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Program Details

Graduate Program: Architecture (MAR)

General Information

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Program/Degree
Architecture (MAR)  
Program Description

CAPLA’s flexible two- or three-year Master of Architecture is a NAAB accredited, professional STEM degree devoted to the education of tomorrow’s leading architects. Our M Arch combines place-based design honed in the extreme climate and exquisite landscape of the Sonoran desert with cutting-edge material and environmental research, all delivered through hands-on learning. As an M Arch student, you will acquire a portable design sensibility, empowering you to develop critical modes of practice, regardless of where or how you practice. In the M Arch, you will learn:

• How to design for climate and place

• Techniques, both digital and analog, for design representation and exploration

• Architectural history and theory

• Passive and active building technologies

• Digital fabrication and other advanced technologies

• How design should respond to materials, fabrication, and construction

• The impact of sociocultural factors on design

• How to present your work visually, verbally, and materially

• How to collaborate

• Professional practices and ethics

• Social justice and design for all You will graduate ready to thrive in a profession of increasing importance that is taking on climate change, growing urban populations, water scarcity and a post-pandemic world.

 
Department/Academic Unit(s)

School of Architecture

We learn by doing.

The School of Architecture is devoted to a professional education with a sensibility honed by the conditions of an extreme climate. In our Sonoran Desert setting we teach students to design for extreme conditions in accordance with principles of sustainability. Students and researchers then build on that knowledge in application to other climates.

Our students learn by doing. From building and breaking model structures to develop an understanding of building physics to design-build studios in which students build furniture, shelters, and small buildings, learners thrive in this hands-on environment. Students grow in ways that prepare them for the later challenges of professional practice in an ever-changing built environment.

Career paths our graduates have taken include:

  • Architecture
  • Art and visual communication
  • Conservation
  • Engineering
  • Interior and spatial design
  • Construction and fabrication
  • Project management
  • Software design and development
  • Theatre, film, and television production design

 

 
College

College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture

 
Campus where offered

University of Arizona - Main - Tucson

 
Contacts
Admissions Contact
Gretchen Luhr
520-621-6751
Graduate Program Coordinator
Gretchen Luhr
520-621-6751
Director of Graduate Studies
Christopher D Trumble
520-621-6741
Graduate College Degree Counselor
Kristi Davenport
520-626-1930
 
Tuition and Fees
Please refer to the UA Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees Calculator for up-to-date information about tuition and fees. 
Please refer to the UA Registrar's's Office Special Course Fees for up-to-date information about special course fees. 

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

Application Requirements

Prospective students are required to submit application materials directly to the University of Arizona Graduate College. Please pay careful attention to the procedures described in the online application portal. You can access the online application system as many times as necessary to prepare your application up until the time you formally submit your materials. Applications will not be reviewed until all materials have been received.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required to apply.

All applicants must upload the following documents using PDF format:

  • Personal Statement: You will be required to submit a Statement of Purpose, clearly and concisely delineating your focus or interest, special aptitude or personal characteristics and any other relevant factors related to your career aspirations in the profession of architecture. Additionally, discuss your reasons for applying to the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture and the University of Arizona.
  • Portfolio: Things you may want to illustrate in your portfolio could include 1) creative and/or utilitarian personal projects: crafts, furniture, home additions, creative/technical writing, pastries or drawings/illustrations, etc., and 2) academic or professional projects that exhibit technical, aesthetic or social experiences. Technical drawings are a plus; preferably drawn with a sensitive hand/eye rather than dry quantitative color-coded line weights (showing architectural potential beyond engineering experience).
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae: You will be asked to provide a biographical profile/resume including a complete record of academic and professional work.
  • Letters of Recommendation: You will be asked to provide the names and contact information (email address) of three persons who can comprehensively evaluate your record and potential for success in the graduate program. A combination of academic and professional recommendations is preferred. As soon as you have entered this information, an automatic email message will be sent to your recommender, explaining what is required and giving him/her instructions on how to log in on our website. On the recommendations site they will be asked to complete a form and will also be able to upload a PDF copy of the letter or enter a supplemental text directly into the application.
  • Transcripts: One complete set of official college transcripts for all prior undergraduate and graduate coursework (diplomas, titulos). If these original documents are not in English, an official English translation must also be included. Submit these documents directly from the issuing institution to the Graduate College Online Application system. An official transcript, at minimum, must be submitted for ALL institutions attended, before the application will be accepted as completed and allow the review process to proceed.

