<p>Right now I am working on all of my apps for university, and I just wanted to know what the architecture program is like? I am probably going to end up EDing for Cornell or Syracuse, but Columbia is definitely my favorite campus and dream school. I don't really know much about the Barnard/Columbia Architecture, because it seems to be one program? Can anybody explain?</p>
<p>Hey. There’s a single department that’s jointly part of Columbia and Barnard. That’s one of the many quirks of the much-worked-over Barnard-Columbia relationship. Their administrative office, computer lab, and introductory studio space used to be in Barnard Hall. Last I knew, the upper level studio space was in the basement of the natural science/art history building. Actually, now that I think about it, I think the department moved into new space in Barnard’s Diana Center. Have you visited the website: [Barnard</a> + Columbia Architecture](<a href=“http://www.columbia.edu/cu/archprogram/]Barnard”>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/archprogram/)</p>
<p>It’s completely unrelated to the graduate school of architecture. It’s not a 5 year professional program like at Cornell, it’s just a potential major for a 4 year BA. You’d have to get a M.Arch to get licensed (I assume you know the difference between all these things if you’re planning on studying architecture). That being said, many students get into reputable graduate design programs.</p>
<p>As for the experience, well, it’s rigorous. It’s a lot of credits. And they aren’t gimmes. You don’t really start the program until your sophomore year (usually there isn’t room for freshmen in the introductory “first year” studios). The hours are brutal. You spend a good deal of your free time and nights in the studio. Your non-architecture friends don’t understand why you’re always so busy/tired/sleep deprived/unavailable. Sometime around 4 in the morning you’ll start sharing too much information with your studio mates. Some of the professors are slightly insane, in the way that artistic people can be a little eccentric. It’ll be much the same at a program like Cornell. Maybe a little less studio time than Cornell. Just remember, the sleep monster comes for all alike. That being said, as miserable as studio life can be, I’ve never felt a sense of camaraderie like that since. </p>
<p>Full Disclosure: I dropped the major after a year and decided to pursue a completely different career path after my sophomore year. But it was a great experience that’s stuck with me (time and hindsight heals all wounds; I was so sleep deprived during sophomore year that I spent much of junior year binge sleeping to make up for it. Good times.) So I can’t tell you about career paths etc., but if you’d like advice, try calling the office. I guess they’ve started getting too many inquiries from students trying to get an edge on admissions, because now the website clearly directs admissions questions away, but back when I was applying to college and figuring out the advantages/disadvantages of doing a 4 year BA vs a 5 year B.Arch, the department head invited me to come down and talk. It was helpful. I can tell you a bit more about my decision process via PM if you’d like.</p>
<p>ConfucianNemisis, I have a question–because the architecture program straddles between Barnard and Columbia, is the program only for females? I’m a guy interested in architecture so it makes a big difference as to whether or not I’ll apply to Columbia. Thanks!</p>