Dec 21, 2024  
2013-2015 Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Catalog 
    
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2013-2015 Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Architecture, M.Arch.

CIP Code: 8085 (040201-01)

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 three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted a six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.

Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized by an accredited degree.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette School of Architecture and Design offers the following NAAB- accredited degree programs: M.Arch (pre-professional degree + 45 credits).

Next accreditation visit for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette School of Architecture and Design is 2014.

Admissions

The following criteria are used for evaluation for regular admission: undergraduate overall grade point average of at least a 3.0, major grade point average of at least a 3.0, portfolio of architectural design work for candidates with previous architectural education or experience, satisfactory Graduate Record Examination general score, and three letters of recommendation.

Course Requirements

Candidates for the Master of Architecture will be placed in one of three tracks determined by the candidate’s undergraduate degree.

  1. Track one is for those candidates with an accredited (NAAB) 5-year Bachelor of Architecture degree. Candidates must complete 33 credit hours determined by the Graduate Coordinator.
  2. Track two is for those candidates with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies degree or equivalent from an institution with an accredited (NAAB) professional degree. Candidates must complete 45 credit hours. Undergraduate transcripts will be reviewed to ensure candidates have completed coursework which meets the NAAB Student Performance Criteria. It may be necessary to complete preparatory coursework to ensure the Student Performance Criteria have been completed.
  3. Track three is for those candidates with a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than architecture, a degree from a non-accredited (NAAB) institution or for those who have coursework which does not meet the NAAB Student Performance Criteria. Candidates in track three must complete a minimum of 84 credit hours determined by the Graduate Coordinator. It may be necessary for students to take preparatory or undergraduate coursework to meet specific course prerequisites to ensure the Student Performance Criteria have been completed.

The number of elective courses will vary depending on which track candidates will complete. Candidates must pursue an architectural concentration with available electives. For specific information on available concentrations and certificates, contact the Graduate Coordinator.

The Master of Architecture has a thesis or non-thesis option. Thesis option candidates must submit a Thesis Proposal to the Graduate Coordinator for approval prior to the regular semester before enrolling in ARCH 599 Thesis Research and Thesis . The thesis option requires a creative work or architectural design and a written thesis. The non-thesis Master’s Project option requires the completion of an architectural design with a written component.

The following are core courses: