University of Washington Architecture Program: A Comprehensive Overview
The University of Washington (UW) offers a diverse and comprehensive architecture program, preparing students for various careers in architecture and related fields. The foundation of these programs lies in the breadth and depth of the faculty's research, providing students with meaningful opportunities to fuel their success. The UW College of Built Environments uniquely houses the disciplinary departments of Architecture, Construction Management, Landscape Architecture, Real Estate, and Urban Design and Planning under one roof, fostering unparalleled interdisciplinary collaboration.
Architectural Studies: A Liberal Arts Approach
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Architectural Studies is a four-year undergraduate program exploring the many factors shaping the built environment. It provides a liberal studies approach, examining socio-cultural influences, urbanism, spatial reasoning, aesthetics, political and economic structures, landscape, construction, building technologies, and ecology. This program engages students in the experience of architecture as a complex, multi-faceted discipline.
Admission to Architectural Studies
Architectural Studies is a capacity-constrained major, meaning admission is competitive. While most students apply after enrolling at the UW, direct admission as a first-year student is possible by listing Architectural Studies as the first-choice major on the application. Transfer students must submit a general application to the UW for Autumn and Winter quarters, with some majors accepting applications in Spring. Preparation for the major is a factor in transfer admission.
Curriculum and Learning Objectives
The architecture program emphasizes a broad liberal arts foundation followed by a focus on architectural history and theory, materials and making, and sustainable technologies. Specific goals for student learning include:
- Understanding the sequences and history of human building activities.
- Understanding social, political, legal, and economic influences on design and construction.
- Understanding various architectural theories and current thought about the aesthetics of design.
- Understanding construction materials and their properties.
- Understanding relationships of buildings to their sites and ecological contexts.
- Understanding sustainable technologies used in building construction.
Architectural Design: A Pre-Professional Path
The Department of Architecture offers two options for undergraduate students: the Architectural Studies major (seminar and research-based, non-studio) and the Architectural Design major (pre-professional, studio-based). The Architectural Design major prepares students for graduate study in architecture and a professional career. It is a pre-professional degree that prepares candidates for admission with advanced standing to professional M.Arch programs. It also prepares students for roles in government, development, planning, art, graphic design, and digital arts.
Read also: University of Georgia Sorority Guide
Admission to Architectural Design
Admission to the Architectural Design major occurs at the junior level through a competitive application process. Applicants must complete two years of general university requirements and program prerequisites. The application deadline is May 15 for autumn quarter only, and prerequisite courses must be completed by the time the student enters the program.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the Architectural Design major, students need 90 credits, including:
- Preparatory Architectural Coursework (19 credits): ARCH 350, ARCH 351, ARCH 352 (9 credits); ARCH 200, ARCH 201 (10 credits). These courses can be taken through UW Extension before admission or in the sophomore year on campus.
- General Education Requirements (70 credits): English composition (5 credits); Arts and Humanities (A&H) (20 credits); Social Sciences (SSc) (20 credits); Natural Sciences (NSc) (20 credits, including MATH 112, MATH 124, or MATH 145); additional Areas of Inquiry (5 credits).
- Electives (1 credits)
The admission committee emphasizes performance in the preparatory architectural coursework.
Completion Requirements
To complete the Architectural Design major, students need 90 credits of Preprofessional Coursework (69 credits): ARCH 300, ARCH 301, ARCH 302, ARCH 315, ARCH 320, ARCH 321, ARCH 322, ARCH 362, ARCH 380, ARCH 400, ARCH 401, ARCH 402, ARCH 431, CM 313. One selective course in each of the following areas: (1) graphics/media; (2) history/theory; (3) building science/materials. Selective courses to be chosen from approved lists maintained by the department. 21 credits of approved upper-division electives. The final 45 credits must be completed as a matriculated student in residence through the UW. Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA for all work done in residence.
Curriculum and Learning Objectives
The architectural design program emphasizes a broad liberal arts foundation followed by a focus on entry-level courses in architectural design, theory, the technology of building, and materials. Specific goals for student learning include:
Read also: History of the Block 'M'
- Understanding the organization of three-dimensional space in response to specific human needs.
- Understanding the sequences and history of human building activities.
- Understanding various architectural theories and current thought about the aesthetics of design.
- Understanding construction materials and their properties.
- Understanding building systems and their integration for human comfort.
- Understanding structural principles, relationships of buildings to their sites.
- Understanding social, political, legal, and economic influences of design and construction.
Specific goals in the area of personal development include:
- An ability to visualize three dimensions and think spatially.
- Graphic, verbal, and written communication skills for design development and presentation.
- An ability to think critically and exercise self-criticism.
Dual Degree: Architectural Design and Construction Management
The college offers a Dual Degree-Bachelor of Arts with a major in Architectural Design and a BS in Construction Management. Students must first be admitted to the Architectural Design major.
