Navigating the Undergraduate Architecture Degree Curriculum

The path to becoming a licensed architect typically begins with a strong undergraduate foundation. This article explores the undergraduate architecture degree curriculum, highlighting various program structures, core components, and supplementary opportunities. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview for prospective students, current undergraduates, and those interested in understanding the landscape of architectural education.

Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies: A Liberal Arts Approach

One common undergraduate option is the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Architectural Studies. This four-year program emphasizes a broad, liberal studies approach to architecture. Students explore the multifaceted factors that shape the built environment, including socio-cultural influences, urbanism, spatial reasoning, aesthetics, political and economic structures, landscape, construction, building technologies, and ecology. The BA program engages students in architecture as a complex and multi-faceted discipline.

Many universities offer open enrollment in the required courses during the first two years. Pre-architecture majors often receive advising to ensure prerequisite courses are met. The curriculum usually progresses systematically:

Year One & Two: Focus on general university requirements, introductory courses such as the global history of architecture, materials and craft, and a design fundamentals studio course.
Year Three: Delving deeper into history and theory, materials and processes of fabrication and construction, and sustainable approaches to design.
Year Four: Increased flexibility to concentrate in areas of interest, culminating in a senior project.

This program fosters creativity and problem-solving skills, provides access to extensive knowledge, and cultivates high levels of capability. It interweaves the academic areas of design; architectural history, theory, and criticism; representation; building technology; and social, professional, and community engagement. Coursework encourages multidisciplinary and comparative perspectives, providing opportunities for communication and team-oriented methods of production. Students develop skills and acquire knowledge through studio-based experiences with theoretical, experimental, and practical design projects. The program encompasses a variety of design subjects that will enable students to pursue careers in graphic design, industrial design, interior design, robotics, and architecture design.

The BA in Architectural Studies program often prepares students for graduate study in architectural design, as well as advanced study in allied disciplines such as architectural history, historic preservation, landscape architecture, urban planning or construction management.

Read also: Undergraduate Programs at UNC

Bachelor of Design: Creative Design Process

Another undergraduate option is the Bachelor of Design. The Bachelor of Design requires students to demonstrate and understand the creative design process and associated skills as they relate to problem-solving and spatial organization. Students will develop skills in spatial design, graphic communication, materials, technology, and environmental issues.

Course Examples

To illustrate specific coursework, here are some examples of courses commonly found in undergraduate architecture programs:

ARC 211 Natural Systems and Architecture
ARC 232 Structures and Materials
ARC 241 Introduction to World Architecture
ARC 242 History of Western Architecture
ARC 251 Digital Representation
ARC 331 Architectural Structures I (Preq. ARC 232)
ARC 332 Architectural Structures II (Preq. ARC 331)
ARC 414 Environmental Controls Systems (Preq. ARC 211)
ARC 432 Architectural Construction Systems (Preq. ARC 232)
ARC 441 History of Contemporary Architecture

Five-Year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)

The Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) is a five-year, professionally-oriented degree. Most states require architects to hold accredited degrees. Two types of degrees accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) are the Bachelor of Architecture (5 years) and the Master of Architecture (1, 2 or 3 years depending on institution). Both degrees are structured for registration and licensure.

Students entering the B.Arch. program must have completed a four-year pre-architecture degree, such as the Bachelor of Environmental Design. It is expected that they will have fulfilled a curriculum similar to the BEDA. Students may transfer into the B.Arch. program.

The School of Architecture recognizes design as a synthesis of thinking, analyzing and making - an iterative process that engages issues of space, historical precedent, sustainability, ecology, urbanity, landscape, built-form, and construction toward innovation. The School of Architecture is uniquely positioned to respond to these issues by deploying studio-based design methodologies in collaboration with a new generation of experts in engineering, ecology, business, anthropology, energy, fine arts, medicine, and construction.

Example Curriculum Structure

Here is an example of a curriculum structure for a Bachelor of Architecture program:

SEMESTER 1

ARCH 1000 Architecture at Northeastern
ARCH 1110 Fundamental Architectural Representation
ARCH 1120 Fundamental Architectural Design
ARCH 1310 and ARCH 1311 Buildings and Cities, A Global History and Recitation for ARCH 1310
PHYS 1141 General Physics

SEMESTER 2

ARCH 2130 Site, Space, Program
ARCH 2240 Architectonic Systems
Architecture History Elective 1 (Complete any course in the range of ARCH 2300 to ARCH 2399)
EEAM 2000 Professional Development for Co-op
ENGW 1111 First-Year Writing

SEMESTER 3

ARCH 2140 Urban Housing
ARCH 3450 Advanced Architectural Communication
Architecture History Elective 2 (Complete any course in the range of ARCH 2300 to ARCH 2399)
MATH 1241 Calculus 1

SEMESTER 4

ARCH 2340 and ARCH 2341 Modern Architecture and Recitation for ARCH 2340
ARCH 3170 Architecture, Infrastructure, and the City
ARCH 3210 and ARCH 3211 Environmental Systems and Recitation for ARCH 3210

SEMESTER 5

Travel Study (Students work with the department and their advisor to choose the approved off-campus study experience that best aligns with their ambitions.)

SEMESTER 6

ARCH 5115 Option Studio
ARCH 5330 Theories of Architecture and Urbanism
ARCH 5430 Introduction to Professional Practice in Architecture
ENGW 3314 Advanced Writing in the Arts, Media, and Design or ENGW 3315 Interdisciplinary Advanced Writing in the Disciplines

SEMESTER 7

ARCH 3370 Advanced Topics in Architectural History
ARCH 5140 Capstone Studio
ARCH 5230 and ARCH 5231 Structural Systems and Recitation for ARCH 5230
ARCH 5310 Design Tactics and Operations

Critical Tracking

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. The School of Architecture requires students to complete MAC 1147 and PHY 2053 before Semester 5. Due to the rigorous nature of design studio, students should complete these courses during the Summer semesters. MAC 2233 is recommended before graduating because of the admissions requirements of some graduate programs. The School of Architecture strongly recommends taking ARC 4310C as part of Semester 8, as BIM systems have become commonplace within the architecture profession. This program is limited access.

Studio-Based Learning

A cornerstone of any undergraduate architecture program is the design studio. The studio sequence progressively and thoroughly explores various formal, conceptual and technical considerations and how they interrelate in the creation of space. Students develop skills and acquire knowledge through a studio-based experience with a variety of theoretical, experimental, and practical design projects.

Supplementary Opportunities

Many students supplement their education with study-abroad and off-site learning opportunities. An extensive library, modern computer labs, woodshop, 3D fabrication lab and beautiful college environment facilitate creativity. Students often supplement their studies with Minors offered through the Department of Architecture.

Accreditation

It's crucial to choose a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) if you intend to pursue licensure as an architect. Most states require architects to hold accredited degrees.

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