Architecture (ARCH)

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Abstract

The School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation offers a graduate program leading to the NAAB accredited Master of Architecture degree. The mission of the Architecture Program (ARCH) at the University of Maryland is to engage in teaching and learning imbued with critical thinking; to foster critical inquiry through research, scholarship, and creative academic and professional activity; and to encourage participation in community service that enhances the quality of built and natural environments. The Program offers a rich and demanding mix of architectural and urban design studios, architectural history and theory, and architectural science and technology. Electives in architecture and related fields are available in the curriculum.

The Master of Architecture degree is accredited by the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB); the School is a member of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).

Admissions Information

Admission to the graduate program is competitive. In addition to the Graduate School requirements, candidates must submit a portfolio. The portfolio should show evidence of creative ability in the form of a portfolio of drawings, photographs, or other expressive media. Details concerning format and content may be obtained from the School of Architecture.

Applications from three categories will be considered for admission: 1) candidates with a four-year baccalaureate (B.S.) degree in architecture or equivalent major; 2) candidates with four-year baccalaureate (B.A. or B.S.) degree (major other than architecture) but have successfully completed specified undergraduate prerequisites outlined by the School of Architecture*; and 3) candidates with an accredited accredited professional degree in architecture. Students are expected to enroll on a full-time basis. For complete information on curricula requirements for these categories, contact the School of Architecture.

*Additional requirements include: one (1) semester of college level calculus or sucessful high school advanced placement (AP) calculus; one (1) semester of college level physics, or successful high school advanced placement (AP) in physics, and one (1) course in college level freehand drawing.

Application Deadlines

	Fall	Spring
Domestic Applicants: U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
Domestic Applicant Deadlines	Applications must be received by January 1 .	(Only those who hold a B Architecture may apply for this semester) Applications must be received by October 31 (October 15 preferred) .
International Applicants: Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials IMPORTANT:   International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.
Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas	February 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1	June 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants	May 1 If Domestic Deadline is after May 1	October 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials	May 15 If Domestic Deadline is after May 15	October 31 If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Application Requirements

1. Complete application form (On-line version - www.gradschool.umd.edu):
2. Academic credentials (unofficial to academic unit):
3. Standardized test scores: Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
4. Letters of Recommendation: Three confidential letters submitted by professors or others.
5. Statement of Goals, Research Interests, and Experiences: 1000-2000 word statement of graduate goals, research interests, and experiences.
6. Portfolio: Bound and not exceeding 9" x 12", containing reproductions of creative work including drawings, paintings, photographs, sculpture, sketches, and architectural designs.
7. Resume

Degree Requirements

Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)

Students entering the program with a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from an accredited college or university normally require two years of graduate study to complete the requirements for the professional Master of Architecture degree. The established curriculum requires four semesters of academic work encompassing a total of 60 credits. Additional credits may be required depending upon the admissions committee's evaluation of the individual's academic and architectural experience.

Students who enter the professional program with a B.A. or B.S. in a discipline other than architecture will normally require seven semesters of design studio and other prerequisite courses. Students may be granted advanced standing if they have completed the appropriate prerequisites. Information on required courses and curriculum may be obtained from the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

A program leading to a Master's Certificate in Historic Preservation is available to M. Arch and M.S. in Arch candidates. The course of study includes 24 credits and an approved thesis, which may satisfy requirements of both the Architecture and Preservation curricula.

A program leading to a Masters Certificate in Urban Design is available to M. Arch and M.S. in Arch candidates. The course of study includes 24 credits and an approved thesis.

Master of Science in Architecture (M.S. Arch)

A special option leading to the Master of Science in Architecture degree is available for those students who already possess a NAAB professional degree in architecture (B.Arch. or M. Arch.) or its equivalent. This option is designed to accommodate the needs of students who wish to do advanced work beyond that required for the professional degree. Applicants must specify in detail the nature of the proposed course of study for review and approval by the admissions committee prior to their admission. The School currently provides resources for advanced work in international studies in architecture, urban design, and housing.

Facilities and Special Resources

The School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation is ideally located between Washington, DC, and Baltimore and surrounded by a number of historic communities and a varied physical environment. The resulting opportunity for environmental design study is unsurpassed. The School's resources include a modern physical plant that provides design workstations for each student, a model shop, and computer-aided design facility. The School's library contains some 57,000 monographs and 6,000 current periodicals, making it one of the major architectural libraries in the nation. The National Trust Library for Historic Preservation, housed in McKeldin Library, contains 11,000 volumes and 450 periodical titles. The slide collection includes approximately 430,000 slides on architecture, landscape architecture, planning, and technical subjects. The School also provides an opportunity for professional experience and service through its nonprofit Center for Architectural Design and Research and CADRE Corporation, whose mission is to broaden the educational experience of students through environmental design services directed by faculty members and rendered to a variety of clients. Likewise the interdisciplinary National Center for Smart Growth Education and Research is based in the School offering perspectives and opportunities to engage important issues facing urban and regional planning.

The Comprehensive Design Studio and Advanced Technology sequence (an integral component of the M. Arch curriculum) has been accorded numerous honors from national professional and scholarly organizations. This innovative teaching-learning environment permits students to explore relationships between conceptual and technical aspects of architectural form and its assembly. The program has become a model for studios at many institutions throughout the nation.

The Advanced Urban Design Studio explores relationships between individual buildings, urban spaces, and the contexts in which they reside. Studios engage projects ranging from conceptual urban interventions to projects that help communities to envision future growth.

Design excellence at the University of Maryland is evident in the frequency of national and international awards won in competition by students. Maryland students have won more citations in the long-standing ACSA/Wood Council International Competition than any other school nationally or internationally.

Several study abroad opportunities augment the course of study offered in College Park. Rome and Paris form the mainstay of the summer study opportunities. Programs are also offered to Great Britain, Turkey, and St. Petersburg. Summer study opportunities are also available in conjunction with the Historic Preservation and Urban Studies programs.

Financial Assistance

The School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation offers a limited and varying number of teaching and research assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and internships. Applicants should apply for financial assistance when submitting the application for admission.

Contact Information

Additional information on program offerings, degree requirements and financial aid can be obtained on the School's Web site (www.arch.umd.edu) and by contacting:

Brian Kelly, Architect - Associate Professor and Director, Architecture Program
School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation,
University of Maryland, College Park,
MD  20742
Telephone: (301) 405-8000
Fax: (301) 314-9583
arch-grad@umd.edu

http://www.arch.umd.edu

Courses: ARCH HISP URSP

Related Programs and Campus Units

Urban Studies and Planning
Smart Growth Research and Education, National Center for
Historic Preservation
Urban and Regional Planning and Design
Natural Resource Sciences and Landscape Architecture