UIUC GRADUATE PROGRAM Structures (M. Arch) / Civil Engineering: Structural Engineerin

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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<p>A dual masters degree program exists between the School of Architecture, Structures Option and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Structural Engineering area.</p>

<p>To be considered, you must be in your second semester of the first year of the 2-year M. Arch, Structures Option.</p>

<p>I am an undergraduate architecture student. I got accepted as a transfer student to the UIUC architecture program as jr. (Next year I will be on my third year of architecture undergraduate school.) I got admitted to the Versaille program so I will spend my jr. year in France. </p>

<p>I should say I MIGHT* spend my jr. year in France.</p>

<p>I also applied to UIC's (University of Illinois in Chicago) civil engineeing program. </p>

<p>I can't decide if I should go to UIUC for undergraduate architecture and then go on to do the dual degree graduate program there (civil engineering/architecture MA)</p>

<p>Or if I should go to UIC next year and switch majors and go into Civil Engineering. I know I want to work in sustainable design/engineering. I DON'T want to study architectural engineering.</p>

<p>My ultimate goal is to have a balance of civil engineering and architecture.
So the question is... Is it better to
1. Waste 2 years of architecture that I just completed (not waste waste but the architecture classes won't transfer to UIC so yeah pretty much I would be wasting 2 years, the only classes that will transfer for the Civil Engineering major at UIC will be Calc, Physics and English...) and go on to civil engineering and try to go to graduate school for architecture or even the dual architecture/civil graduate program at UIUC
or
2. Go on in the field of architecture, go to France, get a BA in architecture and go to graduate school for architecture/civil engineering dual degree at UIUC (here's the link M</a>. Arch/MS in CE Structures.) </p>

<p>I feel like if I do Civil at UIC I'll miss out on design in undergrad school but if I do arch. at UIUC I'll miss out on engineering...
I'm so stuck and it's killing me! PLEASE HELP! I've talked to my architecture prof. and he thinks that going on with undergrad arch. is not a good idea if I'm only doing it to in the long run do engineering...
I'm a good designer but I'm more interested in engineering, architecture is too artsy for me.</p>

<p>These are my 2 options. I want the end result of my education to be a mix of architecture and engineering but a strong focus on engineering.</p>

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<p>Sagilaisa,</p>

<p>I actually graduated from the UIUC dual degree last year. It was a really good degree and a lot of employers would value it very highly. I interviewed with a variety of high end firms around the country (even in this difficult economy) and eventually landed a structural/architectural engineering job with a very well known AE firm in the Chicago area. I don’t think I would have gotten that position without it. </p>

<p>Also, the m.arch in the structures option at UIUC is also a very valuable degree. In my opinion that degree a lone is WAY better then the civil engineering program at the UIC campus in Chicago…most of the really good AE firms in Chicago prefer people people with either an M.Arch in Structures, an MS in CE from UIUC or the dual degree. </p>

<p>In my opinion I would stay with the undergrad program in architecture at Illinois (which is my undergrad btw). You will get a pretty technical background in structures in your junior and senior and would be well prepared for the dual degree after taking those prerequisite math classes that the mention on that link.</p>

<p>Some possible career paths that you can go into are:

  1. Structural engineering and design of building structures for high profile architects.
  2. Forensic Engineering (if you are also not afraid of heights)
  3. Facade Engineering and Design (The term is not as popular in the US yet but it is starting to become pretty important field. I actually interviewed with a firm that was looking for a Facade Engineer and they actually prefer someone with a dual degree in architecture and engineering because this nitche is blend of the 2).
  4. A blend of 1 and 3…depending on the firm.
  5. Or being an architect with a high proficiency in structures (which would still be really handy if you want to design building with complicated forms).</p>

<p>If you have any other questions please let me know.</p>

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<p>Thanks, i really appreciate your response!</p>