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A Guide to Education in Architecture
This brief guide has been provided to expose
students, parents and guidance councilors to some of the important
issues related to careers in architecture.
Types of Degree Programs
There are a variety of degree programs in architecture offered nationally.
Each type of degree program is designed to offer a particular level
of expertise to students and to enable them to make a variety of
career and educational selections. It is important to know
the difference between the various types of degree programs as well
as the credentials that these programs ultimately lend to a student's
career qualifications.
Essentially there are three generic types of degree
programs in the United States:
- Pre-professional degree programs
- Professional degree programs
- Post-professional degree programs
PRE-PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMS
Pre-professional degree programs are typically the Bachelor Science
and Bachelor of Arts degrees in architecture. These degrees
are designed to introduce architecture to undergraduate students
while postponing professional education for graduate study.
Pre-professional degrees may enable students to work in the architectural
profession, however professional registration and the title of "architect"
is reserved for those who possess a professional degree and have
successfully completed the terms of internship and registration.
PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMS
Professional degree programs are those problems that provide a comprehensive
professional education and are accredited by the National Architecture
Accreditation Board (NAAB). The degrees Bachelor of Architecture
and Master of Architecture are typically professional degrees.
The audience for post-professional degree programs are persons who
already possess a professional degree and who desire advanced study
in a particular aspect of the profession. Advanced degrees
include the Master of Architecture, Master of Arts in Architecture,
and Master of Science in Architecture, as well as the more rare
Ph.D.
Prospective students and parents often find the diversity of degrees
available and their nomenclature confusing. "What type
of degree program should I choose?," is a typical question
heard from prospective students. Ultimately the best answer
is -- students should look at a variety of programs at numerous
institutions before making a selection. You should select
the school where you feel your needs will be best addressed.
You should select an educational environment, a faculty, a student
body, that you will feel comfortable with.
Since architecture school is an intensive educational
endeavor, you owe it to yourself to know a wide-range of educational
alternatives prior to making your selection. Since there are
numerous excellent 5-year undergraduate and 6-year undergraduate-graduate
programs nationally, making a selection solely on the basis of the
number of years spent studying architecture is not a sound basis
for making a decision. In the end, because graduate students
regularly receive financial assistance (assistantships, fellowships,
and other forms of support) the cost of a 5-year undergraduate degree
and a 6-year undergraduate-graduate degree is roughly the same.
For More Information
This guide to careers in architecture was produced by:
School of Architecture
University of Maryland at College Park
College Park, Maryland 20742
301.405.6284
arch-grad@deans.umd.edu
For more information about educational opportunities at Maryland,
contact the above address.
If you have any comments or questions about this page
contact:
Brian Kelly, AIA
Associate Professor
bk10@umail.umd.edu
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