| |  | | Architecture | Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information—School of Architecture, College of
Design, University of Minnesota, 145 Rapson Hall, 89 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis,
MN 55455 (612-624-7866; fax 612-624-5743; http://arch.cdes.umn.edu/).
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the General
Information section of this catalog for Graduate School requirements that apply
to all major fields.
Curriculum—Architecture encompasses the making and study of the buildings and environments that we inhabit. The concerns of architecture involve a wide variety of areas of study, including the art of representing built projects through drawings and computer graphics; the technology of building structure, building materials, and natural and mechanical systems; the history, theory, and art of making, using, and understanding buildings as cultural artifacts for human use; and the practice of architecture in the context of sustainable environmental systems, urban form, and business economics. The department offers an accredited professional degree, the M.Arch., and an academic degree, the M.S. in architecture with a sustainable design track.
The master of architecture degree is an accredited three-year professional program
that prepares students for the practice and discipline of architecture as a speculative,
analytic, and investigative endeavor. Through rigorous methods of inquiry developed
in the design studio, lectures and seminars, students acquire the breadth of
knowledge required of the professional architect: the techniques and processes
of representation, communication and analysis; the history and theory of making
architecture and urban form for human use; and the technology, systems, processes,
and economics of construction and practice. The 90-credit M.Arch. professional
degree program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board
(NAAB). A portfolio is required.
The master of science in architecture is a nonprofessional degree offering advanced studies and research methods in a sustainable design track with four concentrations in metropolitan design, digital design, heritage preservation, and history-theory of criticism. The M.S. seeks students from architecture, landscape architecture, environmental design, or related disciplines to pursue multidisciplinary graduate study and research in sustainable practices and careers in sustainable design. The M.S. offers students a wide range of topics and research methods within sustainable and green building practices, including energy and indoor air quality; site, water, and climate design; waste and environmental factors; innovative materials technology; and high performance building design applications. The School of Architecture also offers a dual degree program (M.Arch./M.S.–S.D.).
Prerequisites for Admission—All applicants to the M.Arch. or M.S. programs are expected to have basic computer skills before beginning the program, including familiarity either with Macintosh or Windows operating systems, word processing, basic drawing or painting programs, and use of e-mail.
Students entering the three-year M.Arch. program have varied educational backgrounds that add to a diverse student body. There are several different paths into and through the M.Arch. program. Students who have a B.A. or B.S. degree in architecture or environmental design, generally enter the three-year M.Arch. program.
Students who have earned a bachelor degree in a field other than architecture and little or no background in architecture apply for the 3+ Option, enrolling in a summer semester to establish the foundation needed to succeed in the professional program. A limited number of students with a rigorous background in architecture studies may be granted advanced standing (see below) in the master's program, usually completing two years of studies. And those with a professional bachelor's degree in architecture, who are seeking additional professional education, apply for advanced standing in the M.Arch. program and complete coursework for the M.Arch. degree. Information about each of these paths and the requirements for admission appears below.
The 3+ Option—This option is designed for students with a broad range of academic backgrounds in undergraduate fields other than architecture. Students who are admitted to the 3+ program receive graduate level preparation through an rigorous summer semester of studies in drawing, architectural history-theory, technologies, and design studio. The ensuing fall semester, 3+ students merge with all other M.Arch. 3-year program candidates for the remaining complement of design studios and courses. Physics and pre-calculus are required; drawing and architectural/art history are preferred.
Advanced Standing—Though the core program is three years in length, students who have completed a pre-professional degree in architecture (B.S. or B.E.D.) may apply for advanced standing, which enables them to enter directly into the second year of the 3-year program. Admission with advanced standing is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In addition to the prerequisites indicated for the 3-year program, advanced standing applicants must have completed at least one course in structures, environmental science and building systems, with at least four semesters of architecture design studios.
Post-professional—Students who already hold a professional degree (B.Arch. or M.Arch.) participate in the master of architecture program as advanced standing students. The director of graduate studies tailors the program to post-professional students' specific needs, insuring that they have met NAAB requirements upon graduation. The reduced course requirements allows completion of advanced electives or cross-disciplinary courses in studio, technology, representation, digital design, history, theory or metropolitan design, or undertake coursework towards a master of science degree or a certificate in metropolitan design. They must be in residence a minimum of 3 semesters and complete 33 semester credits plus a thesis (an additional 12 credits).
Master of science in architecture sustainable design track applicants must have a bachelor's degree in architecture, environmental science, or a related field. Application requirements include a written statement, a sample portfolio of related works or design projects, transcripts of all coursework, and three faculty recommendations. The 2-3 page statement should outline a probable research agenda, topics or themes that the applicant wishes to pursue, including information about the applicant's preparation for the field and career goals by January 15 directly to the department.
Special Application Requirements—Admission to the M.Arch. program is highly competitive. In addition to meeting Graduate School application requirements, all M.Arch. students applying to the program must submit all of the following: a portfolio that demonstrates design talent, transcripts of all coursework, three faculty recommendations, responses in English to two of three questions posted on the electronic application, GRE scores and the optional department financial aid form. The portfolio should be no larger than 8.5" x 11". International students must submit scores from the TOEFL or the MELAB. For all applicants, the department may waive requirements for required courses when they are equivalent to those offered by the department.
