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Best Colleges for Architecture

Before you get the chance to live out your dream of designing a signature skyscraper, brand-new museum, or eco-friendly luxury home, four years of study sit before you. Selecting one of the best colleges for architecture is important both for the knowledge and skills you emerge with as well as for the industry connections you will possess upon graduation. Whether you want to work for a billion-dollar firm like Gensler or a boutique firm, the schools below regularly produce quality architects and are respected across the industry. It’s important to remember that the colleges below require the submission of a portfolio as well as strong grades and test scores.

Click the links below for more information about each college’s architecture program. Click here to read our methodology.

1) Cooper Union

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 15
  • The five-year professional program includes a wide range of required and elective courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences as well as elective opportunities in the Schools of Art and Engineering.
  • There are 7 esteemed full-time faculty members in this department.

2) Princeton University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 16
  • Undergraduate courses include Geometry and Architectural Representation, Structures and the Urban Environment, and Materials in Civil Engineering.
  • There are two student-run publications within the School of Architecture.

3) Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 10
  • There are five “Groups” within the department: Architecture and Urbanism, Art Culture + Technology, Building Technology, Computation, and History Theory + Criticism.
  • Faculty members come from a “broad range of academic backgrounds as well as practice and research interests.”

4) Rhode Island School of Design

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 33
  • One of the best colleges for architecture, this program is nationally accredited (NAAB) and internationally recognized.
  • Coursework includes multiple courses in Drawing and Design as well as directed research or a thesis seminar for fifth-year students.

5) University of Southern California

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 9
  • USC offers a bachelor’s degree in architecture as well Architecture + Inventive Studies, Geodesign, and Architectural Studies.
  • Numerous opportunities for undergraduate research exist within this program.

6) Virginia Tech

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: N/A
  • This NAAB-Accredited five-year program is STEM-designated.
  • The Center for Design Research (CDR) offers plenty of chances of undergrads to get connected to design research.

7) Cornell University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: N/A
  • Students take one-quarter of courses at colleges in Cornell outside of Architecture, Art, and Planning.
  • Ten semesters of design studio are required as part of this five-year program.

8) Syracuse University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: N/A
  • Five-year BArch degree culminates with a specialized design research project.
  • Samples of student work give you a sense of the ability level of this talented student body.

9) Yale University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 22
  • This is a liberal arts program that does not fulfill the requirements for professional licensure.
  • There are three areas of concentration available: Design; History, Theory, and Criticism; and Urbanism.

10) University of Virginia

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 63
  • A number of intriguing Advanced Research Studio courses are offered each semester.
  • The BS in Architecture is a 4-year program with a Pre-Professional or Design Thinking pathway.

11) Columbia University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 17
  • This department is shared by Columbia and Barnard College and the School of General Studies. Any student in any of these three colleges may declare an Architecture major.
  • Staffed by six full-time professors and a number of adjunct faculty.

12) Carnegie Mellon University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 11
  • Students can pursue a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) or Bachelor of Arts in Architecture. The first is a 5-year degree and the latter is a 4-year program.
  • Study abroad programs are strongly encouraged for all undergraduates.

13) University of Notre Dame

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 36
  • Undergrads assist in research on topics such as: Urbanism & Housing, Technology & Visualization, Health and Sustainable Built Environment, History & Theory, and Sacred Architecture.
  • Students select one of three concentrations: Architectural Practice and Enterprise, Furniture Design, and Preservation and Restoration.

14) University of Pennsylvania

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 16
  • Three areas of concentration are available for undergraduate architecture students: Design, History & Theory, and Intensive Design.
  • Penn’s program was established in 2000 to offer a B.A. program within the College of Arts & Sciences.

15) Rice University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 21
  • The undergraduate program consists of two consecutive degrees: the first four years of study result in a BA in Architecture; “students subsequently receive a Bachelor of Architecture professional degree after an additional two years of study.”
  • The Preceptor Program places students in leading firms around the world for a phenomenal 9-month internship experience.

16) University of Michigan

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 70
  • Taubman College, one of the best colleges for architecture, boasts a 32,000-square-foot design studio and digital fabrication laboratory.
  • This is a 4-year degree program from which many undergrads go on to earn advanced degrees and professional certification.

17) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 42
  • The five-year undergraduate program is a professional degree that is NAAB-certified.
  • The AWAY experience is a signature component of an RPI architecture program.

18) University of Cincinnati

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 82
  • Students engage in several co-op semesters, working full-time in architecture firms.
  • Features many labs, centers, and initiatives that support research and hands-on learning.

19) University of Texas at Austin

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 45
  • UT Austin offers two undergraduate degrees: a professional five-year degree and a pre-professional four-year degree.
  • There are also two joint-degree programs: the Bachelor of Architecture / Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering, sponsored jointly with the Cockrell School of Engineering, and the Bachelor of Architecture / Plan II Honors.

20) Middlebury College

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 14
  • There are more than a dozen professors presently teaching in this department.
  • Some students earn a dual degree in Architecture and Environmental Studies.

21) University of California, Berkeley

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 97
  • In spring semester of junior year, students choose either a Design Research Track or Studio Track.
  • A large and well-staffed department offers a number of fascinating electives each semester.

22) Brown University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 12
  • Requirements for this concertation include Design Studio, 4 History of Art courses, 2 Practice courses, and a Capstone course.
  • Students completing the concentration at Brown will be fully ready to enter graduate school programs in architecture, architectural history, or design.

