At the undergraduate level, Carnegie Mellon University offers a five-year professional bachelor's program in architecture that is ranked in the top 10 in the United States. Students take courses in building and environmental technology, architectural history, drawing and digital media, and professional practice. Graduate students can select from master's programs in areas such as architectural engineering, building performance and diagnostics, sustainable design, and computational design. Carnegie Mellon also offers a doctoral program in architecture geared toward those who want to work in research or academia. Undergraduate admissions is based on a review of high school grades, SAT scores and a portfolio of artistic works. Graduate students submit undergraduate transcripts, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation and a personal statement.
Carnegie Mellon University
School of Architecture
201 College of Fine Arts
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-268-2354
cmu.edu
Architecture students at Drexel University can select from two program options to earn a bachelor's degree. One program, the Two+Four Option, requires students to take two years of classes full time to learn architectural design fundamentals and complete general education requirements. For the remaining four years, students work full time to gain architecture experience needed for licensure and take classes part time in the evenings. Drexel's Part-Time Evening Program can be completed in six or seven years, and students are able to work full time in the architectural field. The curriculum includes courses in architectural drawing, construction, physics and materials. A thesis is also required for students in the bachelor's program. Applicants submit high school transcripts, SAT scores, an essay and two letters of recommendation.
Drexel University
Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Nesbitt Hall
33rd and Market Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-895-2409
drexel.edu
Undergraduate architecture students at Pennsylvania State University can select from two professional bachelor's programs, as well as a minor in the discipline. Master's degree candidates select one of three specialty areas: digital design, architectural theory and design, or community and urban design. The undergraduate curriculum consists of courses in visual communications, architectural engineering, art history, building construction and structural systems. Students are required to complete a senior thesis. Graduate students take core courses in architectural ethics, design and theory, along with elective courses specific to the selected specialty area. Penn State's Ph.D. program is open to students who hold a master's degree in architecture. Graduate applicants submit a portfolio, college transcripts, GRE scores and three letters of recommendation. Undergraduate applicants are encouraged to complete one year of physics and one year of art while in high school.
Pennsylvania State University
121 Stuckeman Family Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-9535
arch.psu.edu
The undergraduate professional program in architecture at Philadelphia University is a five-year program that requires students to submit a thesis or studio project during the final semester of study. The curriculum includes courses in architectural history, drawing, physics, materials and lighting. The bachelor's degree in architecture is designed to prepare graduates for careers as architects; those interested in related fields such as historic preservation or construction management can complete a bachelor's degree in architectural studies. Philadelphia University also offers a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture. Graduate students can select from master's programs in architectural studies, construction management or sustainable design.
Philadelphia University
4201 Henry Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19144-5497
215-951-2700
philau.edu
Temple University's architecture department offers several degree options, including a bachelor's degree in architecture, facilities management and architecture preservation, and a master's in architecture. The bachelor's in architecture is a pre-professional program for aspiring architects and prepares students to pursue a master's degree in the field. The master's degree is a two-year program and prepares graduates to take architecture licensing exams. Undergraduate applicants must submit a portfolio with a minimum of five samples of artwork; graduate applicants submit at least 10 images.
Temple University
Tyler School of Art - Architecture Department
1927 North 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-777-9090
temple.edu
The undergraduate program in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania is not a pre-professional program; students who wish to pursue careers as architects can apply to a master's program upon completion of the bachelor's degree. Undergraduate students can select from a design concentration, or a concentration in the history, theory and criticism of architecture. The master's program in architecture at Penn is three years in length and is available to students who have not studied architecture as undergraduates. Prospective master's students who hold a bachelor's degree in architecture may finish the degree in two years by applying for advanced standing. Applicants to the master's program must have taken college courses in physics, calculus and drawing. The master's program curriculum consists of design studios and courses in architectural history, construction and structures. Penn is also home to a doctoral program in architecture, which is open to students with undergraduate degrees in architecture, landscape architecture or urban design.
University of Pennsylvania
School of Design
110 Meyerson Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6311
215-898-6520
design.upenn.edu