I am planning to apply architecture programs in Canada and find some degree differences which I am not entirely sure of.
I am interested in McGill University and University of British Columbia. I know about McGill’s Bachelor’s of Science as I am planning to take 4+2 plan for flexibility. For University of British Columbia, I only see Master’s in Architecture and the undergraduate degree they have is Environmental Design. I am not sure of Environmental Design counts as pre-professional
architectural degree which Masters can be taken for 2 years later.
I am still researching about Canadian universities and looking for more with architecture programs.
Is Bachelor of Environment Design similar to BA/BS Architecture that counts for
pre professional degree that can be used for 2 years Masters program later?
What are the other Canadian universities with good architecture programs?
@UnderTheClouds, As far as I’m aware there are 4 Masters of Architecture in Canada. Each offers a different undergraduate architecture degree program:
University of Waterloo: Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS)
UBC: Bachelor of Environmental Design (BED)
University of Toronto: Honors Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (BA, architectural studies)
McGill University: Bachelor of Science in Architecture (B.Sc. Arch.)
Presumably all of these MArch programs admit their own architecture/design students, though admissions is most likely not guaranteed. If their websites don’t provide exact information on how long it takes to get an MArch following their own internal progression, then you should shoot them an email to clarify.
For example, UBC indicates that a Bachelor of Environmental Design would qualify for advanced standing; however they don’t spell out what advanced standing means in years. They say: We will communicate details of advanced placement in your offer of admission. (I would also note that at UBC you would apply to the BED degree program in your sophomore year and admissions is highly competitive.)
If, on the other hand, you decide not to continue on for your MArch at the same school as your undergraduate, the projected duration of your masters is a little less black and white. Aside from fundamentals proscribed by NCARB, each MArch program has its own structure and requirements, which even within the individual program can vary widely student to student depending on your undergraduate degree and courses.
For example, there’s professional and post-professional. There’s advanced placement, advanced standing and accelerated placement. Some MArchs require two semesters of physics and/or calculus; some none. Some have thesis semesters, some have required summer sessions, some have co-op programs. As UBC says, they’ll tell you when you get accepted.
Any of the undergraduate degrees offered in Canada could lead to an MArch, either in Canada or in the U.S… Graduate schools vary in their admissions preferences, but as a general statement, top MArch programs admit students with all kinds of undergraduate degrees, not necessarily just those that are architecture focused.
Though it’s good to begin thinking about your MArch (especially paying for it), at this point I’d take it step by step and concentrate on choosing the undergraduate school and program that best suits your needs – academically, culturally and financially.
If you’re sure about architecture and in a hurry to complete your education, you might consider getting a BArch at a U.S. university. If you’d prefer the BA/BS/BED+MArch route, then don’t get bogged down on whether your MArch will take 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 or 3.5 years. There are too many variables to predict how your education will play out over the next 5.0 or 6.0 years.