<p>how come you guys arent mentioning Cal Poly SLO? By many polls it is the #3 best architecture school in the nation behind Cornell and Syracuse</p>
<p>The [Interior</a> Design](<a href=“College of Creative Arts | Miami University”>College of Creative Arts | Miami University) portion of Miami University’s [Department</a> of Architecture and Interior Design](<a href=“College of Creative Arts | Miami University”>Dept. of Architecture and Interior Design | College of Creative Arts | Miami University) is a top 10 according to [Design</a> Intelligence](<a href=“Rankings and Recognition | Miami University”>Rankings and Recognition | Miami University). Students in both majors cross-pollinate and collaborate extensively.</p>
<p>Their [dedicated</a> facilities](<a href=“College of Creative Arts | Miami University”>http://arts.muohio.edu/architecture-interior-design/facilities) are top-notch along with the quality of the [students</a>’ designs](<a href=“College of Creative Arts | Miami University”>College of Creative Arts | Miami University). </p>
<p>Definitely a program that should be on anyone’s short list.</p>
<p>My friend goes to UofO for architecture and she said that it was listed as the number one architecture school.</p>
<p>You can’t go wrong with the top 20 listed in Design Intelligence</p>
<p>Cornell, Syracuse, CalPoly SLO, Virginia Tech are consistently at the top 5. I think the ranking is only a guidance, you have to see if the school fits you and what you want to do.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if University of Buffalo has a good Architecture program? I believe it is the only SUNY school in NY that has one.</p>
<p>Buffalo is the only SUNY school that has an accredited architecture program, but it’s a M.Arch. degree, not a B.Arch.</p>
<p>hahahaha SOCARCH, i find it oddly ironic that you’re bashing on a website called ARCHSOC.</p>
<p>One of the major flaws of the DI ranking system is that it favors larger programs. Calpoly SLO is a great school, but it also graduates a lot of students, and in turn the alumni pool for the DI survey is much larger than for smaller programs, like Carnegie Mellon–a fine program, but it only graduates about 30 to 40 b.arch students a year. Calpoly and CMU are both wonderful programs regardless of DesignIntelligence’s rankings. Just visit the schools and see what’s a better fit. So long as the program is accredited you have little to worry about other than the school being a good fit.</p>
<p>“In order to practice architecture, you need either a B.Arch or a M.Arch”</p>
<p>That’s not exactly true. In fact, a number of states let you take your exams without a degree in Architecture.</p>
<p>However, that does not mean you should not get a degree in Arch if you want to be an Architect. The fact is that there’s more than one route to being an Architect, as you partially pointed out in your post.</p>
<p>NYCHADesign: Unfortunately, most states (and certainly the most populous ones) now require a professional degree in architecture in order to take the exam. They have eliminated the “work for ten years and you can take the exam” option. So…best route is an accredited degree.</p>
<p>That said, there are three major routes to becoming a licensed architect. All three are equivalent in the profession, in my experience. There is no bias toward one route or another.</p>
<p>First and very important step, however, is to make sure the program you are considering is accredited by the NAAB (National Architecture Accreditation Board) [NAAB:</a> Home](<a href=“http://www.naab.org%5DNAAB:”>http://www.naab.org). If the program is not accredited, it will not “count” toward licensing. There’s an easy to use list of all programs around the country and in Canada on their website.</p>
<p>Then…the three routes:</p>
<p>Route 1: 5-year B.Arch. Also know an “undergrad architecture”. Program is very intense and focused. To go this route, you should be sure that architecture is what you want to do, since you don’t get many electives, and many of your credits won’t transfer to other majors if you decide to bail. Many of the schools that have a 5-yr. program require a portfolio, but not all. Because of the intensity of the program, they feel they need to see your commitment and potential talent. Examples of this type of program in the East: Cornell, Syracuse, Penn State, VT, RPI, CMU, Pratt.</p>
<p>Route 2: The “4+2” six-year route. This is the trend in architectural education, and many former 5-year programs have changed to this. You enter an accredited program with a “pre-professional” major in architecture. After 4 years, you get either a BS or BA. Then you enter a 2-year master’s program and emerge with an MArch. Counts the same as the BArch in Route 1. Examples include WUSTL, Ohio State, SUNY-Buffalo</p>
<p>Route 3: Standard Master’s…7 or 7-1/2 years. You get your undergrad degree in any major. Then you go to grad school for architecture, most of which are 3 or even 3-1/2 years. Examples include Yale, Columbia, Harvard.</p>
<p>There are advantages and disadvantages to each route, and the choice really depends on the individual student. But make sure you check the accreditation. It’s key.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^Just to add to ArchMom’s response. VT and PSU do not require a portfolio and if your GPA is greater than a 3.7 or 3.8, Pratt does not require a portfolio either.</p>
<p>Undergrad</p>
<p>1- Cornell / Syracuse
2- Calpoly / Virginia Tech
3- UVA / Texas / Rice / Cooper
4- Pratt / SCI-Arch / USC</p>
<p>Grad</p>
<p>1- Harvard
2- MIT / Columbia
3- Yale / UPenn / UC Berkeley / UCLA
4- Rice / Michigan
5- SCI- Arch / Pratt / Georgia Tech</p>
<p>don’t forget Carnegie Mellon</p>
<p>And don’t forget University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program. The co-op allows you to have 4 quarters working in professional environments to enhance your academics.</p>
<p>[Bachelor</a> of Science in Architecture](<a href=“http://www.daap.uc.edu/said/bsarch/]Bachelor”>http://www.daap.uc.edu/said/bsarch/)</p>
<p>It depends on what you want to focus on. I don’t see the point of the Design Intelligence rankings which tell you nothing about the programs other than how many people voted for their Alma Mater. Here’s a much more objective guide put out by Architect Magazine.</p>
<p>From the Arch Ed 2009 put out by Architecture Magazine.
