The Masters of Architecture Degree is comprised of three semesters of graduate study. Throughout this graduate study, students choose from a variety of architectural studios, craft studios, architectural seminars, and non-architectural electives intended to emphasize the development of a critical position with regard to the environment and architecture. A final comprehensive studio or thesis is required that demonstrates, through the development of an architectural project, the student’s moral, ethical and aesthetic responsibility to society and the natural world.

The Master of Architecture professional degree is a Plan B program (professional paper or project plan) that requires forty-two (42) credits of graduate coursework. A student’s program of study includes three graduate design studios (ARCH 551, ARCH 557 and ARCH 558), a required architectural research methodologies seminar (ARCH 552) and graduate electives. As part of the change from a two-semester to a 42-credit three-semester graduate program, students in the Master of Architecture program are required to take one summer studio as a part of their graduate program. Students have the following semester options:

Graduate Design Studios

ARCH 551 Advanced Architectural Studios (6 credits) are studios that are classified as experimental or theoretical design studios. These studios may be design/build, place-specific or theoretical and are intended to give a student an experience that is outside the traditional realm of Architecture.  Additionally a student can choose to complete an individual project to fulfill one this Studio requirement. This individual project will require a student to determine the project, select a faculty committee and complete a semester of research. Upon successful completion of the research phase, the student will enroll to complete the design component of the project. 

In ARCH 557 Architectural Design Studio students will undertake architectural design projects that integrate site analysis, programming, building systems and contemporary design theory. Emphasis is placed on the inclusive synthesis of these issues into an architectural design solution. 

In addition to taking ARCH 551 and 557, each student will be required to take a comprehensive design studio, ARCH 558 Advanced Building Studio (6 credits) as the final studio in the graduate program. This studio fulfills the NAAB requirements for a terminal studio and is also inclusive of all components of the field. This includes but is not limited to: structural systems, environmental controls, life safety, construction documents, etc. This studio is designed to evaluate a student’s competency in areas of Architecture and serves to cover the Comprehensive Exam required of all graduate programs. The Advanced Building Studio is best described as a programmatically complex problem with an underlying agenda or theoretical component. The Advanced Building Studio should be considered the most challenging structured studio experience that a student will undertake within the School of Architecture. Requirements will be rigorous and demanding beyond the expectations of those studios in the undergraduate program. The design problem is developed by a faculty member and implemented and solved by the student.

Research Methods

All graduate students are required to take ARCH 552 Arch Research Methods prior to enrolling in ARCH 558. This course will exam the types of inquiry—both traditional and non-traditional—used to conduct architectural research.

Graduate Elective

The final component of the M.ARCH program is Graduate Elective. An M.ARCH student will be required to take at least 21 credits of Graduate Electives. Nine of the credits can be credits that a student “petitioned” to use while an undergraduate. Electives vary from semester to semester. Six to twelve electives will be offered each semester. Electives can be courses such as ARCH 533 - Advanced ECS, ARCH 564 - Advanced Graphics, ARCH 525 - Special Design Topics, etc. If a student chooses to complete an Individual Project as a 551 Studio option, the student must complete a research class with their faculty advisors the semester prior to doing the studio. This course is ARCH 471 Directed Research/Creative Activity, 3 credits and can be counted toward the 21 credits of elective needed to graduate.

Please see below for the course plan for the 3 semester graduate program: