<p>I like Architecture and I am interested in pursuing this major. Though, I want to look more into Civil Engineering and see what this area has to offer. Any great colleges located primarily on the East Coast that are known for great Architecture/Engineering programs? Completely lost!</p>
<p>You might google “Architectural Engineering.” It’s a branch of civil engineering devoted to the engineering design of buildings. That was my major in college. I selected it because I knew I wanted to design buildings in particular. I had no interest in drainage or road design.</p>
<p>Penn State has an excellent Arch E program. So does UT-Austin, and its architecture program is also excellent.</p>
<p>There aren’t that many schools that offer Arch E, and you’d probably do well at any of them.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that architecture and engineering are VERY different. Are you more interested in designing what a building looks like, and how its spaces function, or do you want to learn how to make it stand up? </p>
<p>I am good at engineering and horrible at architecture (I had a hard time making even a C in the two architectural design classes I was required to take). Most people excel at one or the other. I knew one guy who double majored in architecture and architectural engineering, but he was a rare exception.</p>
<p>You might want to job shadow an architect and a structural engineer to see which profession might suit you better.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>At most universities, Architecture is a separate college from Engineering, and you can only apply to one of the two. Cornell is supposed to be the best in architecture at the undergraduate level. Carnegie Mellon, Rice, Syracuse and Virginia Tech are also excellent. All of those schools are also good in Engineering.</p>
<p>Seconding Virginia Tech - and the shadowing suggestion to get more of a feel for which you prefer.</p>
<p>UTexas would be my vote as the top program in the country for this - definitely better than penn state in terms of faculty strength and job/grad school prospects. Princeton is also strong although they don’t offer this major. Their structural engineering program is strongly tied into architecture (through the form + function school of thought) - see Professor David Billington’s work into this field first hand.</p>
<p>If you want to work on the east coast, Penn St (or Virginia Tech) would trump U Texas. If you want to work in the south, U Texas would trump Penn St. IME engineering hiring tends to be very regional (for first jobs especially). If you plan to head to grad school, it won’t matter which you choose.</p>
<p>^Not true. For the big structural engineering east coast firms (i.e. Thornton Tomasetti, Robert Silman Associates, SOM, SGH, ARUP), they look at UTexas with a lot more acclaim than Penn State (who has a rather weak structural engineering program). SOM is also the preeminent Architectural engineering firm as a substantial portion of their associates have both separate architecture and structural engineering degrees - that firm designed the John Hancock tower and Birj Dubai in addition to a slew of other world classics in their portfolio.</p>
<p>And disagree on the grad school front. I was on the fellowship committee at Stanford. UTexas garners far more respect than Penn State.</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.som.com/leadership/New%20York[/url]”>https://www.som.com/leadership/New%20York</a></p>
<p>See where the SOM Leadership in New York went to school for instance for a great idea of architecture schools. I wish they’d show where the engineers went, however. </p>
<p>Most went to Cornell, Columbia, UIllinois (one of the best structural engineering schools nationally), Cooper Union. A substantial amount also went to Harvard for their architecture degree. Pedigree is important at the big east coast firms.</p>
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<p>And you are certain the OP wants this? Perhaps they want to work at a more local/regional firm. If so, local tends to hire local (esp for new hires) - at least - where we are in PA and where we were in FL + VA.</p>
<p>It is good that both sets of info are presented as that allows the OP (and any other readers) to decide which path appeals to them. For many, working at “big east coast firms” is definitely NOT a preference. For others, it might be.</p>