Admission Requirements for Dual Degree
To be admitted to the Architectural Design (w/Constr Mgmt) program, a student must:
- Be enrolled in the Architectural Design program
- Meet minimum course requirements: ACCTG 219; CM 313, CM 314
The application deadlines are February 1 for spring quarter and April 5 for autumn quarter. This application process involves admission to the construction management degree program. Admission decisions are based on an applicant's academic performance, extent and quality of relevant experience, including extra-curricular activities, and expressed motivation.
Minor in Architecture
The Department of Architecture offers a Minor in Architecture, which is a good option for students to complement their major area of study and an opportunity for undergraduates to explore their interest in architecture related subjects such as: architectural history and theory; structures and building materials; graphic representation; digital design and computing; sustainable building technology; building and fabrication methods.
Read also: Legacy of Fordham University
Courses Offered
The Department of Architecture offers a wide range of courses, including:
- ARCH 100 Introduction to Architecture Study: Introduces design studio instruction to students contemplating architecture as a field of study or career.
- ARCH 101 Introduction to Architectural Studies: Provides an exposure to topics and methods of architectural education; explores educational and career opportunities; and outlines available student support resources.
- ARCH 150 Appreciation of Architecture I: Historical survey of global architecture and built environments from prehistory to 1400.
- ARCH 151 Appreciation of Architecture II: Historical survey of global architecture and built environments from 1400 to the present.
- ARCH 200 Architectural Design and Representation I: Introduces architectural representation as a fundamental medium for investigation, analysis, and documentation.
- ARCH 201 Architectural Design and Representation II: Introduces the fundamentals of architectural design.
- ARCH 231 Making and Craft: Introduces the cultures and practical realities of "making" through study of the nature of tools, techniques, and the development of built culture over time.
- ARCH 300 Architectural Design I: Studio-based course that develops ability in spatial design.
- ARCH 301 Architectural Design II: Studio-based course that develops skill in developing the building envelope.
- ARCH 302 Architectural Design III: Studio-based course that expands the field of observation and analysis to include neighborhood-level mapping and precedent studies.
- ARCH 315 Design Drawing: Integrates drawing in all phases of the design process.
- ARCH 320 Introduction to Structures I: Static - Force analysis.
- ARCH 321 Introduction to Structures II: Strength of materials.
- ARCH 322 Introduction to Structures III: Elementary structural design.
- ARCH 332 Making and Materials: Introduces the cultures and realities of making and materials.
- ARCH 350 Architecture of the Ancient World: Architectural history from beginnings to AD 550.
- ARCH 351 Architecture of the Medieval and Early Modern World: Surveys episodes in the history of world architecture during the period from about 700 to 1750.
- ARCH 352 History of Modern Architecture: Architectural history from 1750 to the present.
- ARCH 361 Architecture Colloquium: Introduces a wide range of perspectives on architecture, with an emphasis on history and theory, making and materials, and sustainable technologies.
- ARCH 362 Architecture and Theory: Introduces a wide range of modern and contemporary theoretical movements in architecture.
- ARCH 380 Computers in Architecture: Introduces computing in environmental design and planning.
- ARCH 381 Digital Design and Representation: Explores design methods and representational strategies in architecture through a series of exercises and projects.
- ARCH 400 Architectural Design IV: Offers a variety of contexts for exploring different modes of design thinking and architectural production.
- ARCH 401 Architectural Design V: Provides a variety of contexts for exploring different modes of design thinking and architectural production.
- ARCH 402 Architectural Design VI: Provides a variety of contexts for exploring different modes of design thinking and architectural production.
- ARCH 404 Integrated Design/Build Studio: Study of the design/build process with emphasis on the synthesis of design and construction considerations.
- ARCH 410 Introduction to Architectural Photography: Basic elements and processes of architectural photography.
- ARCH 413 Architectural Photography Projects: Students develop in-depth photo essays relating to architecture, the urban movement, or landscape design.
- ARCH 415 Architectural Sketching: Exercises in freehand representational drawing.
- ARCH 426 Structural Unit Masonry: Structural behavior and design of reinforced brick, tile, and unit concrete masonry structures.
- ARCH 429 Special Topics in Building and Sustainability Technologies: Systematic study of specialized subject matter in building systems and sustainability technologies.
- ARCH 431 Energy and Environmental Systems for Buildings: Introduces the theory and application of climate, energy use, and comfort as determinants of architectural form.
- ARCH 435 Principles and Practices of Environmental Lighting: Perception-based approach to principles of natural and artificial lighting.
- ARCH 436 Building Acoustics: Description of principles and practices for manipulating and enhancing sound in buildings.
- ARCH 439 Architectural Lighting Design: Concentrates on the use of electric lighting and its effective integration in architecture and the built environment.
- ARCH 441 Visions of the Japanese House: Explores the origins, derivations, and permutations of the "Japanese house."
- ARCH 442 Africa and Middle East Seminar: Advanced introduction to colonial and postcolonial architecture in Africa and the Middle East.
