Architecture

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First Year

Undergraduate students entering the School of Architecture share a common first-year curriculum. Students take core courses in Architectural History, Architecture and Urban and Environmental Planning to provide a framework for the study of contemporary culture through observation, analysis, and considered design of our ongoing constructed occupation of the earth. Students must pass each core course with a grade of C- or higher. For the first year curriculum, please refer to Common First Year in the School of Architecture .

During the spring semester of the first year, students choose an intended major: Bachelor of Science Architecture, Bachelor of Architectural History, or Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning.

Bachelor of Science (Architecture)

The Bachelor of Architecture program attracts a diverse range of students with a wide range of interests that are bound together by an overriding desire to consider and construct environments of enduring value. Two different concentrations are offered: the Pre-Professional concentration and the Architectural Design-Thinking concentration.

All undergraduates who complete their degree in good academic standing are invited to continue their studies and complete their graduate degree at UVA. Students who complete their 7th semester with a 3.3 GPA or higher are guaranteed direct admission into the corresponding graduate program. For direct entry into graduate programs in Architecture (MArch) and Landscape Architecture (MLA), undergraduate architecture students must also achieve a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in design studios. These graduates are also invited to defer their admission for two years allowing them to enroll immediately or in either of the next two entering classes. In this way, Historians and Planners can earn the graduate degree (MArH and MUEP) in 5 years, Architects earn the professional graduate degree (MArch or MLA) in 6 years. See Direct Admissions Policy .

Second Year

The second-year curriculum focuses on the design of the built environment through observation, analysis and the development of design proposals in contemporary cultural settings. This exploration uses design as a mode of critical inquiry from the scale of the city to the scale of the hand to prepare a foundation for focused study in the two design concentrations in the third and fourth years.
Students entering the Department of Architecture as architecture majors follow one curriculum during their second year. A strategic selection of electives will begin to prepare the students to pursue the concentration of their choice.

Fall Semester - Credits: 15	Spring Semester - Credits: 15
ARCH 2010 - Foundation Studio II, Credits: 6 ARCH 1010 - Lessons of the Lawn, Credits: 3 ARCH 2710 - CAAD 3D Geometrical Modeling and Visualization, Credits: 3 Physics Elective, Credits: 3	ARCH 2020 - Foundation Studio III, Credits: 6 ARCH 2220 - Principles of Tectonics Credits: 3 ARH 3403 - World Contemporary Architecture, Credits: 3 Social/Behavioral Science Elective, Credits: 3

Third Year - Pre-Professional Concentration

This concentration is for students’ intending to continue their studies with advanced placement in a professional graduate program. Students in the pre-professional concentration are required to successfully complete a total of 38 design studio credits (36 design studio credits for third-year transfer students) in order to graduate.

Fall Semester - Credits: 16	Spring Semester - Credits: 16
ARCH 3010 - Foundation Studio IV, Credits: 6 ARCH 3120 - 20th Century History of Ideas, Credits: 3 ARCH 3240 - Introduction to Structural Design Credits: 4 Humanities Elective, Credits: 3	ARCH 3020 - Foundation Studio V, Credits: 6 ARCH 3260 - Building Matters, Credits: 4 General Education Elective, Credits: 3 Open Elective, Credits: 3

Fourth Year - Pre-Professional Concentration

Fall Semester - Credits: 18	Spring Semester - Credits: 15
ARCH 4010 - Research Studio, Credits: 6 ARCH 4100 - Design Research Seminar, Credits: 3 General Education Elective, Credits: 3 Open Elective, Credits: 3 Open Elective, Credits: 3	ARCH 4020 - Independent Design Research Studio, Credits: 6 General Education Elective, Credits: 3 Open Elective, Credits: 3 Open Elective, Credits: 3

Notes

The terms “Humanities Elective”, “Math/Natural Science Elective”, and “Social/Behavioral Science Elective” mean electives defined according to the corresponding area requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences. The term “General Education Elective” means an elective from any of these three categories. See also: Academic Rules, Curricular Requirements .

One Open Elective per semester may be taken Credit/No Credit. A maximum of 8-degree credits will be granted for Ensemble Music or Dance. A maximum of 12-degree credits will be granted for AIRS, MISC, & NASC courses. PHYE “Physical Education” credits do not count toward degree totals. It may be necessary to use Open Electives to complete the requirements of a minor.

A student must receive a grade of at least a C- in required courses and design studios or must retake the course.

