Top Masters Programs in Architecture

The interdisciplinary nature of the doctoral (Ph.D.) program stresses the relationship of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and building technologies to their cultural, social, and political milieu. Supported by strong affiliations with other departments in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, the program has developed a comprehensive approach to the study of the field. Students interact with their peers to sustain their individual projects in a context of collective research.

Joint degrees with the Yale School of Architecture.

Architecture is directed to individuals who wish to become leaders in sustainable architecture and ecological design, with a focus on the integration of ecological science, energy systems, and global urbanization patterns with architecture and urbanism. Capitalizing on the breadth and depth of expertise at the School of the Environment in ecosystem ecology, land change science, environmental economics, industrial ecology, and ecological anthropology, this program fosters students who can innovatively merge ecological science with architecture at the site, city, and regional scales.

Master of Architecture I or Master of Architecture II. MArch II is designed for professional architects.

Pursuing a joint program reduces the term of study by one year. The MEM MArch I program requires four years instead of five. The MEM MArch II requires three years instead of four.

Each environment degree program requires a completion of 36 credits as well as a summer internship and a thesis or a capstone project. In addition, all joint-degree students are required to attend three weeks of technical skills training before beginning their studies at YSE. These are hands-on workshops, offered every August, that teach plant identification, ecosystems management, land measurement, and urban ecosystem analysis.

At the School of Architecture, MArch I is composed of core courses and electives, three summer courses, and a first year building project. Students must complete five terms of design studio plus a final advanced design studio, with the first four terms taken sequentially. MArch II students take three terms of design studio plus a final advanced design studio, with the first two terms taken consecutively.

Each school individually admits students in accordance with its own criteria. Prospective students may program prior to matriculation by submitting a separate application to each school during a single admissions cycle.

Students pay tuition for three semesters at YSE, and three semesters at the School of Architecture for MArch II and five semesters for MArch I. Students must apply for financial aid at each school, and any aid awarded will semesters in which a student is enrolled at that particular school.

MArch (I or II).

A candidate will be recommended for the Master in Architecture II as a post-professional degree upon satisfactory completion of a minimum of 80 units. MArch II students pursue the following 4 semester course of study:.

A minimum of 2 option studios taken over the course of a student program must be offered by the Architecture.

Students are required to fulfill the following distributional electives: 4 units of Discourse and Techniques electives 4 units of Professional Practice electives 4 units of Technologies of Visualization and Fabrication An approved list of distributional electives is posted each term. Please note that you are not able to use one course to fulfill than one distributional elective. Students are eligible to fulfill electives through cross-registered courses at other Harvard schools, MIT, or the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts.

MArch II students may opt to do thesis with prior approval from the department. Approval must be obtained by the end of the first year of studies. (A collaborative group thesis or a continuation of the work of an option studio are permissible with prior approval.).

Program requirements for students admitted for Fall 2017 and later.

The Master of Architecture is a comprehensive and rigorous program, preparing graduates for the full range of activities in the profession. An intensive sequence in Design Studios constitutes the focus of the program. Thorough training is also provided in history, theory, technology, ecology, society, and professional practice. Studios and courses are supported by a rigorous program in visual studies that develops skills in digital and new media. At the upper levels of the program students establish individual trajectories by selecting from a range of elective studios and courses with leading figures in design, technology and theory. The final year culminates in advanced design studios that include research directed by leading designers as well as the option of an independent thesis. Summer programs abroad and studios based in other countries provide opportunities for international studies. The program aims to develop critical, creative and independent thinking that realizes potentials within an ever-changing world. The Master of Architecture degree is a professional degree accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

To earn the Master of Architecture, they must complete a total of 31 course units as follows: 14 course units in design studio, 6 in technology, 3 in history and theory, 1.5 in visual studies, and 1.5 in professional practice.

To earn the Master of Architecture, they must complete a total of 29 course units as follows: 12 course units in design studio, 6 in technology, 3 in history and theory, 1.5 in visual studies, and 1.5 in professional practice.