- ARCH 445 South Asian Architecture I: Advanced introduction to precolonial architecture and urbanism of South Asia.
- ARCH 446 South Asian Architecture II: Advanced introduction to colonial and postcolonial architecture and urbanism of South Asia.
- ARCH 453 Japanese Architecture: Survey of Japanese architecture from its origins to modern times.
- ARCH 455 American Architecture: American architecture from indigenous Native American traditions to the present.
- ARCH 457 Twentieth-Century Architecture: Architecture in the twentieth century, mainly in Europe and the United States.
- ARCH 458 Paris: Architecture and Urbanism: Spans the architectural history of Paris.
- ARCH 459 Architecture Since 1945: Theories and forms in architecture from the end of World War II to present.
- ARCH 460 Design Theory and Analysis: Problematical nature of philosophies of architecture; interaction of philosophical concepts and architectural form and expression.
- ARCH 466 Gender and Architecture: Examines gender in the experience, practice, and theory of architecture and urban space.
- ARCH 468 Architecture Capstone Preparation: Preparation for the Architecture major capstone project.
- ARCH 469 Architecture Capstone: Development of the capstone project for the Architecture major.
- ARCH 479 Special Topics in Materials and Fabrication: Systematic study of specialized subject matter in materials, craft, processes, and fabrication.
- ARCH 481 3D Modeling and Rendering: Lectures and weekly exercises focus on understanding and applying the underlying principles of 3D computer graphics and rendering software.
- ARCH 487 Fundamentals of Building Information Modeling: Introduces students to building information modeling and associated software tools.
- ARCH 490 Architectural Studies Abroad - Special Topics:
- ARCH 491 Architectural Studies Abroad - Representation:
- ARCH 494 Architectural Studies Abroad - Culture:
- ARCH 495 Architectural Studies Abroad - History and Theory:
- ARCH 496 Architectural Studies Abroad - Urban Fieldwork:
- ARCH 497 Architectural Studies Abroad - International Practice:
- ARCH 498 Special Projects: Instructor-initiated and department-approved systematic study and offering of specialized subject matter.
- ARCH 499 Undergraduate Research:
- ARCH 500 Architectural Foundation Studio I: The first of a two-quarter sequence structured as a series of design exercises that will expose students to a diversity of methods, scales and program types.
- ARCH 501 Architectural Foundation Studio II: The second of a two-quarter sequence structured as a series of design exercises that will expose students to a diversity of methods, scales and program types.
- ARCH 502 Architectural Integration Studio I: The studio is structured as a first integrated design studio experience.
Student Outcomes and Opportunities
The UW architecture program provides numerous opportunities for student success:
- Honors Options: With College Honors or With Honors (Completion of Departmental Honors requirements in the major).
- Research, Internships, and Service Learning: Internships are available and vary according to individual interests within the program.
- Department Scholarships: A limited number of department scholarships are available to eligible students entering their final year of the major.
- Student Organizations/Associations: AIAS (American Institute of Architectural Students)
Career Paths
Employers value and hire UW graduates. Architecture degrees provide a crucial foundation for architecture licensure and employment in architecture. Career opportunities range from Entry-Level Intern, Designer, Project Manager, and Partner in small and large firms serving a wide range of market sectors in urban and rural settings across the globe such as residential, education, retail, commercial, healthcare, and adaptive re-use. Career mentoring and preparation services are offered throughout the architecture program and through the Voiland College of Engineering and Architectureâs Internships and Career Services office.
Accreditation
The UW's four-year, Bachelor of Arts degree in architectural design is a pre-professional degree and is not accredited by NAAB. Architectural education at the University of Washington requires a minimum of six or seven years of higher education to attain the first professional degree, the Master of Architecture.
Information Architecture Specialization (MSIM)
For students interested in the analysis and design of information structures for organizations and systems, the UW offers an Information Architecture specialization within the Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM) program. This specialization equips students with skills in assessing existing information structures and creating new systems to effectively structure information. Students often pair this specialization with Business Intelligence, Data Science or with User Experience.
Skills Developed
- Design, implement, and critically evaluate information structures, including taxonomies, ontologies, and metadata schemas for a variety of contexts.
- Apply user-centered design principles to information architecture, focusing on understanding user needs, behaviors, and preferences.
- Apply information governance, information modeling, and information lifecycle management.
Elective Courses
The Information Architecture specialization consists of three courses:
- IMT 530 Organization of Information Resources: Discover issues related to information organization including analysis of intellectual and physical characteristics of information objects; use of metadata and metadata standards; theory of classification; creation of controlled vocabularies; and display and arrangement.
- IMT 535 Introduction to Information Architecture: Learn concepts and methods of front- and back-end information architecture.
- IMT 542 Portable Information Structures: Focus on concepts and methods used to analyze, store, manage, and present information.
tags: #university #of #washington #architecture #program #details
