Architecture Schools: Creative vs. Practical?

College Search & Selection
1

Hey everyone!
I’m a rising senior who’s started looking at several architecture schools, but I need help narrowing down my list. I’m particularly interested in schools that kind of emphasize the design aspect of architecture over the technical aspect, but for some schools I’ve had difficulty determining which of these is given more emphasis.

Here they are:
-Rice University
-Washington University (St. Louis)
-Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo)
-University of Southern California
-UIC
-UIUC
-IIT

Could you guys help me out?
Thanks!

2

You could consider the Boston Architectural College (BAC) http://www.the-bac.edu/

I was in Boston and was able to check out their senior and masters thesis projects and they seemed solid. And its in Boston, which is an awesome city to be in as a college student. That’s about all I know.

3

@Merewif, All professional architecture programs will offer a curriculum that balances design (creative) and structures (practical). As their names imply, Cal Poly and IIT will lean a little more toward tech, but will still include the requisite studio time. And art schools like RISD or Pratt will lean toward design, but will still include the requisite structures courses.

Among the schools on your list only Rice and USC require portfolios (strongly recommended as WUSTL) which may imply a greater focus on design than the other undergraduate programs.

I would also note that only Rice, Cal Poly, IIT and USC offer the 5.0 year undergraduate professional Bachelors of Architecture (BArch).

At WUSTL, UIC and UIUC you would get a 4.0 year BS or BED in architecture or architectural studies. With those degrees you would still need to get an MArch (Master’s of Architecture) in order to become a licensed architect. The BA/BS/BED tends to be less narrow and focused than the BArch.

The BS/BA/BED+MArch is a common route toward a career in architecture, but you should be aware of the difference because it takes longer (6.0 to 7.5 years depending on the schools involved) and can cost more so you have to think about the total cost of both degrees.