Master of Architecture

Admission

The Master of Architecture program attracts a diverse range of students with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science, and engineering as well as pre-architecture and architecture. Students progress through the program in anywhere from two to three years, depending on their educational backgrounds. This accredited professional architecture degree offers within its design curriculum a forum for synthesizing parallel studies, in theory, history, technology, urbanism, historic preservation, and visualization. In the design of buildings, landscapes and urban places, the curriculum supports a stimulating setting for diverse cultural expression. Advanced standing is available through three separate paths depending on the academic preparation of the student.

A separate two or three-semester non-professional, non-accredited Master of Architecture, Design Studies degree program is intended for those with a degree in architecture or a related discipline. The program is directly tailored to the research interests of the individual student.

Admission to all graduate architecture programs is very competitive.

Master of Architecture Curricula

The Master of Architecture (MArch) First Professional Degree curricula emphasizes strong foundation studies in design with coursework in architectural history, theory, visualization, building technology, and construction. To gain a broader understanding of the relationships within and parallel to the field of architecture, students may take courses in the departments of Architectural History, Landscape Architecture, and Urban and Environmental Planning. Upper-level graduate students are encouraged, through an optional teaching elective or work-study funding, to expand their knowledge by serving as teaching assistants to undergraduate students in design, theory, visualization or technology courses.

The undergraduate education defines the appropriate MArch degree path for a prospective student to submit an application. Students can pursue the degree in three years, two and a half years, or two years, depending on the number of architectural and general education courses they have completed prior to admission to the program. Enrolled students must have completed a minimum of 45 credit hours of general studies (not related to architecture) during their undergraduate degree to complete the degree in the time allotted. This is a national accreditation requirement.

Courses taken at other institutions are normally not accepted. Under exceptional circumstances, a petition along with supporting materials (i.e. syllabus and work samples) may be submitted to receive an exemption from taking a required course. Candidates are required to fulfill the total degree credit requirement regardless of course exemptions granted.  Petitions are to be submitted to the department chair or graduate program director for consideration and final decision.

PATH 3

This program allows students without a pre-professional undergraduate architecture degree to obtain an MArch in a minimum of three years plus an initial month-long summer session. The curriculum follows a prescribed core of foundational courses. Students are encouraged to develop a planned sequence of electives. Independent scholarship is encouraged through research studios and the thesis option. Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree in any field from an accredited college or university.

After an introductory summer session, students are expected to complete the program in six semesters. Students with a pre-architecture (Bachelor of Arts in Architecture or Environmental Design) or similar undergraduate degree may be eligible for advanced standing and will be considered for waivers of individual courses by permission of the chair or program director.

PATH 2.5

This program allows students with a pre-professional undergraduate architecture degree to pursue the MArch degree in two and a half years. Typically, students have a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture or Environmental Design, or a Bachelor of Architecture or Environmental Design. At a minimum, students must have completed the following coursework:
     4 architectural design studios, five or six credits each
     2 architectural history or architectural theory courses
     1 course addressing passive design or environmental systems
     1 structures course, addressing statics, mechanics of materials, structural analysis, and the design and behavior of
        basic structural elements and systems
     1 course addressing construction materials and assembly/construction methods
 

PATH 2

This program allows students with a pre-professional undergraduate architecture degree to pursue the MArch degree in two years. Typically students have a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. At a minimum, students must have completed the following coursework:

6 architectural design studios, five or six credits each
3 architectural history or architectural theory courses
1 course addressing passive design or environmental systems
1 structures course, addressing statics, mechanics of materials, structural analysis, and the design and behavior of basic structural elements and systems
1 course addressing construction materials and assembly/construction methods
 

PATH 1
This program provides an opportunity for two or three semesters of advanced study with an emphasis on design, research, and teaching. Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in architecture or a field related to the built environment (landscape architecture, planning, architectural history, urban design, etc.). Typical applicants already have a NAAB accredited professional degree, but a non-accredited architecture degree or a degree in a related discipline is also acceptable. It is important to note that this is not a NAAB accredited degree, and is not a sufficient prerequisite for taking the architectural licensing exam.

The full multidisciplinary resources of the school are available, including certificate programs in Historic Preservation and Urban Design, and coursework in architectural history, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and environmental planning. The curriculum is tailored to the individual student, typically combining a thesis or design studios with focused course work and collaboration with faculty members in research or teaching. Collaborative opportunities include advanced research in public interest design, urbanism, computing, community development and design-build work. Selected students may have the opportunity to work with faculty on architectural course development and teaching to create a concentration in architectural education. Because of the individualized nature of this program, the applicant is encouraged to visit the School of Architecture for an interview. Each student develops a specific curriculum with a minimum of 31 credits in consultation with the chair and program director. The duration of study may be extended beyond one year.

Accreditation

In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, a pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

The University of Virginia School of Architecture offers a Master of Architecture (MArch) degree that is NAAB accredited. The Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Pre-Professional concentration at U.Va. is not an accredited degree, but offers the opportunity to receive substantial advanced standing in the top MArch programs around the country, including at U.Va. The paths to achieve the MArch degree and the total number of credit hours are described below.

The University of Virginia’s Master of Architecture program received a full professional eight-year term of accreditation in 2015. This program will be reviewed again in 2023.

Master of Architecture First Professional Degree Curriculum - PATH 3

The Summer Design Institute prepares graduate students admitted to the Master of Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture programs for rigorous professional study in these design disciplines. Three courses comprise the full-time course of study over a four week period during the summer prior to enrollment. On rare occasions, students with unusual circumstances and entering with design studio experience may receive a waiver of attending the Summer Design Institute by permission of the chair or program director.

• ALAR 5010 - Introduction to Design, Credits: 1
• ALAR 5020 - Design Visualization, Credits: 1
• ALAR 5030 - Design Theory and Analysis, Credits:1

Master of Architecture First Professional Degree Curriculum - PATH 2.5

Master of Architecture First Professional Degree Curriculum - PATH 2

Master of Architecture, Design Studies Curriculum