<p>How is the Savannah College of Art and Design for Architecture. I'm currently looking for a creative career that is somewhat lucrative. I have been accepted to the SCAD with a scholarship of 9,500, so SCAD has made its way into my college choices.</p>
<p>I think I would like to study architecture at a Art+Design school in hopes that the program would focus more on creativivity rather than the technical aspects of architecture? Does anyone know anything about this school for Architecture? </p>
<p>My son looked into SCAD last year enough to meet with a regional rep. I seem to recall he said it was more art oriented (but still a NAAB accreditied arch program). He never applied as he didn't want to go to schools in the southeast preferring to freeze his toes in the northeast.. When I speak with him next I'll ask what he knows.</p>
<p>Thanks, that would be awesome. I'm really concerned as I have found out that SCAD's BFA in Architecture is not accredited by the Architect's Accreditation (or whatever it's called). However, the Master's program is. </p>
<p>So I guess if I choose Savannah, then I gotta be there for the long haul. </p>
<p>But yeah, please get back to this thread if you could!</p>
<p>I believe somewhere along the way in the BFA (I'd guess beginning of fourth year) you apply for the fifth year. If you get in, and complete through the 5th year you get your accredited MArch, if not you have your 4 yr BFA. Call SCAD to confirm. I think you'll find most of the 5yr BArch programs have, or are in the process of, converting to 5yr MArchs. </p>
<p>You won't find any accredited 4 year programs.</p>
<p>Something you might want to consider about SCAD, they have rolling admissions, so you can apply now and know in a few weeks if you are accepted. Having one acceptance in your pocket can relieve much of the stress of the upcoming traditional application season. </p>
<p>If you are still looking for accredited arch schools here's a link to the NAAB;</p>
<p>may be way too late but i thought id let you know I’m a student in the arch program at SCAD and the reason the bachelors program isnt accredited is because its a BFA, a Bachelors of FINE ARTS which is not a recognized degree by NAAB, nor could you become a licensed architect with such degree. However that is why SCAD sells the program as a five year Masters which is accredited and does allow you to become a licensed professional in the future. SCAD is one of very few who have a 5 year masters most are a 5 year bachelors.</p>
<p>//I think I would like to study architecture at a Art+Design school in hopes that the program would focus more on creativivity rather than the technical aspects of architecture? Does anyone know anything about this school for Architecture?//</p>
<p>Actually, the ARCH program at SCAD is much more technically oriented than other schools such as Georgia Institute of Technology which is strangely more design oriented. The ARCH program at scad has 3 structures classes, while Georgia IT has, I believe, only one. So both ARCH programs are out of place at their respective universities. I’m a current Architecture student and it is a fairly rigorous curriculum. If you don’t work hard and pull your load, you’re kicked off the island. However, there are always huge opportunities to be creative within each class.</p>
<p>i would not recommend scad at all for achitecture, unless you like paying 3,000 dollars for each class and not being able to get your own desk because the upper classman deserve their own space while we are crammed into one studio area with 90 other people. In addition, they are apparently on probation for NAAB, so go somewhere where your money is spent on a better education. Im leaving there for that reason</p>
<p>I was just accepted into their M Arch program, I have a BS Arch from the University of Cincinnati, but didn’t have the stuff to get into anywhere but SCAD. I have found that SCAD doesn’t really have a great reputation for architecture, but how are the professors. I am coming from a very well-rounded university but I would like to focus more on construction and process that just creativity. Will SCAD offer this, or should I wait another year and reapply to other schools?</p>
<p>I graduated from SCAD in 2005 with my M Arch. I now have a great job and although it is a expensive school I would recommend it to just about everyone. I found the courses very balanced between creative and techinical. I also found that the professors were not only knowledgable about the subject but all in all very interested in teaching and making your experience a positive one. They seemed to actually care about you as a person not just a number. I chose SCAD over Georgia Tech because of class size and personalized attention. I have no doubt that I wouldn’t of graduated from a big school, so yes i will be paying student loans off for a long time but at least I got the education I needed and a great job making good money.</p>
<p>I am currently entering my fourth year within the SCAD Architecture program, I transferred into the program as a second year student, and I must say that I’ve been happy with the program. Yes, SCAD is expensive; it’s a private art and design school. Yes, the program is not the most popular; the school itself was first created in 1979, SCAD is in it’s infancy. </p>
<p>I’m not saying SCAD and the program doesn’t have it’s problems, the program is increasing in size and now beginning to outgrow its facilities, referring to what michydiana said about 90 beginning design students being crammed into one studio space (of course not at one time). And the program had been on probation in the past, but after another NAAB visit this past spring the school is back on track. </p>
<p>The architecture program at SCAD is praised because of it’s balance between the creative and the technical, the traditional and the technological. Last week I attended a conference in D.C. for the AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students) and whenever I told someone I went to SCAD faces would light up. The program is certainly gaining a wider, consistently positive, reputation around the world.</p>
<p>It’s been a few years since this thread has been active… but I’m currently applying to SCAD for M. Arch this spring. What’s the campus like now with the new facilities and does anyone how the financial aid works? Says tuition is 30+K, is that per quarter or the year?</p>
My experience with the quarter class scheduling system at SCAD.
