The Architecture Program is essentially urban in character. The program treats the city itself as a primary laboratory of study for the student. The wide variety of neighborhoods, public buildings, and major urban design projects in Philadelphia serve as examples for evaluation and study. The Program offers the NAAB accredited Bachelor of Architecture degree (5-year) and the Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree (4-year). The Architecture curricula share a common two-year Basic Studies Program. Upon successful completion of this preparatory program, students may either continue in the Bachelor of Science in Architecture curriculum or apply for acceptance into the Professional Bachelor of Architecture degree program. Admission to the Bachelor of Architecture Program is competitive, and completion of minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee admission.
In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit US professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes two types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture and the Master of Architecture. A program may be granted a five-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards.
Masters degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The five-year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) professional degree program prepares students for the practice of architecture in entry-level positions and is part of an intern development program that leads to professional registration. This curriculum is designed to enable students to learn theories and methodologies of architectural design as well as to understand the social, economic, political, and technological forces that shape the built environment. The principal educational component of the Program is a coordinated series of studio courses in which creative design talents and management skills are developed. Holders of this degree may, upon completion of postgraduate work experience, be admitted to the architectural licensing examinations offered in each state, through which they may become registered architects.
The four-year Bachelor of Science in Architecture (BS in Architecture) degree is designed to develop a strong base in architectural technology and practice upon which students may develop additional areas of special competence. Graduates are qualified for a variety of positions in architecture and related fields for which a professional degree and registration are not requirements for advancement. Additionally, students may utilize this degree toward the goal of architectural education at the graduate level.
Following a student’s matriculation into the Architecture Program, transfer credits for architecture courses are accepted only from accredited architectural programs in four-year institutions. Students must receive permission in advance to take courses at other institutions. All University policies governing this process will be enforced.
Students must satisfy all University Core requirements in addition to major requirements.
Architecture Basic Studies Courses (Year 1 & 2)
Required Courses Also Satisfying University Core
After completion of Architecture Basic Studies, students will follow either the Bachelor of Science in Architecture Curriculum or the Bachelor of Architecture curriculum. (Separate Application is required for Bachelor of Architecture).
Bachelor of Science in Architecture (Year 3 & 4)
Bachelor of Architecture (Year 3, 4, 5)
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