Is what I am planning on doing make sense?

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

For college I intend on attending a school close to home, in the state of Massachusetts. The top four schools that I am looking at are Wentworth (#1), Umass Lowell, Umass Dartmouth, and Northeastern. 740 on my SAT math, 700 SAT level I. I am taking AP Calculus this year, along with AP English, and honors physics.

MAIN QUESTION: I want to go to one of those schools to major in Civil Engineering, and either minor/double major in computer science. While in college, would it be possible for me to take several architecture courses, so that I can get a masters in architecture at a higher ranked school after I finish undergraduate school?

SECOND QUESTION: If what I want to do doesn’t work out, should I drop the computer science? (the reason I am taking it is because both c. engineering and arch. fields are shifting towards computers) I would then have civil engineering with some architecture classes, and then go for my masters in architecture.

My goal is to take a technical approach to architecture, and the computer science and civil engineering does that. I also want to have a fallback if architecture doesn’t work out (then I can go into civil engineering) or vice-versa- if civil engineering doesn’t work, then I can go into architecture.

I am afraid that this might not be possible. I am a very determined hardworking student, but seeing some of the posts about civil engineering and architecture, I am beginning to question whether it is do-able.

I’m considering civil engineering as a major and not architecture for the reason that not many state schools in MA have architecture as a major (Exception: UMass Amherst - which - from a friend - I have heard isn’t that great for arch.) That same friend is now majoring in civil engineering and has explained to me that civil engineering has more job openings and higher salaries, but isn’t as design orientated as architecture.

In case you were wondering, my career choices are:

  1. Architecture (I like designing buildings and I’m pretty good at drawing)
  2. Civil Engineering (higher salary, more job openings)
  3. Computer Software Development (I have some knowledge in computers)
2

While I am not intimately familiar with the specifics of an architecture program, I would have to say that this scenario seems unlikely if you want to graduate in a reasonable time. First, double majoring would be utterly useless here (and in most scenarios). Second, architecture is no laughing matter and requires a lot of time (comparable to engineering, if not more for some people). Doing a meaningful quantity of architecture coursework while also doing an engineering double major or major/minor (or just a single major, for that matter) would be extraordinarily difficult.

Yes, I think you should forget the computer science portion. Sure, architecture (and most other fields) are shifting toward computers and away from hand drafting (and by switching I mean have largely made that switch years ago), but it is not going to be architects (for the most part) that are writing that software. Computer scientists will do that. The architects just use the software to design buildings, etc.

I’d be careful with this line of thinking. Going from civil engineering into a graduate architecture program may be possible, but it will likely be quite a headache. Architecture programs generally have a fair bit of technical content that overlaps with civil engineering (e.g. calculus and abridged versions of topics like statics, dynamics, and mechanics of materials). Just make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before you start, as you run the risk of using up a lot of time in areas of civil engineering that aren’t all that classically related to architecture all simply for the purpose of getting a little more depth on subjects you will already be taking. It may be worth looking into just doing the architecture degree in the first place and taking electives in civil engineering.

Perhaps someone around here with more experience in these fields can comment on this.

3

Thanks for the insight.
Not to argue with you or start an argument, but I just toured an architecture firm today and spoke with architects that said that they wished they could make their own programs and/or alter them, let alone understand them. They currently have a computer science intern that is helping them, but he’s only around for another month. That is the only reason I would do computer science: to deeply understand the software so that it can help me and other architects in the long run.

*EDIT: Granted, they were working on very complex projects that require much data.

4

OK, a professional Architecture degree is a 5 year proposition and a Masters in Architecture which allows you to become a practicing architect is 2-3 years beyond the B.S. degree so make sure you are really sure about this path.

The second point is that most Civil Engineering programs require some computing in the program itself, likely MatLab or something similar. Adding a major in CS is at least another year of coursework, maybe more. It is really not worth it. Consider these scenarios

You are hired as an architect in a firm. You are being paid as an architect. What do you think they will want you to do? Probably not software development.

You are hired as a Civil Engineer because you have that as your B.S. Is it likely that the company wants you to write software?

With the programming experience you gain in your Engineering curriculum, you should be able to learn as much programming as you need on your own. You will likely never be a Software Engineer and CS is more than just programming…

As for your major, have you looked into Architectural Engineering?

5

Ok, so I will drop the computer science all together.

But my question was could I major in Civil Engineering as an undergraduate while taking some architecture courses, then get a masters in architecture in grad school? I know that there are people on this website that have changed their mind to go from a major in civil engineering to getting a masters in grad school, but how would that work?

The reason I am not going directly into architecture is the fact that the only schools that have architecture majors that I can get into are Wentworth, Northeastern, and UMass Amherst. Wentworth is my top choice, but the architecture major costs 5,000 more. Northeastern is my reach school, and I probably won’t get much aid from them. Lastly, UMass Amherst has an architecture program, but I have a friend that dropped out of it to go to Northeastern for Civil Engineering because he didn’t like the program. Applying for an architecture major to one school that is feasible is a major risk. Not only that, but I am applying to Wentworth through their Future Leader Application, which I can send in at any minute for free and I get more scholarship opportunities, and my portfolio isn’t finished.

6

Anyone with an undergraduate degree can get a Master in Arch, it just takes longer to get it. At Wentworth it will take you 3 years to get you MaArch.

http://www.wit.edu/arch/programs/academic/march/external-candidates1.html

I am confused why you think it is $5K more a year to go to Bachelors ARCH school at Wentworth than their other majors. Wentworth charges more a year for the MaARCH program. http://www.wit.edu/ssc/financial/tuition.html but it does not say here that the BArch students pay $35K/year.