Choosing the Best Architecture Graduate Program

An architecture graduate degree opens the doors to many exciting career opportunities including positions as architects, city or urban planners, building surveyors, and college or university professors.

However, there are a few things that people will want to consider to ensure that they choose the best architecture graduate program for their career goals. And some of the most important of these considerations are discussed briefly in the sections that follow. 

Accreditation

Perhaps the most important thing to consider when choosing an architecture graduate degree program is accreditation. Accreditation by a national accrediting agency ensures that higher educational facilities are adhering to certain standards of excellence necessary for teaching and learning.

When checking for accreditation, prospective students should check for two types of accreditation: accreditation of the school and accreditation of the architecture program. Whereas accrediting agencies for schools vary depending on location, the accrediting agency for architecture programs is the National Architectural Accrediting Board. 

Approved accrediting agencies are those that are endorsed by the United States Department of Education. Not only is accreditation important in that it lends credibility to the school and its programs, but it allows students to apply for federal and state financial aid as well.

Accreditation also ensures that students can transfer earned credits from one school to another. Finally, many certification boards and employers look not only at applicants’ educational accomplishments, but they also look at whether or not the schools attended were accredited. 

Concentrations

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Another thing that people will want to consider when looking for the best architecture graduate program is available concentrations. While some schools simply offer general graduate degrees in architecture, others offer various areas of specialization.

Declaring a concentration is great for individuals who would like to specialize in one area of architecture. Another terrific benefit of choosing a concentration is that it can boost the chances of employment in graduates’ areas of specialization. Some of the most popular architectural concentrations today are as follows: 

  • Urban and Regional Planning
  • Real Estate Development
  • Environmental Design
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Interior Architecture
  • Architectural Sciences and Technology
  • Architectural History

Requirements

When choosing the best architecture graduate program, students may want to consider program requirements as well. Architectural program requirements are often similar regardless of the school that students choose, but there may be a few slight differences.

Because of this, it is a good idea to research the current program requirements for each school that a student may be considering. Common requirements often include the following criteria: 

  • Bachelor’s degree in architecture or similar field
  • One to two years of relevant work experience
  • Completion of a thesis
  • Participation in an internship program
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA (this may vary from one school to another)
  • Personal statement
  • Professional/educational resume
  • Portfolio of creative work

Typical Courses

Students working towards an architecture graduate degree will need to complete about 60 credit hours of course work. However, this figure can vary depending on the school and whether or not the student holds a bachelor degree in architecture.

Students who have a bachelor degree in an unrelated field most often must complete additional coursework to earn their graduate degrees in architecture. Required courses may vary a bit as well depending on the school and whether or not students choose to specialize, but some common course requirements may include the following courses: 

  • Design Communications
  • Integrated Technologies
  • Contract Documents
  • History and Theory of Architecture
  • Ethics in Architecture
  • Structural Engineering Design
  • CAD Technical Drawing
  • Architectural Analysis
  • Improving Urban Decay
  • Green Construction

Program Length

The length of various graduate programs is yet another thing that prospective architecture students may want to consider. Program length may vary depending on the school that students choose to attend and can range from two to three years.

Students’ past accomplishments can affect the length of their programs as well. For example, while students who hold bachelor degrees in architecture can typically finish an architecture graduate program in about two years, students who hold bachelor degrees in areas other than architecture may need to attend classes for an additional year. 

Online Availability

Since many graduate students are working professionals, online availability of architecture programs is often another important consideration when choosing the best architecture graduate program. Online programs allow architecture students to study when and where they wish. Of course, they will still need to meet assignment deadlines.

Additionally, depending on the program’s requirements, online students may also need to participate in various offline activities such as architecture seminars, internships, and/or team projects. Some programs also require online students to complete exams through an approved online or offline proctor. 

Architecture is an exciting field that offers many great career opportunities. And for individuals who are looking for the best architecture graduate program, there are several things that they will want to consider first. By taking these issues into consideration, prospective students can be sure that they will find a program that suits their occupational goals.

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