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2008–2010 Undergraduate Catalog

Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Architecture is a four-year preprofessional degree. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree, including Core Curriculum requirements, is 123, at least 39 of which must be at the upper-division level. Students are advised to complete the B.S. in Architecture degree coursework in the order indicated within the “Recommended Curriculum” issued by the College of Architecture for their catalog year.

The B.S. in Architecture is a program that provides students with the opportunity to prepare for the continuation of studies in a professional graduate program, a Master of Architecture (M. Arch.). Completion of the B.S. in Architecture degree allows the graduate to pursue limited architectural practice but does not, in itself, fully prepare the graduate for architectural licensure. Students in the B.S. in Architecture program are advised that certification for architectural registration and professional practice by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) requires, in virtually all cases, an accredited professional degree and broad architectural education such as that provided by the Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) program at UTSA.

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 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.

Transfer Students: All transfer students who have completed Architecture, Interior Design, or Design courses are required to submit a bound portfolio (maximum size 8.5 inches by 11 inches) to the College of Architecture as soon as admittance to the University is approved. Portfolios must be received at the College of Architecture prior to the second week in March for Fall Semester admissions, and prior to the second week in August for Spring Semester admissions. The portfolio must clearly demonstrate creative and communicative skills in written and graphic form. A complete transcript of all professional courses accompanied by the catalog descriptions from the originating institutions must be included. Do not send slides or original work. A postage-paid, self-addressed return envelope must be included for return of the work to the candidate. The portfolio will be reviewed by a faculty committee to determine the student’s placement within the curricular sequence.

Foundation to Technical Gateway: Available openings within the Technical Sequence (third and fourth year courses) are limited and, therefore, entry is competitive. Entry is determined by a combination of portfolio review and overall grade point average (GPA) in accordance with the following formula (on a 4.0 scale): overall GPA 50% and portfolio 50%. Students who fail to be admitted into the Technical Sequence may wait a year in order to resubmit a new portfolio and improve their overall GPA by that time.

Portfolio Review: All students in the B.S. in Architecture program are required to complete a portfolio review prior to their entrance into the third year of architectural studies. Without a portfolio submission, students will not be allowed to take 3000-level or above courses in the Technical Sequence. The bound portfolio (maximum size 8.5 inches by 11 inches) will be submitted in accordance with the schedule and information provided by the Department Chair in conjunction with the Design IV studio faculty. The portfolio must clearly demonstrate design and communicative skills in written and graphic form. A Portfolio Review Committee composed of faculty in the College of Architecture will evaluate the portfolio.

Laptop Initiative: The Laptop Initiative program requires that students entering the second year of the design studio sequence (Design III) have their own laptop computers and required software. Digital technology will be integrated into the studio work and will be necessary in order to fulfill project requirements. Specifications for hardware and software bundles are available at the College of Architecture Web site (http://www.utsa.edu/architecture/) and the Department of Architecture office.

All candidates seeking this degree must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements and the degree requirements, which are listed below.

Core Curriculum requirements: Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture must fulfill University Core Curriculum requirements in the same manner as other students. The courses listed in the table below satisfy both degree requirements and Core Curriculum requirements; however, if these courses are taken to satisfy both requirements, then students will need to take additional courses in order to meet the minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree. For a complete listing of courses that satisfy Core Curriculum requirements see pages 5–9 of this catalog.

Degree Requirements

1. 6 semester credit hours of mathematics and science (may also be used to satisfy Core Curriculum requirements in Mathematics and Natural Sciences):
   
   

   MAT 1093	Precalculus
   PHY 1603	Algebra-based Physics I
   	or
   PHY 1903	Engineering Physics I

   
   
2. 72 semester credit hours in the major passed with a grade of “C” or better in each course (ARC 1413 and ARC 2413 may also be used to satisfy Core Curriculum requirements):
   
   
   1. Foundation Sequence. 39 semester credit hours of required lower-division architectural courses:
      
      

      ARC 1213	Design I
      ARC 1226	Design II
      ARC 1313	Architectural Drawing (formerly Visual Communication)
      ARC 1413	Architecture and Culture
      ARC 2116	Design III
      ARC 2126	Design IV
      ARC 2213	Building Technology I (formerly Construction Materials and Concepts)
      ARC 2223	Building Technology II (formerly Structures I)
      ARC 2413	History of Architecture: Prehistory through Medieval
      ARC 2423	History of Architecture: Renaissance through Nineteenth Century

      
      
   2. Technical Sequence. 33 semester credit hours of required upper-division architectural courses:
      
      

      ARC 3216	Architecture Studio I
      ARC 3226	Architecture Studio II
      ARC 3233	Building Technology III (formerly Structures II)
      ARC 3343	Building Technology IV (formerly Environmental Systems I)
      ARC 3353	Building Technology V (formerly Environmental Systems II)
      ARC 3433	Topics in Architecture and Thought
      ARC 3613	History of Modern Architecture
      ARC 4246	Architecture Systems Studio

      
      
3. 15 semester credit hours of electives
   
   It is strongly recommended that the electives should include 6 semester credit hours of foreign language courses.

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