| One thing I disagree with Cheers about is that she says that a BA in Architecture is not equivalent to pre-med. But in some ways, it is. Both are courses laying the groundwork and prerequisites for professional study in their respective fields, as opposed to entering a professional graduate program with NO background in the field. A BA in Arch involves study of arch history, design, math, physics, studio art, computer rendering, environmental science, and so on just like pre-med has courses that are building a background for further professional study. In fact, a BA in Arch is often termed "Pre-Architecture." When my D was studying arch abroad, for example, in Syracuse's Pre-Architecture (actually called this) program, they indeed were doing design studio, arch drawing, arch history, etc. This is not the same as NO background in the field and only studying English, Psych, and French, for example. Nobody said it was anything like a BArch....it isn't. But it is akin to pre-med.....it is even more than pre-med because with pre-med, that is not even a major/concentration, but just some prerequisite classes. Pre-Arch in a BA in Architecture program is a major concentration in this subject and pre-training/background to professional training in a MArch program. So, I am not clear why you say it is not like pre-med. It is more like pre-med is to med school than studying English is to graduate Arch school.
People don't choose a BA because it is "better" than a BArch. There are other very good concrete reasons to elect this path. It is not meant to be the same path. But it is a viable one and is an option for those who don't want to commit to a major at age 17 that they haven't yet experienced, do not want to devote 3/4's of their undergraduate coursework to, who want breadth in their undergraduate education, etc. |