If you are interested in a career as an architect, begin early. Your own environment—home, school, community—is a good laboratory for study. By learning to "see" buildings, spaces, and their relationships, you will become sensitive to elements that concern architects. Notice the effects of color, texture, light, and shape—the "tools" of architecture. Analyze your positive and negative reactions and see if you can connect them to design elements. Look for rhythm and pattern, simplicity and ornament, old and new in your environment, and notice the variety that exists. Think about the values expressed in buildings’ design.

In secondary school, plan a program strong in English and other languages, history, social studies, mathematics, and physics. If you can, add courses in business and computer science. It may surprise you to know that today freehand drawing skills will be more useful to you than drafting ability.

Architectural Education

Essentially, there are three types of architecture degree programs—preprofessional, professional, and postprofessional.

Preprofessional

Preprofessional architecture degrees are four-year degrees that do not, by themselves, qualify a graduate to practice as a professional architect. These degrees have such titles as Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Architecture, B.S. in Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Bachelor of Environmental Design, or Bachelor of Architectural Studies. The amount of architecture work in the program varies by institution, and determines the time required to complete further professional architecture studies.

Professional

A "professional" degree in architecture is awarded through completion of an architecture program professionally accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB; www.naab.org). NAAB accredits only at this level and does not accredit preprofessional or postprofessional programs. NAAB-accredited degrees are the ones typically required for licensure as an architect.

A professional architecture curriculum is intensive and demanding. Design studio—individual work guided by frequent review with a professor—and lecture and laboratory courses in engineering, technology, history, planning, and the environment are combined with studies outside the professional curriculum. Many programs culminate in a year long design thesis project. Professional degrees may be completed at the undergraduate or graduate level.

Undergraduate

The Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) is the oldest type of professional degree program offered at the university level in the United States. Typically, it is a five-year program. Often students enrolled in this program will begin an intensive professional education in their first year of college. This type of program is suited for students who are certain of architecture as their career selection.

Graduate

Several lengths of programs award the Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) degree. Two-year programs are designed for individuals with a preprofessional degree in architecture. M. Arch. programs lasting three years or longer are generally designed for individuals who possess a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than architecture. M. Arch. programs accredited by the NAAB award a professional degree appropriate for U.S. licensure as an architect.

Paths

Of the 120 professionally accredited U.S. architecture schools, roughly half offer professional degrees at the master’s level, while the other half offer professional degrees at the bachelor’s degree level. Visit NAAB for a list of accredited programs.

The total number of years that you spend in school can be reduced if you commit earlier in your academic career. If you pursue a nonarchitecture undergraduate degree and then go to graduate school, you could spend as many as eight years in school, compared to the five years it requires to complete some Bachelor of Architecture programs. On the other hand, if you are uncertain of the career that you want or if you want greater freedom to explore a variety of fields, a nonprofessional architecture degree or even study in another field altogether can be appropriate. Also be sure to learn about the requirements for becoming an architect in the country where you plan to practice, as requirements can vary significantly from country to country.

Graduate Postprofessional Degrees

Graduate postprofessional degrees are designed for students who already have a professional degree in architecture. Such programs are not eligible for accreditation by NAAB, which accredits only first professional degree programs.

The postprofessional Master of Architecture (M. Arch. II) can generally be completed in one to two years. It provides opportunity to pursue a specialization in greater depth. Examples of specializations include design theory, design of health care facilities, preservation, interior design, solar design, and many other options.

Doctoral programs in architecture are typically intended for those planning to teach at the university level and are not usually as practice-focused as master’s degrees. They require several more years of study plus a dissertation based on original research.

The material above is adapted with permission from an article that previously appeared in the Advising Quarterly. That article was written by Lee W. Waldrep, author of Becoming an Architect: Guide to Careers in Design (2006, Wiley).