What classes should I take during high school years to be ready for Architecture major?

momrath
Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:24:30 +0000

@raprapra, I think you have to first take a step backwards and consider your degree objectives and your ability to finance them.

You can achieve a professional degree in architecture in two ways:

1. A Bachelor OF Architecture (BArch) which is a generally a 5.0 year professional degree
or

2. a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science IN Architecture, Architectural Studies or ANYTHING ELSE + a Master of Architecture (MArch) which is generally 4.0 years undergraduate + 2.0 to 3.5 years graduate school.

The BArch is faster and costs less, but is more intensive and narrowly focused; thus, to be admitted to a selective program you’ll need a solid foundation in studio art, especially drawing as @JustOneDad notes. Some BArch programs require that you submit a portfolio for admissions; some don’t.

I don’t think physics or calculus are required for BArch admissions (I may be mistaken here) but it wouldn’t hurt to have a grasp on these subjects prior to starting a BArch program.

The BS or BA + MArch, allows more flexibility. The BS is less intense than the BArch, but narrower than the BA. BS programs and admissions prerequisites vary widely from school to school, so you have to read the fine print.

In most cases if you’re aiming for a BA you won’t have to declare a major until your sophomore year. Your application would be considered the same as any other applicant’s, not specificall for architecture and wouldn’t require any architecture related prerequisites.

If you take the BA/BS route you would need to also complete the MArch in order to practice architecture. (This is true in most states; there are exceptions, but they’re complicated.) So if you target BA or BS programs you need to make sure to consider the additional cost of financing an MArch which can be considerable.

In addition to art studio, physics and calculus, I would also suggest that you try to take an art history course if your high school offers one. If it doesn’t then you should devote some energy educating yourself on architecture, architects, architectural history. In short: look at buildings, read about them, familiarize yourself with the work of prominent architects past and present.

A lot of architecture school consists of talking about architecture, both explaining your own work and critiquing your colleagues’. It’s helpful to have a basic architectural vocabulary and a comfort level with design abstraction. This is a tall order for many high school students, so if you’re considering plunging into the BArch, do yourself a favor and expose yourself to architectural theory.

Lastly, if you can, I’d suggest attending a summer Architectural Career Exploration session which several architecturel schools offer. This would help you make a decision on the degree that you want to pursue, help you develop a portfolio and help you get used to talking about architecture.