Prospective Architecture major (future transfer) In need of desperate help

booiiboot · 10-25-2009, 12:25 AM

I'm currently attending a junior college for my first two years in southern California. I chose architecture as my major because and am currently taking intro classes in it, and I enjoy it and find it interesting.

I'm having many problems as I search for schools for transferring to in the near future. There are a few accredited NAAB programs in California, and I'm having trouble deciding things. Should I do go into a non accredited 4-yr architecture program and then do my (accredited) masters? In the same school? I want to go to UC Berkeley but I'm afraid I won't get in, and if I do get in I have to do a masters, so total of 5-6 years at the least. I wouldn't mind going to CP SLO, that's my second choice (currently). I'm skeptical about going to an out of state by I'm willing to consider it. I keep hearing bad things about art schools for architecture, and just art schools in general.

I'm also thinking about majoring in something similar to architecture (civil engineering?) and then getting my masters in architecture.

Another problem, I don't know if I want to do architecture anymore. I like it, but it seems so hard. Just getting into a school for example seems so overwhelming. And what about when I finally do get in? Of course, I hear the stories about living in the studios working on projects. I want to have a social life, and a life for that matter! I don't know if I'm up for all this stress. Is it worth it?? Are the rumors true?

Can someone help me out here, especially if you have gone through an architecture program already, or currently? Thanks

booiiboot · 10-25-2009, 08:59 PM

anyone? bbumpp..

jay001 · 10-30-2009, 01:57 PM

there you go :

California College of the Arts School of Architecture
California College of the Arts (CCA)

1111 Eighth Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
415.703.9516 (tel)
415.703.9524 (fax)

Contact Information
Ila Berman
Director

Accreditation Information
Degree 2. Master of Architecture
Track M. Arch. (Undergraduate degree + 90 graduate credit hours)
Next Visit 2011
History Accredited since January 1, 2008.

Degree 1. Bachelor of Architecture
Track B. Arch. (162 undergraduate credit hours)
Next Visit 2011
History Accredited since 1992.

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Architecture Department
Architecture Department - Cal Poly

San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
805.756.1316 (tel)
805.756.1500 (fax)

Contact Information
Henri T. de Hahn
Architecture Department Head

Accreditation Information
Degree 1. Bachelor of Architecture
Track B. Arch. (5 years)
Next Visit 2011
History Accredited 1966/67 through 1976/77; and since 1980/81.

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Department of Architecture
department of architecture

3801 West Temple Avenue, Building 7
Pomona, CA 91768-4048
909.869.2683 (tel)
909.869.4331 (fax)

Contact Information
Judith Sheine
Chair

Accreditation Information
Degree 2. Master of Architecture
Track M. Arch. (Undergraduate degree + 160 graduate quarter credit hours)
Next Visit 2014
History Accredited since 1978/79.

Degree 1. Bachelor of Architecture
Track B. Arch. (246 quarter undergraduate credit hours)
Next Visit 2014
History Accredited since 1981/82.

NewSchool of Architecture and Design Architecture College :: NewSchool of Architecture and Design :: San Diego Ca

1249 F Street
San Diego, CA 92101-6634
619.684.8777 (tel)
619.235.9893 (fax)

Contact Information
Steve Altman, Ph. D.
President

Accreditation Information
Degree 2. Master of Architecture
Track M. Arch. (Pre-professional degree + 45 graduate quarter credit hours + 5 years professional experience + architecture license)
Next Visit 2010
History Accredited since 1998.

Track M. Arch. (Pre-professional degree + 90 graduate quarter credit hours)
Next Visit 2010
History Accredited since 1998.

Track M. Arch. (Undergraduate degree + 135 graduate quarter credit hours)
Next Visit 2010
History Accredited since 1998.

Degree 1. Bachelor of Architecture
Track B. Arch. (235 quarter undergraduate credit hours)
Next Visit 2010
History Accredited since 1998.

Southern California Institute of Architecture Southern California Institute of Architecture

Freight Depot
960 E Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213.613.2200 (tel)
213.613.2260 (fax)

Contact Information
Eric Owen Moss, FAIA
Director

Accreditation Information
Degree 2. Master of Architecture
Track M. Arch. (Pre-professional degree + 2.5 years)
Next Visit 2012
History Accredited since 1980/81.