Eligible students may receive up to three credits for one independent study course supervised and graded by eligible UVA faculty members. Only one “open elective” requirement within the architecture curriculum may be substituted with an independent study course. Independent courses are subject to the same policies as other courses. Final approval of the independent study course by the Undergraduate Program Director is required no later than one month prior to the start of the semester.

Eligible students may receive up to three credits for teaching experience supervised and graded by eligible UVA faculty members. Only one “open elective” requirement within the architecture curriculum may be substituted with a teaching experience course. Teaching experience is subject to the same policies as other courses.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) credit received for summer or fall break internships cannot be applied toward overall credits for degree requirements. Course credits are applied to allow the student to participate in an internship/externship per the F-1 eligibility requirements and regulations.

or

Third Year - Architectural Design Thinking

The Architectural Design Thinking concentration is for students interested in interdisciplinary problem solving through exploratory design processes. The curriculum offers a strong core in the design of the built environment while offering broader studios and electives designed to collaborate across the University. Students are asked to integrate a second field of study by declaring a second major or a minor.

Fall Semester - Credits: 17	Spring Semester - Credits: 15
ARCH 3070 - Foundations in Design Practice, Credits: 4 ARCH 3071 - Design Practices Lab Credits: 1 ARCH 3120 - 20th Century History of Ideas, Credits: 3 Minor Requirement, Credits: 3 Minor Requirement, Credits: 3 Humanities Elective, Credits: 3	ARCH 3021 - Foundations in Design Practices II, Credits: 6 Sustainability / Community Engagement Requirement, Credits: 3 Minor Requirement, Credits: 3 General Education Elective, Credits: 3

Fourth Year - Architectural Design Thinking

Fall Semester - Credits: 18	Spring Semester - Credits: 15
ARCH 4011 - Design Thinking Studio, Credits: 6 ARCH 4100 - Design Research, Credits: 3 Minor Requirement, Credits: 3 General Education Elective, Credits: 3 Open Electives, Credits: 3	ARCH 4020 - Independent Design Research Studio, Credits: 6 Entrepreneurship / Leadership / Economics Requirement, Credits: 3 Minor Requirement, Credits: 3 General Education Elective, Credits: 3

Notes

One Open Elective per semester may be taken Credit/No Credit. A maximum of 8-degree credits will be granted for Ensemble Music or Dance. A maximum of 12-degree credits will be granted for AIRS, MISC, & NASC courses.  KINE “Kinesiology” credits do not count toward degree totals. It may be necessary to use Open Electives to complete the requirements of a minor.

A student must receive a grade of at least a C- in required courses, design studios, and minor requirements or must retake the course.

In the design thinking concentration up to two courses (6 credits) can double-count for major and minor requirements for students taking a minor, and up to 5 courses (15 credits) can double-count for first and second major requirements for students taking a second major. Any credits remaining to complete the total credit amount required for the degree need to be fulfilled by open elective credits.

Architecture Minor

A minor in Architecture provides students with an opportunity to develop a basic understanding of, and appreciation for, architecture as an important component of culture and the built environment. The Minor in Architecture is offered to all students at the University. Students who complete the Minor range from those whose major is in a related field and who wish to expand the boundaries of that endeavor, to those considering graduate study in architecture.

Requirements

ARCH 1010 - Lessons of the Lawn Credits: 3
Choice of one ARCH studio course (3-4 credits) from:
- ARCH 1020 - Lessons in Making Credits: 3 or
- ARCH 1030 /ARCH 1031 - Foundation Studio I Credits: 4
Architecture department elective (ARCH), Credits: 3
Prerequisite: ARCH 1010, ARCH 1020, ARCH 1030, or ARCH 1040
Architecture department elective (ARCH), Credits: 3
Prerequisite: ARCH 1010, ARCH 1020, ARCH 1030, or ARCH 1040
Elective within the School of Architecture (SARC/PLAN/LAR/ARH/ARCH), Credits: 3

Total Credits: 16

Upper-level undergraduate students may enroll in graduate courses in the 5000-level for elective credit. These courses are described in the Graduate Record and are offered through all four departments.

Although SARC, ALAR, ARH, ARCH, LAR, and PLAN are pre-professional and professional courses, not all are restricted to School of Architecture students. If students outside the school wish to enroll in one of these courses, they should secure the approval of the faculty member offering that course. Even in professionally-oriented courses, some faculty members encourage and welcome such participation.