Bachelor of Architecture
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The Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course of study that generally lasts five years in North America. The Bachelor of Architecture is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) as a professional degree, allowing the recipient to qualify for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE).
There are also universities that offer a four-year degree such as a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies. These are non-accredited, pre-professional degrees, and so these students must enroll in a Masters degree (M.Arch) program to be professionally-licensed. However, enrolling in a pre-professional program often gets a student into a shorter M.Arch program.
The course of study of the Bachelor of Architecture includes studio courses on design and aesthetic theory, as well as practical courses on structures, building mechanical systems, electrical systems, plumbing and construction. Student work is often in the form of drawings and renderings, either through Computer-Aided Design or drafting by hand. Students also build physical models and create presentation boards for drawings and graphics.
In nearly all architecture schools in the United States, student life and work revolves around a studio class. Other classes in the architecture curriculum are designed to support the concepts emphasized in studio. One particularly rigorous aspect of studio classes is the "critique" or "review." After spending sleepless nights preparing models and presentation drawings, students "pin-up" their work on display for instructors (and students) offer constructive criticism. The workload in architecture classes is often many times more than other university programs, in addition to being a five year program. Because of this workload, students must be very dedicated, but a high level of understanding of the material often results.
As of December 2005, there were sixty-seven accredited Bachelor of Architecture programs in the United States.
Colleges and universities in the United States where a Bachelor of Architecture degree can be obtained are listed below:
Note: Universities denoted by a * also have accredited Master of Architecture programs at their schools
- Auburn University
- Ball State University*
- Boston Architectural Center*
- California College of the Arts
- California Polytechnic State University
- California State Polytechnic University*
- Carnegie Mellon University
- City College of the City University of New York
- Cooper Union
- Cornell University
- Drexel University
- Drury University
- Florida A&M University*
- Florida Atlantic University
- Hampton University*
- Howard University
- Illinois Institute of Technology*
- Iowa State University*
- Kansas State University
- Kent State University* (until 2009)
- Louisiana State University*
- Mississippi State University
- New Jersey Institute of Technology*
- Newschool of Architecture and Design*
- New York Institute of Technology
- North Carolina State University*
- North Dakota State University
- Norwich University*
- Parsons The New School for Design*
- Oklahoma State University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Philadelphia University
- Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico
- Prairie View A&M University*
- Pratt Institute*
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute*
- Rhode Island School of Design*
- Rice University*
- Roger Williams University*
- Southern California Institute of Architecture*
- Southern Polytechnic State University
- Southern University and A&M College
- Syracuse University*
- Temple University
- Tulane University*
- Tuskegee University
- University of Arizona
- University of Arkansas
- University of Cincinnati*
- University of Detroit Mercy*
- University of Houston*
- University of Kansas*
- University of Kentucky*
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette*
- University of Miami*
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte*
- University of Notre Dame*
- University of Oklahoma*
- University of Oregon*
- University of Southern California*
- University of Tennessee*
- University of Texas*
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute*
- Washington State University
- Wentworth Institute of Technology
- Woodbury University
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