Advising Students On Careers 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.

High School Preparation for Careers in Architecture
Students who are still enrolled in high school and are intending to prepare for a career in architecture should follow the standard college preparatory curriculum offered by their school.  High school calculus and physics are good preparation for college level courses that are part of many architecture and pre-architecture curricula.  Additionally, students should prepare themselves by taking courses in studio art (drawing, painting and/or sculpture) whenever possible. 

Since the discipline of architecture constitutes an integration of both "art" and "science," it is important for students to develop their abilities in both areas simultaneously.  In some cases high school level students will prepare for a career in architecture by taking drafting and computer aided drafting (CAD) courses.  While these vocational courses certainly contribute to the knowledge base and skill level of the students who take them, CAD and drafting courses are rarely an important factor in admissions boards decisions. 

If faced with a choice between drafting, CAD, or studio art, many schools of architecture would favor the studio art courses because it is more likely to build free-hand drawing skills.  Despite our stereotypical image of the architect hunched over the drafting table, a surprising amount of drawing that the architect does is free-hand.  And, even with the advent of computer technologies architects will always be in need of free-hand drawing skills. 

The best advice to high school students is to maintain a good GPA (B or better) while taking a broad range of college preparatory courses including both the arts and the sciences.

Discovering Architecture Programs in Architecture
Many schools of architecture offer intensive Discovering Architecture programs in architecture and related design fields.  Discovering Architecture programs are usually offered during the summer months at many of the nationís schools of architecture.  These programs typically expose the participants to a variety of aspects of architecture including design studio projects.  Many of the programs will offer candid opinions as to the studentís potential for a career in architecture.  Additionally, many programs will provide letters of reference/evaluation of a studentís performance to the applicantís prospective schools. 

The University of Maryland, School of Architecture runs a Discovering Architecture Workshop every summer at the College Park campus.  For detailed information see the Design Discovering Architecture Workshop webpage or call 301.405.6284.

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:

1. Pre-professional degree programs
   
2. Professional degree programs
   
3. 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.

Pre-Professional Degrees (Undergraduate):
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (known as either B.A. or A.B in Arch):  The Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree is a Liberal Arts degree that typically focuses upon architecture as a humanistic discipline.  B.A. programs tend to focus upon the "art of architecture."  These types of programs often provide preparation for students in the areas of architectural history, theory and in some cases design.  B.A. programs are ideal programs for building a strong liberal educational foundation for students who may or may not continue on to professional programs in architecture. 

Bachelor of Arts programs in architecture tend to have less stringent requirements for the sciences, technology and mathematics than do Bachelor of Science programs in Architecture.  Consequently, these graduates of these types of programs often have longer stays in professional graduate programs than their colleagues in B. S. programs.  However, care should be taken not to dismiss the academic value of B.A. degrees, some of the nationsí most prestigious schools offer only the B.A. degree in Architecture at the undergraduate level.

Bachelor of Science in Architecture (B.S. in Arch):  The Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree is an undergraduate course of study that integrates liberal and technical educational objectives.  B.S. programs in Architecture typically address architecture as both ìartî and ìscience.î  These types of programs are intended to provide students with an intensive exposure to architecture as a preparation for a professional masters degree.  Students will typically enroll in an intensive liberal educational curriculum during their initial two years of undergraduate education followed by an intensive pre-professional program during their junior and senior years.  Bachelor of Science programs provide much of the same career and educational flexibility of the Bachelor of Arts degree. 

Students with a B.S. in architecture may elect to enroll in a Master of Architecture degree program upon graduation, or they may select graduate study in another field.  Many Master of Architecture programs are designed to permit candidates who hold a B.S. in Architecture to complete their degree requirements in as little as two years, while Bachelor of Arts candidates are typically required to complete an additional year of study.  The University of Maryland offers a four year Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture.  For more information call: (301) 405-6284.

Professional Degrees (Undergraduate and Graduate):
The National Architecture Accreditation Board accredits the degrees listed below.  For the purposes of professional registration, the degrees listed below are considered equivalent.
 
Bachelor of Architecture (B. ARCH):  The Bachelor of Architecture degree is the oldest type of professional degree program offered at the university level in America.  Typically the Bachelor of Architecture degree is a five year undergraduate program.  Often students enrolled in B. ARCH. programs will begin an intensive professional education in their Freshman year of college.  This type of program will typically include courses in architectural history, theory, drawing, design, technology, and professional practice along with certain university-wide requirements and electives.  This type of program may be ideal for students who are certain of their career selection.  In many cases, however, high school students are not able to accurately determine their career objectives. 

Bachelor of Architecture programs can often be "unforgiving" in that they tend to "lock" students into a course of study early on in their undergraduate education.  Consequently, changing majors during an undergraduate career may prove to be very difficult for the student enrolled in a B. ARCH Program.

2 Year Master of Architecture (M.ARCH, M. ARCH. I): This type of degree is designed for those students who possess a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree.  This type of program will typically include courses in architectural history, theory, drawing, design, technology, and professional practice along with certain university-wide requirements and electives.  The University of Maryland School of Architecture offers an accredited 2 year Master of Architecture degree.  For more information contact the School of Architecture at: (301) 405-6284.