Architecture Schools Guide 2009 - Education, Research - Architect Magazine
<a href=“http://www.architectmagazine.com/education/arch-ed-2009.aspx[/url]”>http://www.architectmagazine.com/education/arch-ed-2009.aspx</a></p>
<p>Schools that excel in practice:
Boston Architectural College
Drexel University
Northeastern University
Philadelphia University</p>
<p>Schools that excel in traditional architecture:
Andrews University
University of Miami
University of Nortre Dame</p>
<p>Schools that excel in Sustainable design:
California State Polytechnic University Pomona
University of Oregon
University of Texas Austin</p>
<p>Schools that excel in integration of city and landscape:
University of Florida
University of Maryland
Louisiana State University
Penn State
University of Utah
Woodbury University</p>
<p>Schools that excel in design build:
Auburn University
Louisiana Tech University
University of Kansas
UNC Charlotte
University of Washington</p>
<p>Schools that excel in community design:
Mississippi State University
Tulane University
University of Arkansas</p>
<p>Schools that excel in distinctive specialties:
Dury University
Miami University
FLW School of Architecture
Judson University
Texas A & M
UT Arlington
SIU, Carbondale
University of Hartford
University of Minnesota</p>
<p>Schools that excel in history and theory:
Rice University
University of Illinois, Chicago
U Penn
Yale</p>
<p>Schools that excel in global outlook:
Clemson
University of Southern California
Virginia Polytechnic Institute</p>
<p>Schools that excel in digital design and fabrication:
Ball State
SciArc
University of Michigan</p>
<p>Schools that excel in building construction and technology:
Georgia Tech
NYIT
Renssalaer Polytechnic
University of Illinois Champagne Urbana</p>
<p>Schools that excel in art college setting:
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Pratt Institute of Technology
Rhode Island School of Design</p>
<p>Syracuse University
Cornell University
Cooper Union (EXTREMELY difficult to get in)
Pratt Institute
RPI
Roger Williams
NYIT
Carnegie Mellon
Rhode Island School of Design
CUNY The City College of New York (Good and cheap!)</p>
<p>I’m attending Syracuse in the fall but these are all 5-year programs which I definitely reccommed. When I went to Syracuse’s Orientation the architecture program is extremely competative and takes a lot of energy to be a part of but definitely rewarding. Just make sure your portfolio is creative and interesting (arch schools go really hard on porfolios)</p>
<p>What a great article, mrsleonore!</p>
<p>penn state has a great 5 year program. dont knock it!</p>
<p>I’m going to Oklahoma State’s Arch school this fall, and I always hear about how great it is, but I never hear about it in the forums. Anybody have an opinion on the school?</p>
<p>Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo has an amazing architectural program. It’s ranked 3rd in the nation. I want to be an architect too, and I would love to go there, but I’ve grown up here in SLO and I know I should go somewhere else for college. From living here though, I’ve been exposed to the program; there’s this huge hill in Poly Canyon where students have built experimental structures and many of them are really amazing. I know some people working on their B.Arch there too, and they all love the program and say that the instructors are awesome.</p>
<p>Also - SLO is beautiful! It’s the perfect college town. If I didn’t grow up here, Cal Poly would be my first choice for sure.</p>