Although rare, it is possible for some students with a four-year pre-professional degree in architecture to be offered the option to be admitted to the program with one year of advanced standing, depending also on the quality of their portfolios and other elements of their applications. To earn the Master of Architecture, they must complete a total of 19.5 course units as follows: 8 course units in design studio, 3.5 in technology, 1 in history and theory, .5 in visual studies, and 1.5 in professional practice.

Students who hold a five-year professional Bachelor of Architecture degree or its equivalent are not eligible to Master of Architecture program. They are encouraged to look into one of our post-professional Master of Science in Design degree programs.

The Master of Architecture Program may be combined with certificate programs offered in the School of Design.

Students without an architecture background begin in the summer students who receive advanced standing enter in the Year 2.

The result was a change from 28 total course units to 29 total course units. Students who matriculated in 2016 or earlier will have completed their program with a total of 28 course units.

Students in the Department of History of Art and Architecture are able to study in a wide array of areas including ancient, medieval, early modern (Renaissance, 17th and 18th centuries), modern, contemporary, East Asian, African and Latin American art and architecture, and history of photography.

The department's faculty consists of historians of the major periods of Western, African and East Asian art and architecture, representing a broad spectrum of the discipline's methodologies and specialties. Courses offered at Harvard and the nearby Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) may be taken for credit free of charge by history of art students with the approval of the department.

Access to the holdings of the RISD Museum and the library of the Rhode Island School of Design, adjacent to the Brown campus; use of the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World for students interested in antiquity; collections of the Bell Gallery, the John Hay Library, and the John Carter Brown Library; an extensive slide library housed in the List Art Center; and electronic visual resources in development.

Washington University in St Louis invites its Master of Architecture students to explore and expand their abilities in housing, fabrication, sustainability, and socially engaged practice. With a focus on craftsmanship, risk-taking, and society's role for architects, knowledge is imparted that will help create spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and responsively designed with environmental and socio-cultural concerns in mind. Through research rooted in a long architectural history, this program ignites innovation with every project undertaken by its participants.

Designed for people with a diverse range of academic backgrounds, a MArch is a STEM-designated program that can be completed within two to three years. Furthermore, it provides students with a NAAB-accredited first professional degree. Additional options are also offered such as dual degrees in Landscape Architecture or Urban Design and joint degrees in Business Administration, Construction Management, Engineering/Computer Science, Social Work, and Public Health.

For those who excel in architectural studies, a highly selective placement awaits in the four-semester MArch 2 program. This advanced degree commences at all times with a fall semester and consists of 75 credits leading to a professionally accredited Master of Architecture degree. The coursework begins with the final, comprehensive core studio (419) and culminates with the Degree Project. To determine placement into this curriculum, prospective applicants must provide an evaluation of their design portfolio and demonstrate an understanding of their undergraduate architecture studies.

Upon completing the MArch degree, students will be able to:.

Innovate the knowledge and practice of architecture through advanced critical thinking, experimentation, and research.

Develop or augment a comprehensive knowledge of the technical aspects of design and construction including an understanding of their impact on design and the environment at a level commensurate with advanced study.

Develop or augment a comprehensive understanding of architectural practice and foster the development of innovative forms of practice at a level commensurate with advanced study.

The MArch degree can be either a thesis or a non-thesis master degree depending on the option the student pursues. Students pursuing the MArch degree programs must complete:.

A minimum of 93-95 credit hours or 131-1 credit hours, depending on option pursued, to satisfy degree requirements.

A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken at Rice University.

For the Non-Thesis MArch degree program options, a minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken in standard or traditional courses (with a course type of lecture, seminar, laboratory, lecture laboratory).

A minimum residency enrollment of one fall or spring semester of full-time graduate study at Rice University.

A maximum of 2 courses (6 graduate semester credit hours) from transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.

The MArch degree program offers two options:.

In studio courses, strong emphasis is given to the very means by which architecture is able to change the world. The advanced option studios engage students in focused research methods, critical thinking, and the integration of other fields of knowledge to articulate an architectural project through a range of subjects (urbanism, climate, culture, history theory, social equity, material and technology). In their final thesis semester, students are asked to engage the world through architectural imagination and a precise understanding of historical, political, economic, and physical dimensions, which can together define a better future.

