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01-11-2008, 01:29 PM
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#1 | | Member
Join Date: May 2005
Threads: 182
Posts: 661
| how many ppl here are switchnig majors to architecture?
I am a second year civil eng student with very good GPA...i can handle all the math/phy. But last summer I looked into architecture and became really passionate about it since then. Now I am considering a switch to B.Sc in Arch which will take additional 3 years to complete. (followed by a 1.5 yr professional M.Arch )
Can anyone offer some advices (in terms of job securities, flexibility?)? I know that you should study what you like. But the thing is I am sure I will be a top student in civil, I wonder if I can achieve the same level in arch. | 
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05-02-2008, 08:51 PM
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#2 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Threads: 0
Posts: 34
| personally, I wouldn't give up civil engineering for architecture - especially if you are strong in math/phys. | |
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05-02-2008, 10:22 PM
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#3 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Threads: 15
Posts: 159
| Are you passionate about design? Is it something that you think about all the time? Do you constantly wonder how something was created and how you might incorporate those ideas into a project? Do you think about ideas instead of just solutions? If you understand these questions, then architecture might be for you. If not, stay with engineering.
Demographics might make the future of architecture more secure than it has been in the past but my experience (I am in my 50s) is that there is greater job stability in engineering than architecture. | |
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05-03-2008, 11:42 AM
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#4 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Threads: 0
Posts: 34
| Hi Alanarch - I am abit younger than you (not much, though!) but I was wondering how you did during the last recession. As you read in my other post my career never took off and died as about 1/3 of our state's architectural jobs (MD) were never recovered after the recession.
I still remain passionate about design, though, and architecture will always be in my blood but I make my money from other related fields. At the time, though as a young college student, there was no-one who could have made me give up architecture! | |
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05-03-2008, 12:51 PM
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#5 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Threads: 15
Posts: 159
| Joix, rather than bore others with details, I will PM you. | |
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05-03-2008, 03:24 PM
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#6 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Threads: 0
Posts: 34
| thanks. received! | |
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05-03-2008, 05:24 PM
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#7 | | Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Threads: 6
Posts: 419
| my take on architecture job stability is pretty optimistic...many firms in the US aren't affected by the recession (in fact a lot are hiring and most grads here are doing better than the business grads) because many firms have globalized and have projects elsewhere. if you look at developing countries in china or dubai, or elsewhere, there is growing need for architects. | |
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05-06-2008, 01:13 AM
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#8 | | New Member
Join Date: May 2008
Threads: 0
Posts: 5
| I suggest you stick to Engineering as well.
This is a better route, which I should/will take. If you have a strong GPA and can handle the engineering than stick to it. The job is more stable and if you still want to pursue architecture, then apply for the M.arch I. You don't need an architectural undergraduate degree to get into a M.arch program. Here in UCLA,I know someone who was a physics major from CSU long Beach and is now in the M.arch I program.
I am trying to actually switch over to engineering now. There's too many negatives that deters me away from architecture. Salary, stability, the work load is crazy, etc. etc. I guess I am not as passionate as I thought I would be, but maybe in the future I will come back to it. As for now, I am still in the program, but I have lost many interest in it. I am actually more focused in my math courses and science courses. | |
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05-06-2008, 10:00 AM
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#9 | | Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Threads: 6
Posts: 419
| i would be careful about going to engineering. engineering isn't easy either and if you don't have the passion for it you'll end up switching into business. engineering may be more stable but if you're good in architecture i don't think you'll have that much of a problem. starting salaries in architecture may be better in some engineering fields also (like civil engineering). interns at SOM these days are getting 45k after getting out of school, which is pretty average for any engineer starting out | |
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05-06-2008, 10:09 AM
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#10 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Threads: 4
Posts: 100
| There was actually an article on average salaries for a struc engineer, arch, interior des, landscape des etc with 1 to 10 (or more) years of experience. Check out Arch Record April iss. | |
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05-06-2008, 05:38 PM
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#11 | | New Member
Join Date: May 2008
Threads: 0
Posts: 5
| do you mind posting the salaries?
this is a really big thing for me.
so_ein_quatsch,
are you talking about this issue, https://m1.buysub.com/webapp/wcs/sto...tegoryId=60287
Last edited by vyan2 : 05-06-2008 at 05:44 PM.
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