momrath

special, My son recently graduated with a BA in art studio and art history. He is currently working for an architecture firm in their marketing department and plans to apply to a MArch program next year.

My observations based his experience, kids and parents who write on this board and architects and would-be architects that we know is that you can achieve success -- both personal and financial -- by either route. The major differences are 1) Cost 2) Speed and 3) Undergraduate experience.

My opinion on your questions
1) Don't know about the intensity but the experience will be quite different. If you go for BArch you will be living and breathing architecture 24/7 from day one. If you go for a liberal arts degree you will take a wider variety of courses.

2) Not necessarily. There seem to be quite a few successful architects in the world with BArch's period. Having said that (and again, this is just my observation) architecture seems to me to be a field that uses ALL your communication skills -- visual, oral, written -- and requires extensive analytical ability and historical references. I wouldn't say that a liberal arts degree is the only way to acquire these skill sets but maturity and exposure can't hurt.

3) Cross that bridge when you come to it. You don't have to do it all consecutively. You can work for a while then go back for an advanced degree or a specialty degree.

4) Variable but some of the best known MArch programs are 3.0 to 3.5 years.