There are two program options at the Master of Architecture (MArch) level: Option 1 and Option 2. MArch students in Options 1 and 2 complete the degree requirements by either submitting a thesis or by taking alternative coursework. Thesis students are required to take Design Thesis Studio (ARCH 703, 10 credit hours) and Written Thesis (ARCH 729, 3 credit hours). Students who pursue the non-thesis MArch degree are required to take the Architectural Problems: Studio (ARCH 601, 10 credit hours) in lieu of the thesis studio and an additional elective (worth 3 credit hours) in lieu of the written thesis course. All students are required to enroll in Thesis Proposal (ARCH 701), even if they pursue the non-thesis degree program (Option 1 or 2).

Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program Official Certifier.

Preference for admission is given to those who have completed a balanced education in the arts, sciences, and humanities. A minimum of two semesters of college-level courses in the history of art and or architecture and one semester of college-level courses in mathematics or physics is recommended. Previous preparation in the visual arts is also desirable, as are courses in philosophy, literature, and economics.

Total Credit Hours Required for the MArch Degree.

FOUNDATIONS AND THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE I (1450-1850).

FOUNDATIONS IN THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE II (1850-1950).

FOUNDATIONS IN THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE III (1950-2000).

Students enrolled in the Paris program (RSAP) will register for ARCH 620 design studio in lieu of ARCH 601 (fall) or ARCH 602 (spring).

All students are required to take ARCH 701 even if they pursue the non-thesis degree program (Option 1 or 2). Students who pursue the non-thesis MArch degree are required to take ARCH 601 (10 credit hours) in lieu of the thesis studio and alternative coursework (worth 3 credit hours) in lieu of the written thesis course ARCH 729.

ARCH 701, ARCH 703, and ARCH 729 are taken for a Satisfactory Unsatisfactory grade and must be completed with a Satisfactory grade. As S U courses, they do not requirement of a minimum grade of B (2.67) in each required course.

All students are required to take ARCH 701 even if they pursue the non-thesis degree program (Option 1 or 2).Students who pursue the non-thesis MArch degree are required to take ARCH 601 (10 credit hours) in lieu of the thesis studio and alternative coursework (worth 3 credit hours) in lieu of the written thesis course ARCH 729.

ARCH 701, ARCH 703, and ARCH 729 and are taken for a Satisfactory Unsatisfactory grade and must be completed with a Satisfactory grade. As S U courses, they do not requirement of a minimum grade of B (2.67) in each required course.

A minimum of two semesters of college-level courses in the history of art and or architecture and one semester of college-level courses in mathematics or physics is expected.

Students enrolled in the Paris program (RSAP) should register for ARCH 620 design studio in lieu of ARCH 601 (fall) or ARCH 602 (spring).

All students are required to take ARCH 701 even if they pursue the non-thesis degree program (option 1 or 2). Students who pursue the non-thesis MArch degree are required to take ARCH 601 (10 credit hours) in lieu of the thesis studio and alternative coursework (worth 3 credit hours) in lieu of the written thesis course ARCH 729.

Students enrolled in the Paris program (RSAP) should register for ARCH 620 in lieu of ARCH 601 (fall) or ARCH 602 (spring).

Students are required to enroll in ARCH 525(the ARCH 525 course serves as a History and Theory I Introduction), after which students must select two further History and Theory courses from the following options: ARCH 645, ARCH 646, or ARCH 652. The additional credit hours earned from the two History and Theory courses will complete the 93-95 credit hours required for the MArch degree, Option 2.

Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit.

Students pursuing the MArch degree should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guidelines:.

No than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the degree.

Our students discover and invent new territories within architectural and urban paradigms. All MArch degree candidates are required to propose an independent thesis, articulating an ambition, and envisioning its architectural specificity. Students develop their individual thesis proposals during their penultimate semester. Students in Options 1 and 2 complete the degree requirements by either submitting a thesis or by taking alternative coursework. Thesis projects are reviewed publicly by a panel of invited guest scholars and practitioners.