3-3 1/2 Year Master of Architecture (M. ARCH., M. ARCH I):  This type of degree is designed for those persons who possess a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than architecture.  The program offers a comprehensive professional education to students who come from a variety of educational backgrounds.  This type of program will typically include courses in architectural history, theory, drawing, design, technology, and professional practice along with certain university-wide requirements and electives.  The University of Maryland School of Architecture offers an accredited 3 1/2 year Master of Architecture degree.  For more information contact the School of Architecture at: (301) 405-6284.

Post-Professional Degrees (Graduate):
1-2 Year Master of Architecture II (M. ARCH. II):  The post-professional Master of Architecture degree is intended as an advanced degree for those persons who already possess a professional degree in architecture.  In some cases, professional registration is a consideration for admission to an advanced degree program.  The University of Maryland School of Architecture offers an accredited Master of Architecture degree in the areas of Urban Design, Housing, International and Regional Architecture, and Architectural Design and Theory.  For more information contact the School of Architecture at: (301) 405-6284.
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Accreditation:
Schools of Architecture in the United States are regularly reviewed for accreditation by the National Architecture Accreditation Board (NAAB).  The standard term of registration is five years.  Probationary terms are 1-3 years.  The NAAB may revoke the accreditation of a school of architecture if it fails to meet a set of comprehensive criteria.  The accreditation status and report of any school of architecture is public information.  Applicants may wish to inquire as to the accreditation status and contents of the visiting team report prior to making decisions to attend an academic institution.

Since its founding the University of Maryland School of Architecture has consistently received five year terms of accreditation.  The School of Architecture was most recently evaluated by the NAAB Visiting Team during the spring of 1995.  Effective 1 July 2000, the University of Maryland at College Park, School of Architecture was awarded a full five-year term of accreditation.  The next accreditation review will take place during the 2004/2005 academic year.

The following statement is required by the  NAAB to appear in all promotional materials distributed by accredited schools of architecture in the United States:

"In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure.  The National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit US professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes two types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture and the Master of Architecture.  A program may be granted a five-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending upon its degree of conformance with established educational standards.

"Masters degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education.  However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree."
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Professional Registration
As stated above, professional registration is administered on a state by state basis, though many of the aspects of the Architectural Registration Examination and the requirements for admission to the examination have been standardized.  It is best to verify the registration requirements in a particular state prior to seeking registration.  Additionally, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) offers a certification that permits more rapid granting of reciprocity.
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School of Architecture Rankings
No reliable system for ranking schools of architecture currently exists.  U.S. News and World Report has in the past published non-scientific subjective rankings of schools of architecture -- what essentially amounts to a popularity contest.  The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) has formally requested U.S. News and World Report to amend their misleading practice of ranking architecture programs in the United States.  U.S. News and World Report fails to consider any factual criteria in determining its rankings -- it merely asks an administrator and one senior faculty member from each school to pick their favorite architecture programs.  U.S. News and World Report does not take into consideration the actual curricular, funding, staffing, resource and accreditation status of the Schools of Architecture which appear in its published rankings.  Because the number of persons who seek an architectural education constitute such a limited portion of the U.S. News and World Repor treadership, the magazine has admitted that it is unwilling to conduct a more comprehensive survey of architecture programs. In short, U.S. News and World Report provides magazine buyers with an abbreviated list of architecture programs in North America (including some very fine ones), however a  comprehensive list can be found for free at the ACSA Website: http://www.acsa-arch.org/

It is best to examine each school closely and weigh the merits and liabilities of each institution based upon the needs and expectations of the individual student.
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The University of Maryland School of Architecture
Did you know...

• Students in the architecture program come from all over the world including, China, Taiwan, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, Bulgaria, Japan, and India to name just a few places?
  
  
• The School recently received an AIA Education Honors award (one of three awarded this year) for its Architecture 600 Comprehensive design studio?
  
  
• The School is ideally located near Washington, DC, Baltimore, Maryland and the historic city of Annapolis, Maryland?
  
  
• Students in the Master of Architecture program have undergraduate degrees from many different universities and colleges across the United States, including Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, University of Illinois, Haverford College, Brown University, Lehigh University, Tufts, UCLA, University of Virginia, University of Hawaii, and the University of Puerto Rico?
  
  
• The School offers diverse opportunities for study abroad in Paris, Rome, Turkey, North Africa and England?
  
  
• Recent graduates have found employment in such noted firms as Hartman Cox Architects in Washington, DC, Polshek and Partners in San Francisco, RTKL in Los Angeles, Ayers Saint Gross in Baltimore, Kohn Pederson Fox in New York, the Hillier Group in Princeton, NJ and SOM in Washington, DC and New York?
  
  
• Maryland students have won awards in recent professional competitions as well as winning more awards in t ACSA Wood Council competitions than any other nationally or internationally?
  
  
• Graduates from the undergraduate program have been entering a diverse selection of graduate programs including ones in architecture, law, medicine, planning and real estate development?

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