Cornell University has one of the top undergraduate architecture programs in the nation. Located in Ithaca, New York, this Ivy League school offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in architecture from the Architecture, Art and Planning Department of Architecture. The program has been in existence for more than a century and offers three separate degree opportunities. A five-year professional program leads to a Bachelor of Architecture degree, while four-year nonprofessional degrees include a Bachelor of Fine Arts in architecture or a Bachelor of Science in the history of architecture.
Cal Poly is a public university in San Luis Obispo, California, that offers one of the top undergraduate architecture programs in the country. The university offers a Bachelor of Architecture degree, which is a five-year first professional degree program accredited by the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB). Most states consider the completion of this program basis for licensure.
The program is a hands-on curriculum that includes a rigorous lab schedule focused on design and technology. The fourth year of the program includes off-campus study, while the fifth year is a final project that results in a design exhibit displaying the student's creativity and design prowess.
The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture offers a five-year professional degree as well as a four-year preprofessional degree program. Completion of the five-year program results in NAAB accreditation and qualifies the student for internship and eventual licensing as an architect.
Graduates of the professional program complete 10 semesters of studio design courses en route to licensure, while the four-year students may choose to also obtain a master's from the university to obtain a license. Those interested in the four-year program may choose to pursue careers in planning and development, real estate, set design or construction management.
The School of Architecture at the University of Virginia offers diverse options for students interested in a career in architecture and design. In addition to a professional architecture degree, students here may also pursue bachelor's degrees in architectural history, landscape architecture or urban and environmental planning.