Are you an Architect

[nath05]

undergrad at texas tech, worked for 2.5 years at a couple of twin cities firms, one large one that I hated and one small one that I liked. i've got the vast majority of my idp out of the way and i'll be able to sit for my exams not long after finishing grad school, which i am starting at minnesota this next week.

[JDRCRASH]

Does this Career field require a Physics class? I was going to take that in my Senior year of High School, but I thought I didn't need to.

And do you have to advance through Mathematics all the way to Cal 1, or Cal 2?

[SLO]

^^ohh yes....

[stallty]

I start at Auburn next fall. I heard it was a great school for architecture.

[munda]

my friend has one year left to graduate with B.architecture at UIC
i have not heard her talk about using calc or physics
YES she took calc and physics
i heard you only need calc 1 and general physic class for architecture...
but she has not used calc for her design/modeling or anything. she only used like basic algebra and very little physics.....

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by munda

my friend has one year left to graduate with B.architecture at UIC
i have not heard her talk about using calc or physics
YES she took calc and physics
i heard you only need calc 1 and general physic class for architecture...
but she has not used calc for her design/modeling or anything. she only used like basic algebra and very little physics.....

Yep, that's pretty much the standard everywhere.

[Zerton]

I'm a student at Illinois Institute of Technology, architecture major minor in urban studies.

[Skyscraper100]

im currently in highschool, i think ill take up architecture in college to become an architect, i hope so

[dawn.]

Nope.

Interior Designer.

[hackunion]

Finishing up undergrad in Architecture at Carleton University in Ottawa, though I have worked on a few small projects in the city.

[kpexpress]

What are peoples thoughts on what is a good school of Architecture in the US?
Here is the D.I. Report on the subject:

2009


Historically

[flar]

I should have been an architect.

[SLO]

^
^^
I hadnt seen the 09 list, while Im happy to see my school is #3, I realize the lists are just fun fodder. How can Rhode Island School of Design be the 17th best program in 08 and suddenly be the 4th best in 09. And in 08 how did Rice drop from being the 2nd best program a year earlier to the 11th best, and c'mon a 6 way tie for 12th....
Really all those schools are quality, and I'd have a tendency to pick schools based on design emphasis and location. Archictecture firms tend to hire regionally. Work on design skills. I know too many architects that can not design anything.

[kpexpress]

Originally Posted by SLO

^
^^
I hadnt seen the 09 list, while Im happy to see my school is #3, I realize the lists are just fun fodder. How can Rhode Island School of Design be the 17th best program in 08 and suddenly be the 4th best in 09. And in 08 how did Rice drop from being the 2nd best program a year earlier to the 11th best, and c'mon a 6 way tie for 12th....
Really all those schools are quality, and I'd have a tendency to pick schools based on design emphasis and location. Archictecture firms tend to hire regionally. Work on design skills. I know too many architects that can not design anything.

This report is based surveying firms according to how they hire. This report doesn't necessary say that these schools have the best program all around, in fact, they don't research the school's programs, just survey people who have hired students that graduated from these schools, and then another portion of the report surveys students that attend the schools to gage their assessment of their programs.

One important aspect that I thought was interesting that they pointed out was the threat of small regional programs. Look at Boston Architectural College, it jumped to nine on the list and had never made the list in the past years. Small schools like that do not get recognized on the national stage as much as RISD, PRATT, USC, etc. but do excel in design, process, and producing talented young professionals ready to flood the work place with fresh creativity.

[SLO]

I see....

The small program seems to make sense, because architecture can be very regional...

[kpexpress]

Originally Posted by SLO

I see....

The small program seems to make sense, because architecture can be very regional...

So did you ever compete in the PolyRoyal while you were at SLO?

[urbanlife]

I usually never pay attention to these lists because they dont tell you anything about the program as you pointed out kpexpress.

Though I will make an observation why smaller programs are making it on here is because of the cost of education. These days you can find cheaper state colleges that have programs that are just as good as some of the big programs because you have alot of good faculty out there now.


Though based on hiring information, it could help with that seeing that the architecture programs are more of a "you are on your own after graduation."

I am currently an architecture student at Portland State University and am planning on being apart of their first year for their new masters degree because they have been bringing in some amazing faculty over the past year, and I like the city and the mindset of the program....though unemployment is a bit high among architects right now...good thing is that I wont really be in the market for a job for a couple more years.

[kpexpress]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

I usually never pay attention to these lists because they dont tell you anything about the program as you pointed out kpexpress.

Though I will make an observation why smaller programs are making it on here is because of the cost of education. These days you can find cheaper state colleges that have programs that are just as good as some of the big programs because you have alot of good faculty out there now.


Though based on hiring information, it could help with that seeing that the architecture programs are more of a "you are on your own after graduation."

I am currently an architecture student at Portland State University and am planning on being apart of their first year for their new masters degree because they have been bringing in some amazing faculty over the past year, and I like the city and the mindset of the program....though unemployment is a bit high among architects right now...good thing is that I wont really be in the market for a job for a couple more years.

It is, no doubt, the best time to be in school. As for myself, I am in the undergrad program at Newschool of Architecture and Design in San Diego, CA.

As for your comment about the smaller programs. I agree, but we are seeing a lot of "public" schools drop their undergrad architectural programs because of the mere cost it takes to maintain the programs and the small turnout of students that are in them. I think the future of the architectural education (long after anyone in school now has gone on into the profession) is that the undergrad portion of the process will all be done at a private school and a grad program (if desired) at a larger more well known program such as Harvard GSD, Columbia, Yale, Cincinnati, IIT, etc.

As for our school, it was just bought out by the global educational group Laureatte. Since the acquisition there have been many changes (much needed) in the infrastructure and curriculum. This school, I feel, will be a major contender in the architectural educational market.

So I totally agree with the D.I. report, smaller programs, although less known to the nationwide market, are and will be producing as good, if not better students in the future.

[urbanlife]

I actually batted around the idea of the Newschool cause I think they have a grad program, but in the end, I really wanted to stay in the northwest...besides I would be too happy in San Diego, I need the bad weather to keep me balanced. haha.


Interesting thought with the whole less undergrad programs. I remember when NAAB came here to review us for a Masters degree and I asked them about that, and they mentioned their goal is to have more programs because they are not producing enough architecture talent to cover the demand (of course the demand is a bit limited at the moment.)

I wouldnt be surprised to see more schools convert their BArchs into BA majoring in Architecture, then have a MArch, therefore if a student wants to become an architect, they would be best to stay in the program even longer and would be more of a profit for the college.

That was the direction I thought NAAB wanted to go, but apparently they are still allowing BArchs and allowing new schools to apply for BArchs if they wish too....though I would rather have an MArch, I think it is better for someone who wishes to be an architect to push themselves with a thesis because often times that becomes the ground work for everything the do in life.

[kpexpress]

Interesting thought in regards to doing away with the BARCH system. I don't think that that would be likely. Around here (students and working architects) there are very few students who have completed their BARCH go on to Grad School. Unless they get into GSD or MIT, other than that, why should they go on? In our Masters program there are few BARCH students, most of them have their undergrad in architecture-unrelated fields like psychology or accounting.

Just interested in how many schools offer an executive masters program in Architect-as-Developer? I know that Woodbury here in SD does, and the instructors are prominent Architects in the community that have seen success in developing smaller lots in urban areas.