In Terms of Design: UCLA,SCIARC, or elsewhere

College Majors Architecture Major
1

<p>So It is seeming very possible that I may be going to UCLA undergrad for a degree in architectural studies. I know almost for a fact that I DO want to pursue a Master's degree sometime after this. Last Friday I went UCLA's open house for the architecture department and, although I loved the environment of the master's students, the level of the under grad's really did not impress me. I've been an architecture student at one of my states top community colleges for a few years and have almost completed their two you program as well. Let me tell you that the architecture program at my CC is no darn joke. It seemed like the undergrad curriculum at UCLA would almost repeat all that I have spent the last two years accomplishing elsewhere. Obviously I should also consider my other option(s) (sciarc-which I know offers a different type of degree) due to the fact that their curriculum would almost entirely pick up where I'm leaving off. </p>

<p>Don't get me wrong, the program at UCLA seems very promising and digitally informative(which is very alluring to me) but the problem lies in the fact that in the perspective of design, the students don't seem to be TOO challenged. The main thing influencing my sway toward UCLA is the financial situation and Masters Degree scenario. Obviously it would put me in a far smaller hole while allocating a quicker transition into grad school.</p>

<p>SO here's my main question:</p>

<p>Am I going to lose out on something great by stunting my current development as an architectural student(designer) by partaking in a program that doesn't really push it to the next level in terms of design? Although my design experiences wont be tremendously developed, visual communications and representation would be at UCLA, since I would have to RETAKE a lot of what I've already learned at CC with an experienced eye.</p>

<p>HELP!</p>

2

<p>have you tried posting your questions on the forums at [url=<a href=“Academia | Forum | Archinect”>Academia | Forum | Archinect]archinect.com[/url</a>]? there’s a ton of discussions about these schools over there.</p>

3

<p>No I hadn’t…thank you though…Seems to be a much more relevant discussion in terms of architecture in So. Cal and education. :)</p>

4

<p>My 2 pence.

  1. To my knowledge, doing the 2 year B.A. at UCLA wouldn’t necessarily give you an upper hand at getting into UCLA’s m.arch program. It would, however, give you an inside look at how the m.arch program normally runs (not just during it’s fantastical open house event haha)
  2. If you decided to attend SCI-arc, would you be entering their B.arch program?
  3. The thing to consider about doing an undergrad degree at UCLA is that you’d have a chance to acquire a broader education (i.e. the opp. to take sociology, geography, language courses &c)
  4. While UCLA’s m.arch program does offer a healthy range of digital/pushing-the-boundary-type courses (particularly their lighting courses), SCI-arc is by far lightyears ahead in terms of utilising scripting &c. On the other hand, UCLA will offer you both a very holistic education, with cross over studios with the LA and UD departments.</p>