Track M. Arch (Undergraduate degree + 3 1/2 years)
Next Visit 2012
History Accredited since 1980/81.

Degree 1. Bachelor of Architecture
Track B. Arch. (5 years)
Next Visit 2012
History Accredited since 1977/78.

University of Southern California School of Architecture
Home

School of Architecture
Watt Hall 204
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0291
213.740.2083 (tel)
213.740.8884 (fax)

Contact Information
Qingyun Ma
Dean

Accreditation Information
Degree 2. Master of Architecture
Track M. Arch. (Pre-professional degree + 2 years)
Next Visit 2011
History Accredited from 1972/73 through 1985; and since 2002.

Degree 1. Bachelor of Architecture
Track B. Arch. (160 undergraduate credit hours)
Next Visit 2013
History Accredited from 1945/46 through 1971/72; and since 1978/79.

Woodbury University School of Architecture
Woodbury - Woodbury University

7500 Glenoaks Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91510-7846
818.252.5121 (tel)
818.504.9320 (fax)

Contact Information
Norman Millar, AIA
Dean

Accreditation Information
Degree 1. Bachelor of Architecture
Track B. Arch. (160 undergraduate credit hours)
Next Visit 2014
History Accredited since January 1, 1994

booiiboot · 11-01-2009, 03:08 AM

I'm so lazy? Dude you just gave me a bunch of coppy+paste info i already have. thanks for the effort though.

Lakemom · 11-11-2009, 07:20 AM

Booiiboot. In Calif, your best bet for what it sounds like you are having ambivalence about is USC. Non art school, academically sound, varieties of other majors and from what I read a colaborative effect between Arch students and Eng students. However, it is a tough school to get in but probably not as hard as UCB or UCLA. If you switch to engineering it opens up most all of the other UCs with Riverside probably being the easiest to get in.

I believe architecture is moving away from the 5 yr BS programs so yes, you can go to a 4 yr non accred and then it is only 2 more years for your MACH from an accredited school ie Berkeley, UCLA, USC. As long as you major in a 4 yr Arch studies or Envirn design you will only need the 2 yr MACH. If you do a different 4 yr major, then you need a 3 year MACH. Regardless you still need 3 years intership after you graduate to be licensed. So 4+2+3=9 years. 8 with the 5yr BACH.

If you are leaning away from Arch but to engineering, then there is Architectural engineering. CSLO has a program in that and there are about 13 other schools that do as well outside CA, Univ of Boulder is your next closest state. Mind you after you get a BS in engineering either in 4 or 5 years you need to work for 4 years before you can be a licensed Engineer so you still have 9 years to go.

The days are gone that a 4 year BS degree alone can launch you into a career, every field prefers Master degrees. If you are unsure if you want to be an architect go for the 4 year Arch studies degree and get a MS in business, law, management, marketing or construction.

To be an engineer, you need more math, physics and chemistry than an arch so spend your time buffing up your math. Hope this helps.

so_ein_quatsch · 11-11-2009, 10:20 AM

If you did try to transfer to SLO, would you know which year you'd place into? And have you been taking a full architecture course load at your current JC?
Since you are really expressing some doubts as to whether arch. school really is for you, perhaps a 4-year would fit you better. This way, you'll at least have to leeway to take some anthro., art &c. courses.
If you're really feeling overwhelmed about studio work, do you think it's necessary to think that you 'have to do a masters"? An M.Arch has a more strenuous workload, but if you're willing to do all this to become an architect, then go for it. In the mean time, try to get some internships at arch. firms; see if you'll enjoy working in that type of environment.

Just a side note: why is Berk your 1st choice? It's brutally cut-throat! Why not go down to LA or SD?

Lakemom · 11-14-2009, 11:54 AM

UCB is definitly the hardest UC to get into and I agree with so_ein_quatsch. I don't know what the Arch program is like but at UCSC chemistry lab (where i went) , students who had transferred from UCB said how refreshing it was that we helped each other. At UCB, no one helped each for fear it would lower their lab grade.