Question concerning M.Arch programs. Need help!

College Majors Architecture Major
1

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>This is my first time posting on this forum and I was hoping to get a bit of sage advice from you all because I don't know anyone in the situation that I am in. You see, I'm currently in my junior year of college attaining a Bachelors in English/Philosophy. I have thought a great deal on what I want to do with my life and after doing a lot of research,reading, shadowing , and a visit to Italy I have decided that I want to become an Architect. </p>

<p>At first, I was discouraged because I thought you needed to begin this path right from freshman year and also my lack of drawing ability didn't help. However, after some research I discovered that many schools offer M.Arch programs for people with Non-Design oriented bachelors degrees("M.Arch 3-- The three-year Master of Architecture program is for applicants with no background in architecture who possess a four-year undergraduate degree in any area other than architecture."), this encouraged me a great deal. </p>

<p>I come to you now for advice to help me enter into the schools that I would like to go to. I currently live in Miami so I plan to enter into either Florida International University or the University of Miami( I currently attend FIU). What worries me the most is the portfolio requirement. Here is what they say they are looking for, it seems very general to me:</p>

<p>Portfolio Requirements for Three-Year M.Arch Applicants
Applicants should submit portfolios of creative work that demonstrates the candidates’ creative abilities as well as their visual and written communication skills.
A portfolio MUST contain:
A one-page (maximum) statement outlining the applicant’s intentions, aspirations and purpose in pursuing a professional degree in architecture.
Examples of recent artistic work and / or design projects that you have completed on your own or in collaboration with others (Please explain what your role was in any collaborative work)
A portfolio MAY contain:
A drawing of a chair or chairs
A drawing of a bicycle or bicycles
A drawing of a shoe or a group of shoes</p>

<p>Basically, I don't know what I should put into this portfolio. I recently purchased numerous drawing books and also plan on taking the following classes to help learn and create things to put into this portfolio:</p>

<p>1)1)ART 1201C 2D Design (3). Studio course introducing the basic art elements such as line, value, and color to develop the students vocabulary and awareness of two dimensional potential in various media.</p>

<p>2)ART 1203C 3D Design (3). Studio course introducing the basic elements inherent in three-dimensional works of art. Shape, mass, balance, proportion, and scale are elements which will be explored. </p>

<p>3)ART 2300C Beginning Drawing (3). An introduction to the fundamentals of drawing. The course equips the student with a variety of basic skills, approaches and concepts explored through a comprehensive range of media.</p>

<p>My idea is that through these classes I will be able to design a portfolio illustrating my abilities through various mediums/styles- I thought of including a still life, portrait, landscape,ceramics, maybe a model, etc. Totaling to about 10 to 15 pieces. </p>

<p>I know I have bombarded you all with a lot of information but I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. I have a year to prepare for this and I want to make sure I do it right. Based on all this information, do you think my plan is a good one? Do you have any suggestions on what I should add to the portfolio? Should I go speak to someone in the school directly? </p>

<p>Thank you all so much for your time. Any and all feedback will be MUCH appreciated. </p>

<p>--YOLO</p>

2

<p>The portfolio is indeed a rather open-ended requirement – just ensure that it contains artwork that best represents your creative process. Perhaps the best way for you to go about figuring out what pieces to put into the port. would be to talk with your art teachers. If, say, over the course of a semester in 3D Design the teacher only plans on assigning many smaller projects, ask him/her to see if you can instead work on 2-3 larger projects and develop them to a fuller extent. </p>

<p>You should also see if either FIU or UM makes available to prospective M.Arch students portfolios from past accepted students. While you wouldn’t want to copy those portfolios, it gives you a good idea of what fellow applicants are including in said port.</p>

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<p>You’re plan sounds great! The only thing I would suggest is keeping a sketchbook to add ideas and inspiration. It may sound kinda lame to be one of those art geeks (like myself) who are constantly “inspired by the world around them” and won’t shut up about it, but in the long run those sketches you doodled while waiting for the bus will help develop both your observational and creative skills. Art may be a talent but it’s also a learned talent (like sports) so don’t get frustrated if your work doesn’t turn out the way it’s suppose to at first. I know I learned the hard way!</p>

<p>Good luck and have fun while you’re at it!</p>