BArch - 5 Year Program
So you want to be a Licensed Architect.
For students determined to be licensed, a Bachelor’s in Architecture (BArch) is the most straight forward path. Here are some quick facts of the program to consider:
5-year Undergrad Program
Professional Licensure: this is the fastest program to be eligible for the architectural license exams - Architect Registration Exams (ARE) -to become a licensed architect in all 55 US states and territories
Career Opportunities: this program focuses on preparing students for a career in architecture or a related field including design, construction, project management, and urban design and planning.
Design and basic technical knowledge: this program places a strong emphasis on design, providing students with a foundation in principles of design, aesthetics, and creativity that can be applied to a range of fields (UI/UX. Graphic Design, Product Design, etc). You will also have some technical knowledge related to construction materials, building systems, and sustainability. <This point to be expanded in latter parts of this post
The BArch is the fastest program to be eligible for the architectural license exams - Architect Registration Exams (ARE) -to become a licensed architect in all 55 US states and territories
The BArch has its benefits. I went through it myself at RISD. It offers many skills critical to the profession that are quite different from what you would get in a BSc / BA. I went through a significant amount of studio work, learnt how to draft with beautiful line weight, developed a brain to think in plans and sections, went through design charrettes and finally deciphered what the word “program” meant in architectural jargon. It also gave me an easier time getting internships at higher-end design firms, getting hands-on experience on real projects (note that this depends very much on the reputation of your school and program).
It took me many years in the field, learning from experience, to know how to put a building together.
Fast as it may be to licensure compared to other methods, this program is time consuming. The extra year in school does take a toll. Initially, an extra year might not sound much. But it does rub in when your peers head off into the real world, talking about interviews and salaries, and you are still stuck nose deep in the fumes of a laser cutter. It is also a much more focused path on architecture. If you decide to change careers to a less related field (which is not uncommon), this extra year can be significant.
You might also have heard of a 50% drop-out rate on the first year of the program. This number is perhaps on the high side, but it is true that many of my classmates dropped out during the first semester of the program. A main reason is due to the realization that architecture is not for them. Very few drop out because of the difficulty of the curriculum (at least from my experience). You will also find that the program focuses on teaching you how to “research creatively” and less about teaching you how to build a building. Don’t expect to know how to put a building together after a BArch. You might not even know how to start. It took me many years in the field, learning from experience, to know how to put a building together.
You will also become familiar with Studio culture. Studio is a big part of architecture school. In my days, everything revolves around the studio. You think about your studio project during lectures on structure; you lose sleep over studio; 90% of your time awake is spent in studio. This is amazing when it comes to fostering comradery or terrible if you are stuck with a fiend. Imagine being there 24/7 suffering through everything together. You live through that with your college sweetheart, and it’s highly unlikely you will part ways after graduation. But this culture comes with a significant flaw. There seems to be the thinking that is passed on from the professors and earlier generations where working incredibly hard is the norm and the expectation. Students are expected to work very long hours. Pulling all-nighters is almost a rite of passage to graduation. People even competed on how many nighters pulled in a row to finish off a studio final. This culture perpetuates well into your job as an architect. And so, I would agree very much that BArch prepared me very well for this mentality and culture that awaited me in the field — work very hard, but not efficiently. This is my biggest criticism of architecture schools, and the reason I started doing what I do with tutorials — to try to show an alternate path to work smarter as architects.
I would agree very much that BArch prepared me very well for this mentality and culture that awaited me in the field — work very hard, but not efficiently.
Not all universities offer such program. Schools have to go through a rigorous accreditation process by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). This accreditation also takes place every several years, and so there is a chance that a school get delisted from the list. Based on my experience working in the field and tutoring, the following is a list of schools that I think offer an architecture program that better prepares their students for what lies ahead (note that most schools on my list are on the East Coast because that is my geographic location, and thus my primary exposure):
University of Waterloo — They offer a Co-op program where students take internships every other semester. The many interns I worked with from Waterloo are consistently of the highest caliber by far; outdoing graduates from Harvard or other Ivy League schools. Canada though, and not really a BArch program.
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) — in general, some of the better crafters and sketchers I have encountered. They are very good with their hands, and have good graphic sense. This also has to be on the list as it’s my alma mater.
Syracuse University — Some of the most well-rounded candidates I’ve met come from Syracuse. Their computer skills are rock solid and also work in smarter ways than most that I’ve come across.
Cornell University — in general, candidates I’ve met from Cornell have consistently good graphic sense; given the world-class university resources available, students are also more balanced, in the professional side of the field as well as a more holistic understanding of subjects beyond.
Note that all these programs require a Portfolio for your application.
Below is a more comprehensive list of schools in the US that provide a Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) program as of 2023 when this post is written. I organized this by state to help those of you planning for school visits. This list is not exhaustive, and there may be other schools that offer BArch programs as schools get qualified or taken off the list by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). Let me know if you have any questions, or would like to discuss the nature of these schools further.
West Coast
Midwest
Northeast
South
