Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A Legacy of Architecture Programs

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have played a vital role in supporting first-generation Black students and those from moderate to low-income households, offering a stable and nurturing environment for pursuing a college education. While these schools account for only 3% of colleges and universities in the United States, they have a significant impact, particularly in fields like architecture. This article highlights HBCUs with architecture programs, examining their unique offerings, accreditation, and contributions to diversifying the field.

The Enduring Significance of HBCUs in Architecture

HBCUs became the principal means for providing postsecondary education to Black Americans. These institutions offer unique advantages, enabling students to overcome systematic barriers. Attending an HBCU provides the opportunity to receive a more culturally relevant design education, connect with roots, and grow professionally within a safe and nurturing environment.

Accessibility, Affinity, and Affirmation

Key reasons students choose to attend HBCUs are accessibility, affinity, and affirmation. When schools were segregated, HBCUs provided an accessible path to education. Parents also influence their offspring’s college choice. HBCUs also provide affirmation. Architecture education has centered traditionally on Eurocentric design and identities. When students know that their culture is valued and their presence and ideas matter, they thrive.

Overcoming Obstacles and Securing the Future

Despite the challenges HBCUs face, their future can be secured. More people, alumni groups, firms, and institutions need to donate funds, as well as time and talent in the form of internship opportunities, guest lectures, and studio reviews. Importantly, the service these institutions provide-cultivating and championing a range of voices in the design of our environments-is invaluable.

NAAB-Accredited Architecture Programs at HBCUs

Of the 101 HBCUs that remain today, several offer National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)-accredited degree programs. These accreditations ensure that the programs meet specific educational standards, preparing students for professional practice.

Florida A&M University - Tallahassee, FL

Florida A&M University (FAMU) offers a Bachelor of Architecture program accredited by the NAAB. Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies pre-professional program are eligible for admission into one of the professional programs, Bachelor of Architecture or Masters of Science in Architecture: Facility Management. The Master of Architecture degree offers two tracks: a two-year path for students with a four-year pre-professional degree in architecture and a three-and-a-half-year path for students without a pre-professional degree in architecture. FAMU provides students with a chance to get their bachelor’s degree without paying excessive fees.

Hampton University - Hampton, VA

Hampton University offers a five-year Master of Architecture degree and has been accredited by the NAAB since 2004. Hampton's program offers many programs for students pursuing this degree. UDream is a program designed to increase underrepresented practitioners of architecture and design through supporting students with academics and internships. This HBCU also offers an International Urban Studies Travel Abroad Program upon successful completion of students' third year. The Hampton, Virginia campus of HU offers one of the oldest architecture programs in the history of HBCUs, having been bestowing this degree for over 50 years.

Howard University - Washington, DC

Howard University recently changed its program from a five-year professional Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.) to a five-year professional Master of Architecture (M. Arch) degree program. The major shift of this NAAB-approved program is that the final three semesters will require students to focus on research. This HBCU also offers a Bachelor Science in Architecture and Design Studies program. Howard University is a well-known HBCU and a member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). In the art department, you will have the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. The undergraduate program offers degrees in Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design, and Photography.

Morgan State University - Baltimore, MD

Morgan State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Environmental Design, an accelerated Masters of Architecture degree through a 3+2 program, and a Ph.D. in Architecture, Urbanism, and Built Environments. In March 2023, Morgan's Architecture students studied abroad for 10 days in the Netherlands. The City of Rotterdam, where the students engaged in cross-cultural experiences, is known for its modern architecture. Morgan State University is affiliated with both AIGA, the professional association for design, and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Within the design field, the college offers undergraduate and graduate programs. Three options are available for earning a Bachelor of Visual Arts degree. These include Graphic Design, Illustration, and Multimedia Studio.

Prairie View A&M University - Prairie View, TX

Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) offers students the chance to earn a Bachelor of Science or Masters of Architecture. This HBCU offers incoming freshmen an opportunity to study architecture in a pre-freshman summer program called Architectural Concept Institute. Prairie View also has an Architecture Enrichment Concepts (ARTEC) pre-college summer program for high school sophomores and juniors exploring careers in architecture, construction science, art, and digital media.

Tuskegee University - Tuskegee, AL

Tuskegee's The Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science (TSACS) "is named after Robert Robinson Taylor, the first accredited African-American architect, and the first Black to receive an Architecture degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)." Taylor designed the pre-1932 buildings on campus and was responsible for developing the architecture program. Tuskegee's five-year undergraduate program is accredited by the NAAB. This requires two pre-Architecture years as well as a portfolio prior to admission into the Professional Program beginning the 3rd year. Tuskegee also offers an African American History in Architecture Minor. Antoine Medley believes the program will “help her build a network of support and encouragement.” At their historic Tuskegee, Alabama campus, TU offers two design-related courses. A traditional BS degree in Architecture (five years) is an option, as is a four-year BS in Construction Science and Management.

University of the District of Columbia - Washington, DC

The University of the District of Columbia's (UDC) Urban Architecture program offers a Bachelors in Architecture and two Masters of Architecture options (Track 1 for students with an architecture degree and Track II for those with a non-architecture undergraduate degree). Both of their Masters of Architecture programs are accredited by the NAAB.

Other HBCU Design Programs

Besides the NAAB-accredited programs, other HBCUs offer design-related programs that provide a foundation for careers in architecture and related fields.

Alabama A&M University (AAMU): Located in Huntsville, AAMU offers both BS and Masters degrees in Urban and Community Planning.
Bowie State University: As an undergraduate student at Bowie State University, you can major in Visual Communication & Digital Media Arts.
Hinds Community College: Through the Art program, you can learn the foundations of design to continue your studies at a university.
Jackson State University (JSU): On its Jackson, Mississippi campus, JSU offers three separate degrees in the field of urban studies, urban planning and regional planning. Students can obtain a Bachelors, Masters or Doctor of Philosophy in the design-related field of their choice.
Lawson State Community College: Among the school’s college transferable degrees are Architecture, Interior Architecture, Art, and Graphic Design.
Mississippi Valley State University: Mississippi Valley State University offers three options in their undergraduate program.
North Carolina A&T State University (NCAT): Located in Greensboro, NCAT offers a BS degree in Landscape Architecture.
Norfolk State University: The undergraduate program offers Fine Arts, Graphic Design, and Architectural Drafting degrees.
Tennessee State University: Tennessee State University offers a BS in Architectural Engineering. Architectural Engineers "plan, design, construct and maintain buildings." These engineers are primarily responsible for designing various systems including structural, heating, cooling, and fire protection systems.
Texas Southern University (TSU): Located in Houston, TSU offers both Masters and Doctoral degrees in Urban Planning and Environmental Policy.

Supporting Diversity and Inclusion in Architecture

The representation of Black architects remains stubbornly low. Numerous challenges continue to plague the surviving programs at HBCUs, including issues of high relative cost, low (or no) funded research grants, sparse evidence of professional achievement, dwindling enrollment, and low licensure rates.

Professional Connections and Initiatives

Architecture, like many professions, suffers from nepotism in the recruiting and hiring process. Last year, NOMA started its Foundation Fellowship program, which places HBCU students at firms that are members of the AIA Large Firm Roundtable or NOMA’s President’s Circle. Continuing “the legacy of stewardship [is] deeply important,” says Howard alum Marcell Snodgrass. Giving students firm experience also prepares them for licensure and leadership.

Read also: Top HBCU Bands

tags: #hbcu #architecture #programs #list