International students must also provide:

  • Financial Guarantee: Applicants must submit a Financial Guarantee form certifying they have sufficient U.S. funds for their first year of education. If family members are to accompany the student, additional funds are required. If the student receives a fellowship or an assistantship, the amount of the award will constitute part of the financial guarantee.
  • Proof of English Language Proficiency: TOEFL scores are required of applicants who speak English as a second language unless they have completed at least two years of full time academic study in the United States, English-speaking Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand or other official English speaking countries at an accredited institution, culminating in the receipt of a bachelors or graduate degree that is awarded within two years of the term of enrollment.
  • Students must have 48 graded semester hours of upper division, undergraduate work or 30 graded semester hours of graduate work. If the student has been residing outside the English speaking country for more than 2 years since completing studies and earning a degree, he or she will be required to submit current TOEFL or IELTS scores as part of the admissions process. TOEFL results are valid for two years only.
  • Only scores of 79 or greater on the TOEFL (with a minimum score of 26 required for the Speaking section) and 7 or greater on the ILETS are acceptable. The Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) at The University of Arizona offers full-time English-language training for students who have not attained an acceptable score on their TOEFL.

Official transcripts may be mailed to:

CAPLA Graduate Programs Office
University of Arizona
1040 N. Olive
Tucson, AZ 85721

http://capla.arizona.edu/

 

 
Standardized Tests

Minimum TOEFL: 79
Minimum IELTS: 7

Required test(s): N/A
Required GRE Subject tests: N/A
Recommended tests: N/A
Recommended GRE Subject tests: N/A
Minimum GRE Verbal: N/A
Minimum GRE Quantitative: N/A
Minumum GRE Written: N/A
Minimum GMAT: N/A
Minimum MAT: N/A
 

 
Funding Opportunities

Financial aid is available to qualified students based on the program, by review of portfolio, supplemental application materials, merit, and financial need. Many of our students receive some form of financial aid excluding loans.

  • The program provides financial support to offset tuition for its students in the form of: Graduate Tuition Waivers; Fellowship Funds; Program Fee Set Aside Funds; Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantships; Program level scholarships; Graduate Access Fellowships; Qualified Tuition Reduction (QTR) Waivers for UA employees and affiliates; and student travel support offered by the program.
  • The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) allows residents of fifteen participating western states to enroll in this participating University of Arizona graduate program and pay Arizona resident tuition rates. To be eligible, students must be admitted and enroll in a participating program, maintain residency in a participating WRGP state as well as apply with and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher. WRGP Arizona resident tuition pricing does not include fees, which are not discounted through WRGP. See https://grad.arizona.edu/funding/opportunities/western-regional-graduate-program for more information. Student will need to provide proof of residency upon acceptance of financial offer.
  • The University of Arizona and the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture have an array of scholarships available to qualified students. Awards are based on need, merit, program, class year, and/or other specifications. Students can apply for additional scholarships through Scholarship Universe (https://financialaid.arizona.edu/scholarshipuniverse). Admitted students will be notified of the opportunity to apply through Scholarship Universe.

Applicants are eligible to apply for federal financial aid through Free Application Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Please visit the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (https://financialaid.arizona.edu) for more information.

 
Admissions Deadlines

FALL 2022

(ALL M. Arch applicants MUST apply for SUMMER 2022, upon application review the faculty will determine your admission into the M. Arch II or M. Arch II track)

Check our website for deadlines. 

International Conditional Admission

International applicants may be considered for conditional admission to this program at the department's discretion. See http://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/types/international-admission-types#intl-conditional for more information.

**For M Arch II applicants you must have completed a prior design degree or BS/BA in Architecture or related field. All applicants are suject to review and recommendation for 3 year programs regaurless of degree and/or experience. 

The M. Arch program only admits students for Summer/Fall terms.

 
International Conditional Admission

International applicants may be considered for conditional admission to this program at the department's discretion.