23) University of Florida

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 88
  • Bachelor of Design in Architecture is a 4-year pre-professional degree that prepares students for a master’s program.
  • Students have access to research centers such as the Center for Hydro-generated Urbanism.

24) University of Maryland

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 87
  • Students can pick from a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture that is a 4-year degree or a Bachelor of Science that is an accelerated program designed to dovetail into a Master of Architecture degree.
  • Numerous student abroad programs are on the menu for Terrapin undergrads.

25) Texas A&M University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 114
  • One the largest programs among the best colleges for architecture, A&M offers a major or minor option in the discipline.
  • Other relevant options include Interior Design, Historic Preservation, Architectural History, and Urban Design.

26) Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 32
  • Tech’s program is a 4-year pre-professional degree that prepares you for graduate study.
  • Undergrads complete coursework in architectural history, theory, building systems, media & modeling, and design.

27) Penn State University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 30
  • The B.Arch from Penn State is a 5-year professional program.
  • Coursework includes Design, Visual Communications, Structural Systems, and Technical Systems.

28) Washington University in St. Louis

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 13
  • The program is centered on four areas: discipline-based design practice, technology and the arts, social engagement, and resilient cities.
  • Offers a BS and BA in architecture—both are 4-year programs.

29) University of Minnesota

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 106
  • Can choose from a Bachelor of Science in Architecture or a Bachelor of Design in Architecture.
  • Multiple opportunities for hands-on work with faculty including through the Center for Sustainable Building Research.

30) University of California, Los Angeles

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 22
  • The Architectural Studies (B.A.) program is a two-year major that begins in the junior year of residence.
  • Three areas of academic focus are: critical studies, technology and design.

31) North Carolina State University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 30
  • NC State offers a 4-year pre-professional degree and a 5-year B.Arch degree option.
  • Numerous studio courses allow students to gain hands-on experience.

32) Ohio State University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 87
  • OSU offers a pre-professional Bachelor of Science in architecture.
  • Studio courses enroll just 12-15 students.

33) Wellesley College

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 3
  • Recommended courses include offerings in Art History, Studio Art, Math, Physics, and Architecture Design.
  • Seniors meeting certain criteria can complete an Honors Thesis.

34) Clemson University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 75
  • Clemson’s Fluid Campus offers study in Charleston, SC; Genoa, Italy; and Barcelona, Spain.
  • Most students pursue a master’s in architecture after completing this 4-year degree.

35) Northeastern University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 33
  • The department offers 100 co-op opportunities per semester and 5 international locations.
  • There are 6 relevant student-run organizations to join at NU.

36) University of Washington

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 64
  • The BA in Architecture is a 4-year degree that offers limited freshman admission.
  • Impressive samples of student work can be found here.

37) Tufts University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 8
  • Capstone during senior year can be either an independent research project or an internship in a professional setting.
  • Degree options include a BA in History of Art and Architecture, BA in Architectural Studies, or a Joint BSE in Architectural Studies.

38) Tulane University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 21
  • NAAB accredited five-year B.Arch program includes a liberal arts component.
  • Transfer students can take an intensive summer program to make up the first year of required coursework.

39) Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 31
  • Accredited by the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB), this is a five-year “first professional degree” program, a prerequisite for becoming a licensed architect in most states.
  • Plenty of Co-op opportunities are available for Cal Poly architecture students.

40) University of Oregon

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 53
  • Oregon offers a 5-year professional undergraduate program and you receive a STEM-designated degree.
  • All undergrads complete 64 credits worth of studio courses.

41) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: N/A
  • Students choose between a 4-year degree program or a minor in Architectural Studies.
  • International programs in a variety of locations are available.

42) University of Wisconsin – Madison

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 95
  • The Interior Architecture BS degree has Council for Interior Design accreditation.
  • Most graduates go directly into the working world.

43) Drexel University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 33
  • Arch degree is NAAB-accredited.
  • Study abroad locales include Korea, Italy, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Sydney.

44) University of Illinois at Chicago

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 69
  • Can select a 4-year BSArch pre-professional degree or a 2-year BA program.
  • The mission is to prepare undergrads to “think, negotiate, and collaborate through all genres of design; to direct diverse project teams; and to generate design artifacts and arguments with a contemporary cultural and disciplinary resonance.”

45) University of Miami

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: N/A
  • UMiami’s undergraduate degree is a 5-year accredited, professional program.
  • Multiple avenues for hands-on learning exist in this department.

46) University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: N/A
  • Two concentrations are available: Architecture Studies or Design Studies.
  • The architecture degree is a 4-year program that prepares undergrads to enter grad school.

47) Illinois Institute of Technology

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 3
  • IIT’s B.Arch. program is a five-year undergraduate degree accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
  • Specializations are available in Landscape Architecture, Digital Design,. Design/Build, or Architectural History & Theory.

48) Temple University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: N/A
  • The program is housed in a 50,000-square-foot, four-story building with expansive design studios.
  • The BS in Architecture is a pre-professional four-year degree but can be combined with a master’s degree as part of a 4+1 or 4+2 track.

49) Auburn University

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 63
  • The professional Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.) is a fully accredited 5-year program by the NAAB.
  • Click here for a sampling of student-run organizations in this discipline.

50) Cal Poly Pomona

  • Number of degrees awarded per year: 88
  • This is a five-year curriculum that focuses on the design laboratory.
  • This program includes an internship requirement.

Best Colleges for Architecture – Additional Resources

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Architecture to be helpful. Students interested in architecture may also wish to explore related top colleges lists such as:

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