Program Components and Objectives

The School of Architecture undergraduate program consists of two undergraduate majors, the Bachelor of Design in Architecture (B.D.A.) and the Bachelor of Science in Architecture (B.S.). The graduate program consists of three masters degrees: the Master of Architecture (M.Arch), the Master of Science in Architecture (M.S.), and the Master of Heritage Studies and Public History (M.HSPH).

Master of Architecture (M.Arch)

The School of Architecture's central mission is to educate professional architects and to advance architectural knowledge and creative practice through design-centered teaching and research. The School values architectural practice, critical thinking, and the design process as the principal goals of the Master of Architecture degree as preparation for licensure as architects and as leaders in the profession. The 3-year M.Arch program is anchored by the belief that a liberal education followed by sustained study in architecture and related disciplines provides the strongest preparation for the challenges of architectural practice. The M.Arch degree is accredited by the National Architecture Accrediting Board, which awarded the School of Architecture a full (8-year) term of accreditation in 2015. 

To support this mission, Architecture maintains a strong faculty composed of academics and practicing architects, fostering a dynamic dialogue between architecture's identity as a discipline and a profession. The professional curriculum is structured to provide a strong foundation that encourages students to develop a vision of themselves as designers. As the professional identity emerges, students shift from required coursework in which students relate to the faculty as a community of teachers, toward distinctive choices which position them to engage individual faculty members as mentors. Students are encouraged to understand the theoretical roots of their ideas in order to support design propositions from knowledge- based arguments. The integration of construction and environmental technologies is an important goal of the curriculum, as well as understanding the role of computer technology in design.

The School of Architecture has a long-standing relationship with the professional community that is mutually beneficial to the School and the profession, as well as our students. The School is enhanced by the many contributions of practicing architects, who teach, lecture, and serve as visiting critics throughout the academic year. The profession benefits from the research and expertise of the School's faculty, who provide special consulting services for projects, seminars, and teaching events within the community.

The Master of Architecture (M.Arch) culminates in the Master’s Final Project (MFP), which is a Plan C format objective. The MFP is a single-semester, 10-credit course in which students work with a studio advisor to develop an independent project. Final deliverables consist of a juried public defense and a concise document of the work.

Master of Science in Architecture (M.S.)

The Master of Science in Architecture (M.S.) was established in 2005 to enable students and practitioners to receive rigorous, specialized, research-oriented training by focusing on one of several knowledge areas. The primary goal of this program is to provide preparation that will enhance professional practice or lead to related careers, including those in research and education. The Master of Science in Architecture degree includes three tracks and one concentration: the tracks are Heritage Conservation and Preservation, Metropolitan Design, and Sustainable Design; and the concentration is in Research Practices.

All of the areas accommodate students pursuing concurrent degrees in the professional M.Arch program. All areas also share a course called Development and Implementation of Research that provides core competency in research related to architectural design and practice. The goals of the M.S. in Architecture areas are to train Master’s students to be leaders in private industry, public service, and the nonprofit sector.

Heritage Conservation and Preservation (HCP)

The Heritage Conservation and Preservation track offers courses and research opportunities in the study of the preservation of historic buildings, districts, and landscapes, as well as the design and management of cultural heritage sites. The program explores heritage on several distinct but related levels. It examines the materiality of heritage resources through documentation, diagnosis, and the design of treatment interventions. It also encourages critical analysis and assessment of the cultural values that underlie and define preservation policies, laws, and professional norms. Through fieldwork, case studies, and courses that investigate regional, national, and global heritage, the program focuses on the philosophy, policy, technology, economics, and social implications of heritage preservation.

The Heritage Conservation and Preservation track offers two options for degree completion: a Plan A Thesis or Plan B Project. The Plan A Thesis consists of a single 10-credit course. The Plan B Project consists of 9 credits of elective coursework and a project or paper requiring a maximum of 120 hours of additional work. Both plans are supervised by a committee of three faculty members and require a public defense as well as the submission of final documentation.

Metropolitan Design (MD)

The Metropolitan Design track focuses on the challenges confronting 21st century cities. As demographic and economic shifts continue to reshape urban and suburban communities, cities have become talent attractors and innovation generators prompted by the rise of a knowledge-based economy. Students in the M.S. in Metropolitan Design program will learn how cities have reached this point, how these urbanization trends play out in particular case studies, and how to apply this knowledge in an urban-design studio. This degree equips its graduates with the skills to contribute to urban design decision-making in professional offices, in municipalities and government agencies, and in urban-oriented non-profits.

The Metropolitan Design track offers two options for degree completion: a Plan A Thesis or Plan B Project. The Plan A Thesis consists of a single 10-credit course. The Plan B Project consists of 10 credits of elective coursework and a design project requiring a maximum of 120 hours of additional work. Both plans are supervised by a committee of three faculty members and require a public defense as well as the submission of final documentation.

Sustainable Design (SD)

The Sustainable Design track brings together a rich group of multidisciplinary courses, projects, and research opportunities in energy and resource efficiency, water, waste reduction, materials, and technological innovations in sustainable design. The degree links coursework with internationally recognized research conducted by College of Design faculty and the Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR) associates and fellows, and prepares students to integrate sustainable design practice and research in the design professions, government agencies, research institutes, and business.

The Sustainable Design track offers two options for degree completion: a Plan A Thesis or Plan B Project. The Plan A Thesis consists of a single 10-credit course. The Plan B Project consists of 10 credits of elective coursework and a project or paper requiring a maximum of 120 hours of additional work. Both plans are supervised by a committee of three faculty members and require a public defense as well as the submission of final documentation.

Applied Research Practices (ARP)

The Research Practices concentration prepares future leaders of architectural research while providing a structured, integrated path to licensure. The program reinforces efforts by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) to streamline professional pathways while making fundamental research connections between academia and practice, leveraging the historically strong relationship between the School of Architecture and the Minneapolis/St. Paul professional community.

The Research Practices concentration culminates in a Final “Research into Practice” Project, which is a Plan C format objective conducted under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The Final Project is a two-semester experience that synthesizes coursework and internships and explores two complementary ways of working: research into practice and practice into research. The first method is documented through research analysis and the second through a rigorous case study documentation. Final project presentations are given to the Consortium for Research Practices.

Master of Heritage Studies and Public History (M.HSPH)

The Master of Heritage Studies and Public History (M.HSPH), first launched in 2017, was made possible by a new partnership between the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Historical Society. Theory and practice are combined to foreground diversity, interdisciplinary inquiry, experiential learning, and community engagement. The program prepares future generations of scholars and practitioners in the field to develop new, innovative, and entrepreneurial forms of historical interpretation in service of the public good. The M.HSPH invites requires to choose one of three tracks, each of which has specific curricular requirements: Archaeological Heritage, Public History, and Historic Preservation.

The M.HSPH culminates in the Capstone in Heritage Studies and Public History, which is a Plan C format objective. This 3-credit, single-semester course operates as a workshop in which students craft independent heritage studies and public history research projects under the supervision of a faculty instructor. A public review and submission of final documentation are required.

Certificate in Metropolitan Design

The Metropolitan Design (MD) program also offers a graduate certificate that M.Arch students may pursue while fulfilling the requirements of their M.Arch degree. The certificate has the same requirements as the M.S. degree, but without the Plan A Thesis or Plan B Project.