Other Information
The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

61 

Core Coursework Requirements

Minimum credits: 61 (M Arch II) - (*=courses required for M Arch II)

                                 94 (M Arch III)

 

Immersion Studios:

ARC 509a Advanced Immersion Studio – Not required for all admits, (4 units)*

ARC 509b Advanced Immersion Seminar – Not required for all admits, (3 units)*

ARC 510a Immersion Studio I: Space + Composition, (4 units)

ARC 540a Design Communications I, (3 units)

 

Core Coursework/Studios:

ARC 510b Immersion Studio II: Tectonic (6 units)

ARC 521a Integrated Technologies I (3 units)

ARC 531 History + Theory I (4 units)

ARC 540b Design Communications 2 (3 units)

ARC 510c Immersion Studio III: Land Ethic (6 units)

ARC 521b Integrated Technologies II (3 units)

ARC 526 Site Analysis & Planning (2 units)

ARC 527 Architectural Programming (1 units)

-OR- ARC 525 Site Analysis & Planning + Architectural Programming (3 units)

ARC 532 History + Theory II (2 units)

ARC 510d Comprehensive Studio 1: Dwelling or Institutional (6 units)*

ARC 521c, Integrated Technologies III (3 units)*

ARC 533 History + Theory III (4 units)*

ARC 540c Design Communications 3 (3 units)*

ARC 510e Comprehensive Studio 2: Assembly (6 units)*

ARC 521d Integrated Technologies IV (3 units)*

ARC 541 Contract Documents (3 units)*

ARC 510f Options Studio II (6 units)*

ARC 909 Master’s Project Prep (3 units)*

ARC 909 Master’s Project (6 units)*

ARC 550c Ethics and Practice (4 units)*

 

Upon admission to the program, students may demonstrate competency through coursework in an undergraduate related degree such as a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA), Bachelor of Architectural Engineering or Bachelor of Arts or Science in Architecture (BA or BS Arch) or Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch). Courses can be reviewed for comparative competencies in one of our master level courses by reviewing samples of work, projects or references along with passing scores of A or B.

 

 
Elective Coursework

History + Theory: Technical Elective (3 units)

Integrated Technologies: Technical Elective (3 units)

 

Graduate Level Elective (3 courses = to 9 credit hours)

 

Suggested Electives:

ARC 561d Computer Energy Analysis

ARC 561i Materials: Properties + Tests

ARC 571n Arid Region Urbanism: Arizona/Sonora

ARC 593 Internship (1-3 units, up to 6 units may apply towards elective requirements)

ARC 596b (H/T Elective) The Architecture of International Exposition: Envisioning Healthy Designs for Expo 2027

ARC 596b (H/T Elective) Contemporary Urbanity and Public Space

ARC 597a Research Methods (LAR/PLG 597a)

ARC 597b Special Topics in Architecture Environmental Science Laboratory

ARC 597d Practice Elective: Reading Architecture

ARC 597k The Portfolio: Advanced Graphics, Presentation, Layout and Design

ARC 561a Water Efficiency in Buildings

ARC 597b (001) Health and Wellbeing in the Built Environment

ARC 596d Social Behavioral Issues in Built Environments

ARC 596b (002) (H/T Elective) Trans Journal

ARC 535 Forms of Critical Inquiry and Expression

ARC 599 Independent Study (1-9 units may be taken as Independent Study, to apply towards elective requirements)

 

(Courses are subject to title/topic changes each semester)

 

Electives may be taken in various fields with faculty advisor permission.

 
Additional Requirements

Students are recommended to have completed a minimum math/science level of:

College Algebra & Trigonometry

&

Introductory Physics (with Lab is preferred).

 
Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

Program-level Information
Application Acceptance Rate 72.13%
Avg. Time-to-degree (years) 2.46
 
Department-level Information
Enrollment Percent Male 60.47%
Enrollment Percent Female 39.53%
Enrollment Percent International 27.91%
Enrollment Percent URM 16.28%

Back to statistics
  • All application, admit, and enrollment data are from Fall 2022.
  • Average Time to Degree calculates how long graduates in the last 5 years (2018-2022) took to complete their degrees, counting back to the first semester entering their program.
  • Underrepresented Minorities (URM) includes domestic students of ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education: African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.

Persistent link: https://grad.arizona.edu/catalog/programinfo/ARCHMAR
Last revised 27 Jun 2022
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