I attended SCAD from 2001 to 2004 studying architecture in the Master of Architecture program. Since I was a student with an undergraduate degree in a related discipline, I needed to go for 3 years to meet the requirements. For anyone considering to go to SCAD I can provide some first hand experience that can help anyone make their own decisions of where to go to college. I am going to list the major things that someone should consider before going to SCAD.
SCAD has the quarter scheduling system. A quarter system class scheduling system is a lot different than a semester system class schedule. A quarter system academic year is three quarters: fall, winter, spring. A full time class schedule is 3 classes. This sounds reasonable but each class is 2.5 hours long. Studio classes are 5.5 hours long. If you schedule a studio class and a regular class back to back you are in class all day. In architecture studio classes. we spent a lot of time discussing our own projects or other students projects with the class which limits your own time of getting your own projects completed.
To make up the time, students have to spend long hours into the night to get their projects complete. Eichberg Hall where the architecture department is located at SCAD was open 24/7 when I was there. Students had to do a lot of all nighters because the quarter system class periods are too long.
I personally did at least 100 all nighters in 3 years while attending SCAD. I look back and consider that torture. I would never go to a quarter system college again. All nighters become a very painful experience after a while. I still suffer from all of the sleep deprivation. I did not waste time going to parties. I worked on my projects as much as I needed to do to do my best considering the time constraints of the quarter system. I managed to get straight 'A’s my last year and my GPA was over 3.7.
Another downfall of the quarter system is that professors have difficulty maintaining a class for 2.5 hours. I had some professors at SCAD cancel class after about 1 hour of teaching. But I paid for 2.5 hours of class time. SCAD is very expensive.
I also think the quarter system is not flexible. You cannot take extra classes over full time like you can a semester system.
I went to a semester system college for my undergraduate degree. Class periods are only 50 minutes long 3 times a week or 1.5 hours long 2 times a week. Since the class times are shorter I had much more time after class to do my work. I only needed to do 1 all nighter and that was because I was taking extra classes over full time. I was able to take 1 or 2 classes over full time each semester in order to study business classes outside of my major and complete the required elective classes for my major.
Quarter systems are designed to prevent you from taking free classes like at a semester system. At a semester system, you pay for a full class load of 12 credits. Since the class times are shorter, you can easily take an extra class a semester. Since you only pay for 12 credits, that extra class is free. The quarter system at SCAD is virtually impossibly to take an extra class. So, no free classes. I paid for my own college education. I greatly appreciate being able to take an extra class a semester like at the semester system college.
The scope of classes at SCAD is limited compared to a college such as Penn State University. Do your research on what classes a college offers before choosing a college.
To any student considering going to college, I highly recommend going to a semester system college.
I think the quarter system at SCAD is a fundamentally flawed educational system. Don’t go to a quarter system. I regret going to SCAD for that reason.
Since I graduated from SCAD, I have finished the Architecture Registration Exams and became registered. I passed all of the exams one the first attempt. Most importantly, I have not experienced an all nighter since 2004. I do not miss the all nighter life at all. I would never ever consider going to a quarter system college again. If I take any college courses in the future, I will certainly go to a semester system college.