Architecture at Stanford?

phantasmagoric
Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:59:36 +0000

Most undergrad arch programs aren’t ABET-accredited, and such is considered to be “unprestigious” by most top schools; they instead give you the first four years of study, which prepares you very well for a master’s program. For the same reason, schools like Stanford, Harvard, etc. do not offer undergrad business degrees: it’s too professional and is considered to be the sort of thing that only lower-ranked schools offer. (MIT’s emphasis on professional preparation explains why it offers undergrad business.)

Another reason is that it’s just not practical to fit the undergrad requirements + undergrad arch studies + accreditation courses all into four years. Typically a master’s arch program is up to 3 years, in addition to a few years in an internship, and requires passing an exam. It’s structurally very similar to medicine and law, which of course don’t have undergrad degrees either. Instead you major in something like biology or English, which prepares you well for those studies.