5th Year Master of Architectural History Program
Some graduates of the U.Va. Bachelor of Architectural History program may consider pursuing the master’s degree in our department. This may be accomplished in fewer than the usual four graduate semesters if course planning is done carefully.
The Master of Architectural History degree program is a two-year course of study oriented toward students with liberal arts or design backgrounds. The graduate curriculum requires at least 36 credit hours designed to allow broad knowledge of the history of architecture and focused work in a major area. See the relevant pages in the Graduate Record.
The core curricula of the undergraduate and graduate programs are similar in focus and subject matter. The key difference is the breadth and depth of material covered in the seminars designed for graduate students (8000-level). Students who complete the 5th Year MARH Program will be required to complete at least three graduate seminars (8000-level), the same requirement expected of students in the regular four-semester MARH program, as well as a thesis.
Admissions & Financial Aid
Admission to the 5th Year MARH Program will be determined through the regular graduate admissions process. The same application (including GRE’s, Letters of Recommendation, and a book essay) will be required. The 5th Year MARH Program is intended for students with strong undergraduate records at U.Va.
Prospective students may apply for the 5th Year MARH Program in their 4th year or after graduating from the Bachelor of Architectural History program at the University of Virginia. Only students with a cumulative overall GPA of at least 3.3 will be considered.
Graduate Financial Aid will be awarded in the same manner as to all graduate students. Application for financial aid from the Department of Architectural History should accompany the application. Application to the Office of Financial Aid also should be made.
Curriculum Requirements for the 5th Year MARH Program
Students need at least 30 credit hours of graduate-level courses to complete the MARH degree. Students will be required to take at least 24 credit hours over at least two semesters. A maximum of two courses/6 credits taken at the graduate level during the undergraduate years can count for graduate credit. Students are required to take ARH 8001 (Methods in Architectural History), at least three graduate seminars (8000-level), and ARH 8994 (Thesis), and SARC 6000 (The Common Course). They should also fulfill the distribution requirements of a major area (3 courses/9 credits) and a minor area (two courses/6 credits). Students must also take two courses (6 credits) in areas other than their major and minor areas. The distribution areas are: the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean. Historic Preservation can count as the minor area. The student should work with an advisor to make sure that they fulfill all of these requirements, based on their completed undergraduate and projected graduate course credits.
It is advised that the student discuss their Master’s thesis topic with her/his advisor well in advance of the 5th year and submit it by April prior to entering a thesis proposal.
Waivers
When a student has previously passed a course (earning a grade of B or better) that satisfies a core course in architectural history, the graduate director, in consultation with the instructor of the course to be waived, may waive the requirement for that student. The student must take an approved elective to count in lieu of a waived course. No reduction in hours for the Master’s degree results from waiving a course.
Students that earned a Bachelor of Architectural History from U.Va. will have satisfied the foreign language requirement at the undergraduate level, which will satisfy the graduate program Language Qualification.
The student is exempt from ARH 5001 Library Methodology.
Dual Degrees
This curriculum could permit students to start on a second Master’s degree. Admission and acceptance of such courses must be approved by the administrators of both Master’s programs.
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