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COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

The College of Architecture offers two graduate degree programs: the professional degree program–Master of Architecture, and the research degree program–Master of Science in Architecture.

The Professional Program: Master of Architecture Degree

The College of Architecture offers the Master of Architecture as a first professional degree; the program is normally two years in length for students who hold a Bachelor of Science in Architecture or equivalent degree. For career change students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in a field other than architecture, the program length is contingent upon the applicant’s background.

The professional program takes advantage of its unique location within downtown San Antonio, as well as South Texas and the borderlands of the western United States and Mexico. The city of San Antonio, composed of several historical layers from the 17th century to the present, is a laboratory for the exploration of architecture, urbanism, and community planning and design.

The professional program is fully accredited by the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB) and is requisite for those who intend to become licensed architects. According to the NAAB 1998 Conditions and Procedures manual:

“In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite of licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. 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 six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards. Master’s degree programs may consist of a preprofessional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.”

Building on a solid base of undergraduate studies in architecture, the degree program provides a challenging professional curriculum. The two-year program is seen as a capstone of professional studies.

Program Admission Requirements. In addition to University-wide admission requirements, applicants must have completed a preprofessional bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minimum grade point average of no less than 3.0 in the applicant’s last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate studies and must submit:

• a portfolio of samples of past work in graphic communication and design
• two letters of recommendation
• a Statement of Purpose that must discuss the student’s anticipated focus of studies and its impact on subsequent professional practice
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
• official transcripts
• a complete application form
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores for international applicants who’s first language is not English.

An application fee must be sent directly to the Graduate School. All materials must be sent directly to the Graduate School before the College of Architecture’s preferred application deadline of March 1st (for Summer and Fall). Contact the College of Architecture at (210) 458-3010 or visit the Graduate School’s Web site at http://www.utsa.edu/graduate/ for information regarding application materials, the admission process, and deadlines.

Degree Requirements. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree, exclusive of coursework or other study required to remove admission deficiencies, is 48. Credit toward the program is earned only for grades of “A,” “B,” and “C.” Students must also maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0, with a maximum of 6 semester credit hours with the grade of “C.”

Students admitted to the program should consult the Graduate Advisor of Record for specific program requirements for their individual study plans. The program does not require proficiency in a foreign language, although proficiency in Spanish will enhance the student’s ability to participate in international opportunities.

Degree candidates must complete 48 semester credit hours of coursework consisting of the following:

  1. 30 semester credit hours of required courses:

    ARC 5133 Advanced and International Professional Practice and Ethics
    ARC 5173 Architectural Theory and Criticism
    ARC 5613 American Architecture
    ARC 6146 Advanced Design Studio (two semesters, 12 credit hours)
    ARC 6933 Master’s Project Preparation
    ARC 6996 Master’s Project Studio

  2. 12 semester credit hours of architecture electives selected from the following:

    ARC 5153 Environmental Architecture and Sustainability
    ARC 5203 History and Theory of Preservation
    ARC 5213 Theories and Philosophies of Regionalism
    ARC 5233 Architectural Surveys and Measured Drawings
    ARC 5303 International Practice Seminar
    ARC 5313 International Housing Design and Planning
    ARC 5333 Introduction to Urban Design and Regional Physical Planning
    ARC 5343 History and Theories of Urban and Regional Planning
    ARC 5403 Historic Preservation Seminar
    ARC 5423 Legal and Economic Aspects of Preservation
    ARC 5623 Regional and Vernacular Architecture
    ARC 6003 Morphology of the Architecture and Landscape of South Texas and Borderlands
    ARC 6233 International Community Planning and Design
    ARC 6413 Preservation Technology
    ARC 6423 Architectural Conservation Theory
    ARC 6951-3 Independent Study
    ARC 6973,6 Special Problems

  3. 6 semester credit hours of electives selected in consultation with the Graduate Advisor of Record.

The Research Program: Master of Science in Architecture Degree

The Master of Science in Architecture (M.S. Arch.) program is a non-studio, post-professional research program that prepares students for careers in research, teaching, and consulting. The focus of the program is research in architecture; areas of research include historic preservation, architectural history, sustainability in architecture, and international community planning and design. The program stresses critical writing and research methods. The program takes advantage of its location in downtown San Antonio and a rich heritage of historic architecture and urbanism.

Program Admission Requirements. In addition to University-wide admission requirements, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade point average of no less than 3.0 in the applicant’s last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate studies; and submit samples of expository writing, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, two letters of recommendation, a statement of intent, and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores for those international applicants whose first language is not English. The application form, transcripts, GRE scores, and application fee must be sent directly to the Graduate School. All materials must be sent directly to the Graduate School before the College of Architecture’s preferred application deadline of March 1st (for Summer and Fall). Contact the College of Architecture at (210) 458-3010 or visit the Graduate School’s Web site at http://www.utsa.edu/graduate/ for information regarding application materials, the admission process, and deadlines.

Degree Requirements. The minimum number of semester credit hours requirements for the Master of Science in Architecture degree, exclusive of coursework or other study required to remove admission deficiencies, is 33. Credit toward the program is earned only for grades of “A,” “B,” and “C.” Students must also maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 with a maximum of 6 semester credit hours with the grade of “C”. Students admitted to the program should consult the GAR for specific program requirements for their individual study plans.

Degree candidates must complete 33 credit hours of coursework consisting of the following:

  1. 12 semester credit hours of required courses:

    ARC 5173 Architectural Theory and Criticism
    ARC 6433 Research Methods in Architecture
    ARC 6981,3 Master’s Thesis (repeated for a total of 6 credit hours)

  2. 15 semester credit hours of electives to be chosen in consultation with committee chair. The following are recommended graduate-level electives in architecture:

    ARC 5133 Advanced and International Professional Practice and Ethics
    ARC 5153 Environmental Architecture and Sustainability
    ARC 5203 History and Theory of Preservation
    ARC 5213 Theories and Philosophies of Regionalism
    ARC 5233 Architectural Surveys and Measured Drawings
    ARC 5303 International Practice Seminar
    ARC 5313 International Housing Design and Planning
    ARC 5333 Introduction to Urban Design and Regional Physical Planning
    ARC 5343 History and Theories of Urban and Regional Planning
    ARC 5403 Historic Preservation Seminar
    ARC 5423 Legal and Economic Aspects of Preservation
    ARC 5613 American Architecture
    ARC 5623 Regional and Vernacular Architecture
    ARC 6003 Morphology of the Architecture and Landscape of South Texas and Borderlands
    ARC 6233 International Community Planning and Design
    ARC 6413 Preservation Technology
    ARC 6423 Architectural Conservation Theory
    ARC 6951-3 Independent Study
    ARC 6973,6 Special Problems

  3. 6 credit hours of graduate-level, non-architecture electives.

Comprehensive Examination. A candidate for the Master of Science in Architecture must, in addition to other requirements, pass a written comprehensive examination. Students must be registered for ARC 6961 Comprehensive Examination during the semester in which they intend to take the examination.

Comprehensive examinations are given only to students who:

  • have satisfied all admission conditions
  • are in good academic standing
  • have an approved degree plan
  • have selected a supervising professor and thesis committee with an approved thesis topic
  • are enrolled in ARC 6961 Comprehensive Examination. Note: credit earned for the ARC 6961 will not count toward the 33 semester credit hours required for the degree.

The Comprehensive Examination tests the student’s knowledge in architectural theory and in the student’s specialization. It is normally taken after the completion of the required coursework.

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