The University of Virginia's Architecture program offers four different programs: architectural history, architecture, landscape architecture and urban and environmental planning. Each program, with the exception of landscape architecture, offer a master's degree and a bachelor's degree. Landscape architecture is offered only in a master's. Students who are residents of Virginia will be looking at tuition between $5,000 and $7,000 as of February 2011. While undergraduate students can receive grants and scholarships from the university itself based on past academic achievements, graduate students have the option of applying for fellowships that they would receive directly from the School of Architecture. The school is located in Charlottesville.
Virginia Tech founded the School of Architecture and Design in 1964 in Blacksburg. The School of Architecture and Design has four programs for students to choose from: architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and industrial design. These programs offer a wide range of educational levels ranging from your basic bachelor's degree to a Ph.D. Undergraduate tuition at Virginia Tech cost an estimated $15,749 for in-state students. No portfolio is required for admission into the undergraduate program, but the school does encouraging aspiring students to take advanced math and science courses in high school.
Hampton Universities Department of Architecture program is for students seeking their master's degree. The program takes an estimated 5 1/2 years. Students applying to the program must have a minimal SAT score of 980 overall and a 480 on the math portion. The average tuition at Hampton, as of 2009, is $16,238 a year. Most of the courses in the program must be taken sequentially. Because of this, the faculty of Hampton's architecture program has a portfolio review at the end of the first year before the students are permitted to continue in the program.
Westwood College has campuses located all over the country, including in Annandale. Westwood is a smaller school and only offers an associate's degree in computer aided design/architectural drafting. Westwood's program can be taken entirely online. It trains aspiring architects the ins and outs of all the latest computer building design software. After students leave Westwood, while they are not yet prepared to be an architect themselves, they will be qualified to work hand in hand with architects at preparing designs and sketches. Tuition at Westwood costs $4,827 a semester.