Hi guys,
I was wondering if I were to get a BA or a BS in architecture (or architectural studies, architectural history, etc because not all schools offer a ba or a bs in architecture) would I do work in my classes for a portfolio for grad school? Or is that something that I would have to create or put together entirely out of class?
If that didn’t make a whole lot of sense, I can elaborate
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Architecture - Washington University in St. Louis (Wash U), Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Tulane, Lehigh, UT Austin, UVa, UT Austin, USC, Northeastern, etc.
My daughter completed the application process and is starting grad school in the fall. Let me answer the portfolio part. In general, if you’re an arch student (BA / BS Arch) then yea, your courses should be a good starting material for your portfolio. Notice the operative word ‘starting material’. Figure you need to have 5-7 topics and each topic or project needs a few renders, piece of cake, you’ve already done the work, right? Nope.
To get into good programs (my daughter got into every school she applied, including a few highly ranked and a few that are fairly difficult to get in) the portfolio projects had to be ‘reworked’. There is a huge difference between a project done for a course, even one that got an A for the class and the 3-4 renders you’ll pull out for a portfolio. Like days of work. Then more days of work because each school has its own portfolio size limits etc.
And of course some stuff should be from outside class projects, just in case. And then you have to explain what is going on. So pretty much the portfolio becomes as much work as a studio course (as per my daughter’s comments).
Yes, generally speaking a BS or BA in architecture, architectural studies or environmental design would prepare you for admission to an MArch program. You could include in your portfolio work that was done in your architecture studio or in other studio art classes, if you choose to take them. As @turbo93 explained, you’ll want to tweak and supplement your undergraduate work to present it at its best advantage.
These majors would most likely include art history classes that are required by most MArch programs as well.
Architectural history tends more toward art history and may or may not include studio classes.
BA/BS degrees can vary in how much calculus and physics is included in the curriculum. Most MArch programs will require one semester of each, but some require more, some none. You should check the requirements of the MArch programs you’re interested in to make sure you’re covered.
Oh I completely misunderstood the question - sorry about that. I thought you were asking for some schools that offer BA/BS in Architecture. 
Ok thank you all! I feel better about that now.
It’s ok @newjersey17
I appreciate your responses
And how do you know what kinds of things you need for your portfolio?
Just curious - did you find it easier to get into grad school vs undergrad school for Architecture. Thanks.
I’m not in either. I’m still in high school. I was just wondering
Oh, I was asking momrath and turbo since they’ve been through it.
Hard to tell. I never thought DD would get to every school she applied, but then I sort of thought her portfolio was not as ‘flashy’ as some of the Render Gods that one finds online. It was very academic in a sense, and had detailed explanations of things, something that the Render Gods generally did not have. There is a lot more competition numerically in undergraduate it seems, so acceptance rates to good undergrad schools are low. In grad school there’s a lot less people applying, so the odds are better. But you have to have the numbers / rec letters / GRE and above all a great portfolio.
Take a look at GradCafe and see what one generally needs to get into the Ivies. I have no doubt my daughter could have gotten into one (she did not apply) but full pay or the usual 10$k scholarship on a $60k annual cost… I think not.
So to answer the question, if you have good grades, good GRE, and decent portfolio, I would think grad school admission is easier. But funding is a different story.
It’s hard to get a firm grasp on BArch and MArch selectivity because very few schools publish their admission rates, and their criteria, like portfolios and life experience are highly subjective.
My son didn’t do undergraduate architecture. My observation, though, is that there are a few very selective BArch programs – Cornell, UTexas, Cooper Union, USC. But there are also a few excellent mid-to-low selectivity BArch (or undergraduate MArch) programs both private and public. Like any undergraduate apply list, you need a range of reach/match/safety.
BS/BA architecture admissions programs tend to be relative to the general selectivity of the parent university.
MArch programs vary from super selective to not-so-selective with some very good programs in the middle range. A few like the six Ivies, MIT, Berkeley have extremely low rates of admissions and would be considered reaches for just about anyone.
I think that MArch admissions are also significantly demographic driven, even more so than undergraduate admissions, because they consider additional factors such as age, undergraduate education and work experience in order to end up with a balanced and diverse class.
Again this is just my observation – I don’t have statistical backup – but it seems to me that architecture is still a primarily White male profession, so if you’re not White or male you may have an admissions advantage. If you are a White male, you’ll be competing in a crowded pool.
As @turbo93 mentions, funding for an MArch is a separate issue. Generally speaking, at top rated schools you can expect to receive somewhere between $10 to $20K per year in grants and teaching fellowships (unless you’re in a highly desirable demographic) so a 3.0 year MArch can pile up significant debt.