MArch degree (Option 1 and Option 2) students may apply to RSAP to complete one semester in Paris: Option 1 students may do so in their fifth or sixth semester, Option 2 in their third or fourth semester. BArch students may apply to RSAP in their final year of study.

Cornell's professional Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) program uniquely engages global practices through a foundation in making and conceptual thinking. Its close community of talented and dedicated students and faculty work together to push the boundaries of the discipline.

The fully accredited M.Arch. program is a three-and-one-half-year course of study dedicated to preparing graduate students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds for careers in architecture. The M.Arch. program is open to applicants possessing a four-year bachelor's degree in any discipline. Students interested in applying from fields outside architecture are encouraged to enroll in Cornell's Intro to Architecture program.

The M.Arch. program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). In addition, the M.Arch. program is now designated as a STEM program in Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology (CIP code 04.0902) making international M.Arch. graduates eligible to extend their F-1 visas for up to three years in order to work in the United States.

The Master of Science degree in Advanced Architectural Design is a three-semester program aimed at providing outstanding young professionals—who already hold a Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture—the opportunity to conceptualize design as a critical practice that shapes the world’s technological, relational, and environmental evolutions. The program is viewed as a framework for exploring both academic and professional concerns through a set of inquiries and premises: architecture and its design practices are critical in addressing contemporary challenges; architectural specificity is the result of transdisciplinary cooperation; architecture’s future agency lies in the discipline’s capacity to mobilize realities across different scales and time frames. These ideas are explored through innovations in representational tools and the embrace of new probationary artifacts, inviting students to shift away from the specialized mastery of specific scales towards methods of “interscalarity.” By aligning new models of response to new architectural modes of practice, the Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design program strives to empower graduating students in the face of unknown future scenarios.

The M.S.AAD is a designated STEM program eligible.

The Advanced Studios bring together students in the Master of Architecture and Master of Sciences in Advanced Architectural Design programs. These studios, which take place during the fall and spring semesters at the School, have always explored the future of architecture in a diversity of ways. Each studio creates its own world—with its own intersection of social, cultural, formal, material, economic, and environmental concerns—and students have almost 20 worlds to choose from. After selecting a studio, students conduct experiments and develop projects through concepts and massings, programs and forms, drawings and models, materials and atmospheres, metrics and narratives.

It acknowledges that the core values that inform its understanding of what constitutes good architecture and urbanism are universal and have been adapted to a wide variety of cultures, material palettes, and climates across time.

To request additional information our graduate programs, please complete this form and we will reach out to you.

The School of Architecture offers two graduate architecture degrees: 1) the post-professional Master of Architectural Design and Urbanism (M.ADU), and 2) the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) certified professional Master of Architecture (M.Arch). These two graduate architecture degrees are offered in the following four paths of study:.

Students seeking a two-year Master of Architectural Design and Urbanism (M.ADU) post-professional degree must hold an accredited professional degree in architecture (B.Arch or M.Arch) or the international equivalent. This degree offers students with a professional degree an opportunity to further develop their design and critical thinking skills in the disciplines of classical and traditional architecture and urban design.

A minimum of 39 credit hours are required for graduation while a typical maximum of 48 credit hours may be earned. Those students wishing to become licensed in the United States should note that the M.ADU post-professional degree is not accredited and therefore not sufficient to qualify for testing in the U.S. based on the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) criteria. These students may wish to either seek review of their educational and professional credentials by NCARB or to join one of the professional degree programs, again, dependent upon their educational background.

Students seeking a two-year Master of Architecture (M.Arch) professional degree must hold either a Bachelor of Art in Architecture or a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree.

The Path C is a three-year Master of Architecture (M.

A minimum of 90 credit hours are required for graduation while a typical maximum of 06 credit hours may be earned. Advanced standing may be given to students who have completed some portion of their non-studio course work prior to admission, but the six-semester studio sequence is required of all Path C candidates.