Welcome to the MSU School of Architecture
The School of Architecture welcomes students who started their academic journey at other institutions. Both our Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design undergraduate program and our Master of Architecture graduate program accept many students who are transfer, second-degree and/or international students. We welcome the diversity and new perspectives that these students bring to our program. Montana State University provides Resources and Guidance for Students Transferring to MSU
As a pre-professional degree program that prepares students for our NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture professional program, our Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design contains a structured curriculum that emphasizes each cohort of students taking a consistent set of classes each year. For all incoming transfer, second-degree and/or international students, the School of Architecture is committed to finding the appropriate placement within our curriculum for each student joining us from different institutions. If a student is interested in transferring to the MSU School of Architecture from another Architecture program, placement into the MSU program will be based on an evaluation of the student's prior academic coursework and their design portfolio.
- Overview of the Environmental Design program
- Environmental Design Curriculum
- Transfer students (with and without prior architecture studies)
- Second Bachelor's Degree Students
- International Students
- Estimated Expenses
- Financial Aid
- Schedule a visit to MSU
Transfer Students with prior Architecture Studies
Students wishing to transfer directly into the second year or higher of the Environmental Design program must submit a portfolio of work to the MSU School of Architecture by May 1st. The portfolio should include all design work a student has completed at their prior institution(s). There is no length limit on the portfolio.
In addition, a student must submit an unofficial transcript of coursework completed at their prior institution(s). Students wishing to gain entrance to the program should have taken both a Math and Physics course prior to applying. The Math course should be Pre-Calculus or Calculus and the Physics course should be a College Physics course that includes a lab component. These two courses are required to be completed prior to transferring to MSU with advanced standing in the Environmental Design program as those courses are pre-requisites for other courses in the Architecture program. Transfer students will have their portfolios evaluated by School of Architecture faculty as part of the normal application process.
Architecture courses taken by the student at other instituions will be evaluated based upon their equivalency to MSU School of Architecture courses. Students will be asked to submit course syllabi, schedule and assignment statements of architecture courses they have taken at other institutions for an equivalency review by the School. Non-architecture courses will be evaluated by the MSU Admissions Office and applied to MSU degree requirements.in accordance with MSU's Transfer Equivalency. Students will be notified about their potential placement into the MSU Environmental Design program by mid-June.
Students must also complete the General Transfer Student Application with the MSU Admissions Office. Interested students should send their portfolio directly to the School of Architecture at:
160 Cheever Hall
Bozeman, MT 59717-3760
Office of Admissions General Information
Transfer Students without prior Architecture Studies
A student interested in transferring to the MSU School of Architecture who has taken no previous Architecture courses should apply as a general transfer student. Students in this category will be required to take the standard first-year Architecture courses and apply for formal admittance into the second year of the Environmental Design program. Non-architecture transfer coursework will be evaluated by the MSU Admissions Office and applied to MSU degree requirements. In most cases, transfer work will count toward general education degree requirements.
MSU School of Architecture offers an Intensive first-year summer program that is open to second degree and transfer students. This program compresses the first year Architecture coursework into a 12-week summer program. This allows second degree and transfer students to reduce the overall time required to complete all coursework. The intensive summer program is set up for students who have completed the Pre-Calculus and Physics course requirements. On average there are 12-15 students who participate in the summer program. Students will submit a portfolio of work at the end of Summer Semester as part of the formal admittance process into second year of the Environmental Design Program.
General Transfer Student Application
Office of Admissions General Information
Second Bachelor's Degree Students (Post-Baccalaureate)
Expected Placement for Students with an Undergraduate Degree in a field unrelated to Architecture
Students who have completed a four-year, undergraduate degree in a field unrelated to Architecture can expect to complete 3 years of undergraduate Architecture prerequisite coursework prior to starting graduate level coursework. A student in this situation could expect the entire program (undergraduate prerequisites and graduate courses) to take 3-1/2 years to complete.
A student with an undergraduate degree in a field unrelated to Architecture should first apply to Montana State University as a post-baccalaureate undergraduate student (second degree student). Once the undergraduate prerequisite courses have been completed, the student should apply to the Montana State University Graduate School for admission to the Master of Architecture program.
MSU School of Architecture offers an Intensive first-year summer program that is open to second degree and transfer students. This program compresses the first year Architecture coursework into a 12-week summer program. This allows second degree and transfer students to reduce the overall time required to complete all coursework. The intensive summer program is set up for students who have completed the Pre-Calculus and Physics requirements. On average there are 12-15 students who participate in the summer program. Additionally, second degree students will not be required to take MSU general education requirements as these are satisfied by the completion of their previous baccalaureate degree.
Apply to MSU as a Post-Baccalaureate student
International Students
Students from around the world join the School of Architecture's undergraduate Environmental Design and Master of Architecture academic programs. International students should contact MSU's Office of International Programs for general information and resources regarding international students at MSU.
Apply to MSU as an International student
Estimated Expenses
University Costs
Estimated costs for attending Montana State University include tuition, university fees, room and board, books/supplies and miscellaneous costs are shown in the estimated costs for attending Montana State University.
School of Architecture Costs
The Environmental Design curriculum relies extensively on the design studio learning model, which includes extensive model building and drawing, requiring additional supplies. The studios, and many non-studio courses, rely heavily on the use of high-end digital fabrication equipment, printing, and shop facilities. The School established an Architecture Program Fee that is assessed only on the design studio courses with 100% of the program fees being distributed to the School of Architecture for use on students courses, software, field trips, activities and events. Read here for a list of the additional architecture costs in the Environmental Design program.
Incoming Students
For information on, and application forms for, financial aid to attend Montana State University, visit the website of the Office of Financial Aid.
Read here for additional financial guidance information on how to pay for school.