Key to test abbreviations (GRE, TOEFL, GMAT, MELAB).
 For an online application or for more information about Graduate School admissions, see the General Information section in this catalog, or visit the Graduate School Web site.
Accreditation and Licensing—Preparation for the profession of architecture requires both formal education and practical experience followed by a professional examination and registration. 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 two types of degrees: the bachelor of architecture and the master of architecture. A program may be granted a six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards. Master's degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree. The master of architecture degree program at the School of Architecture, University of Minnesota College of Design is fully accredited by the NAAB.
Courses—Refer to Architecture (ARCH) in University Courses for courses pertaining to the program.
Use of 4xxx Courses—4xxx courses cannot be included on degree program forms without the permission of the adviser and director of graduate studies.
|
M.Arch. Degree Requirements | | The
professional M.Arch. curriculum requires completion of 78 course credits
and a 12 credit design studio Plan A Thesis. M.Arch. students can expect
to complete the program in six semesters (three years), including the pre-thesis
research phase and the thesis studio design proposal. The first three semesters
include an integrated core curriculum in studio, building and environmental
technologies, history-theory and digital methods. The core curriculum is
followed by three semesters of "options" studios and elective
courses in urbanism, practice, representation and the integrated studio.
A study abroad option is available for qualified students in the fourth
semester.
Language Requirements—None.
Final Exam—An oral presentation accompanied by the design proposal of the thesis and the submission of the written thesis document are required for the M.Arch. | M.S. Degree Requirements | | Students are admitted to the M.S. sustainable design track under either Plan A or Plan B. Both programs are 34 credits, including 18 course credits in sustainable design core and elective courses, 6 course credits outside the department in disciplinary studies and either a 10-credit Plan A thesis or Plan B masters projects. Architecture graduate students may complete the M.Arch. and the M.S. in sustainable design as a dual degree program but need to apply for admission to both degrees. |
M.Arch./M.S.–S.D. Dual Degree Requirements |
Students earn both the master of architecture (M.Arch.)
and a master of science in architecture–sustainable design track
(M.S.–S.D.) by careful coordination of coursework. Typically, students
achieve both professional degrees in three and a half to four years by
cross-counting up to 24 credits of specified courses, depending on the
pre-professional academic preparation. Students elect the Plan A option
for the M.Arch. and have the option of Plan A or B for the M.S.–S.D.
part of the dual degree. Consult with the director of graduate studies
for details. Please refer to the School of Architecture M.S.
in architecture–sustainable
design track Web site for more specific dual degree requirements.
Language Requirements—None.
Final Exam—An oral presentation, a visual presentation of the thesis, and the submission of the written thesis document are required for the M.S. Plan A. The Plan B or Plan A M.S.–S.D. requires an oral examination. |
Faculty | | For latest graduate faculty listings, see <www.grad.umn.edu/faculty_rosters/faculty.html>. Key to membership categories (abbreviations after faculty names).
Professor
Thomas Fisher, M2
Lance A. LaVine, M2
Julia Robinson, M2
Leon G. Satkowski, M2
Adjunct Professor
John C. Carmody, AM2
Robert Mack, FAIA, AM2
Dale M. Mulfinger, AIA, AM2
Duane Thorbeck, FAIA, AM2
Associate Professor
Lee B. Anderson, M2
Arthur H. Chen, M2
Renée Cheng, AIA, M2
William F. Conway, AIA, M2
Gunter Dittmar, M2
Mary M. Guzowski, M2
Cynthia Jara, M2
Andrzej Piotrowski, M2
Katherine M. Solomonson, M2
Leslie Van Duzer, M2
J. Stephen Weeks, AIA, M2
Adjunct Associate Professor
Charles L. Lazor, AIA, AM
Douglas Lew, AM
Thomas A. Meyer, FAIA, AM2
Ralph K. Nelson, AIA, AM
Todd J. Rhoades, AIA, AM2
Mark Tambornino, AM
Assistant Professor
Ritu Bhatt, M2
Joihn Comazzi, M2
Ozayr Saloojee, M2
Mark Swackhamer, M2
Adjunct Assistant Professor
William Anthony Blanski, AIA, AM
Steven K. Buetow, AIA, AM
Richard A. Carter, AIA, LEED-AP, AM
Dave Dimond, AIA, LEED-AP, AM
Walid H. El-Hindi, AIA, AM
Jay Isenberg, AIA, AM
Mic Johnson, AIA, AM
Lee E. Tollefson, FAIA, AM2
Thomas Westbrook, AM
Jennifer A. Yoos, AIA, AM
Lecturer
Jim Dozier, AM
Robert Ferguson, AM2
Bruno Franck, M2
Sharon Roe, AM2
Adjunct Teaching Instructor
Lucas Alm, AIA, AM
Christian Dean, AIA, M
Kristen S. Paulsen, AM
Douglas Pierce, AM
Suzi Strothman, AM
Marcelo Valdes, AM
Research Associate
Louise Goldberg, AM
Kathleen Harder, AM
Research Fellow
Jonee K. Brigham, AIA, LEED-AP, M
Virajita Singh, M
Richard B. Strong, AM
William Weber, M
Director
Janet Abrams, M | | | | | |
