional graduate degree in architecture. It requires more courses in architecture studios, architectural history, and building technologies.
The Design Studies concentration is focused on architectural design, but offers more flexibility for studio, history, and building technology requirements. It is intended for students who transfer to the department, who double major, or who have a broader interest in the design fields.
Preprofessional Degree
The BS Architecture is a preprofessional degree. Many of our students continue their studies to earn a Master of Architecture after graduation because most state registration boards in the United States require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure.
The Student Experience
Students learn to create a wide range of project types and scales with a human-centered and environmental focus. This process helps us understand and find sustainable solutions to complex problems by clarifying the issues, envisioning approaches, conducting research, and enlisting the right stakeholders.
Architecture students learn to creatively connect the three pillars of sustainability—ecology, economy, and equity—with aesthetics. Indeed, sensitively designed buildings and communities are the physical manifestations of resiliency.
Each student who majors in architecture has a personal desk located within a shared studio. Architecture students learn how to focus on individual work and also enlarge their individual efforts through work with a larger peer cohort, a critical skill in a profession that requires individual creativity plus multi-discipline collaboration.
Although our program is modest in size, students are part of a larger community. Beyond their major, students have the opportunity to take courses in other disciplines and to join one of our many active student clubs.
Degree Requirements
In addition to their architecture courses, students are required to take classes throughout the university from faculty in different departments, schools, and colleges. This unique curricular design is founded on a commitment to architecture as an integrated profession. Students must also complete university general education requirements.
The architecture major requires the following core courses, applicable to every student:
Math/Physics: 3 courses
- MATH 104 Algebra, Analytic Geometry, and Trigonometry
- MATH 127 Calculus for Life and Social Sciences I
- PHYS 131 Intro Physics I (plus Lab)
Foundations: Choose 4 courses
- ART 110 Basic Studio/Drawing
- ART 120 Drawing Composition
- ART 131 Foundation Studio I
- ART 142 Foundation Studio II
- (Or other 100 and 200 level studios approved by the advisor)
Architecture Design / Graphics Studios: 4 courses
- ARCH 300 Design I
- ARCH 301 Design II
- ARCH 340 Analysis and Representation I
- ARCH 341 Analysis and Representation II
- ARCH 400 Design III
- ARCH 401 Design IV
History/Theory: 3 courses
- ART-HIST 115 Visual Arts, Artists, and Cultures (or other art survey course such as ART-HIST 100 or 110)
- ART-HIST 118 History of Architecture and the Built Environment
- ARCH 370 Junior Year Writing
The Architectural Studies concentration requires the following additional courses:
Architecture Design Studios: 1 course
- ARCH 403 Design V or 404 Design VI
History/Theory: 1 course
- ART-HIST 343 20th Century Architecture
Building Technology: 2 courses
- BCT 211 Energy Efficient Housing
- ARCH 550 Tectonics I
The Design Studies concentration requires the following additional courses:
History/Theory: 1 course
- Design history course as approved by the advisor
Building Technology: 2 level courses
- 200+ level course as approved by the advisor
- 200+ level course as approved by the advisor
Other Requirements of the Major
Students are required to provide their own laptop computers and software to specifications provided by the program for all ARCH design and graphics classes.