Graduate Admissions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Admissions
Does your program offer admissions throughout the year?
No. We admit students to the M. Arch program only in the fall semester because of the sequential nature of the curriculum. The application deadline is always January 15 of the year you want to enter. For example, if you apply for fall 2009, then the deadline is January 15, 2009.
Is there a laptop computer requirement in the M. Arch program?
Yes, there is. Follow this link for the details of hardware and software requirements: CDes Computer Standards
How important are grades?
While grades are important, your portfolio is weighted very heavily during the application review.
3+ Option Portfolio Applicants (those students with a degree in a field other than architecture) should submit a 5-15 page portfolio. The portfolio should represent design ability through drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic art, industrial design, or photography (two pages of photographs, maximum). The portfolio must include a hand-drawn self-portrait (not copied from a photograph).
Applicants to the standard three-year program and applicants for advanced standing should submit a portfolio that indicates an ability to produce drawings of architectural form and space, as well as broader design sensitivity. Architectural drawings and design studio work should be included. Other work showing artistic or design ability or facility with digital technology may also be included.
What are the average Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores of incoming School of Architecture graduate students?
You can view accepted applicant GRE scores at the University's Graduate School Web site.
What is advanced placement and do I qualify?
Although our standard program is 3 years in length, each fall we accept a few students with advanced standing into the second year of the program. To apply for advanced standing, applicants must possess a pre-professional B.S. degree with a major in Architecture and must have completed at least one course in structures, environmental science and building systems, with at least four semesters of architecture design studios.
Please note that applicants with a professional, 5-year B. Arch. degree are automatically considered for advanced standing.
I hold an associates degree; will it qualify me for application?
Applicants to our M.Arch program must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. The undergraduate degree can be in any major or concentration. However, if it is in a non-art or design field, then the applicant should consider taking a drawing or studio arts class because all applicants are required to submit a portfolio of their art/design work. The portfolio helps the faculty admissions committee evaluate the applicant's aptitude for the professional study of architecture in a studio-based program.
Changing careers
I am considering returning to school for architecture. What should I do to verify the choice is right for me?
To gain more information about the field of architecture -- and whether it is the right career path for you -- you might consider enrolling in a couple architecture classes to test the waters. Try a drawing class and/or a history class. If you do well and like the material, then possibly architecture is the right path for you.
Are there any prerequisites for the 3+ program?
A course in pre-calculus, calculus, or physics is very helpful in gaining a structural understanding of buildings but these are not rigidly required. All applicants, including 3+ applicants, must submit a portfolio of art and/or design work, and therefore it is strongly recommended that students complete one or more classes in drawing, art or design. Such classes give you a chance to produce some work that can be used in the portfolio.
How does the 3+ program differ from the standard three-year program?
Students admitted by way of the 3+ path are essentially admitted to the standard three-year program. However, the 3+ experience begins with an intensive summer semester of course work in design studio, drawing, history, and theory. In the fall, they are integrated with students who were accepted directly into the three-year program. Applicants for the 3+ program must demonstrate an aptitude for design and/or drawing through a portfolio.
Finances
What is the estimated cost of attending the School of Architecture?
NOTE: Starting in fall 2010, tuition for all Master of Architecture students will be at the same rate of tuition. This flat rate replaces a two-tier system of in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Resident rate tuition for 2009-10 is $9098. per semester plus approximately $1200. in fees.
How do graduate students fund their education?
At the graduate level, students usually fund their education through savings, loans, teaching assistant positions, and outside employment. There is no federal or state grant money available to graduate students. Information on financial aid can be found on the University's Graduate School Web site.
How many students are awarded teaching assistantships (TA)?
The School of Architecture offers approximately 92 teaching assistantships to qualified students each academic year. Teaching assistantships are typically 25% appointments, i.e. 10 hours per week. Each teaching assistant receives a tuition discount of about $2800. plus a salary currently at $16.75 per hour for 195 hours, i.e. $3266. Assistantships are available for the courses in computer applications, drawing and representation, history of architecture, professional practice, structures, technology, theory, and urban planning.
How are TA positions and fellowships awarded?
In general, teaching assistantships are reserved for second and third year students since it takes the first year in the program to gain experience.
How grueling is graduate school and the profession of architecture? If I become an architect will I ever see my family again?
Graduate school demands a very large time commitment; people with families tend to take fewer classes each semester in order to balance family, work, and school life. Architects within the profession often say that you get back what you put into your career. Principals in firms dedicate long hours to their work. The reassuring aspect is that architects love their jobs.
Job placement and architecture as a career
Does the School of Architecture offer internship placement?
Currently our program does not offer internship placement opportunities. Generally speaking, the local architecture firms are very proactive and interested in employing students.
How many of your graduates stay within the field of architecture?
About 90% of our graduates are working in the field of architecture; the rest tend to seek employment or volunteer experiences outside of the profession.
Programs and degrees
I am interested in sustainable design. What sort of degree does the School of Architecture offer in this field?
Our program is known for its innovative research and efforts in sustainable design. Our school offers a non-professional research M.S. in Architecture - Sustainable Design. We have created a dual-degree program, the M.S.-M.Arch which requires a separate application. Our M.S. in Architecture - Sustainable Design students need representational skills and some background in building performance or design as our degree is focused on building and design practices. Information about the courses and the process of admission can be found in the academic programs section of the Web site.
What is the M.S. in Architecture - Sustainable Design?
Our M.S. in Architecture - Sustainable Design is a 34 credit graduate degree targeted to candidates with a design background. This is a non-professional research degree that is ecologically based but strongly oriented to the building sciences. Its four core courses -- one each in Theory and Practice of Sustainable Design, Site and Water Issues, Energy and Indoor Air Quality, and Materials Performance in Sustainable Building -- require an academic background in building technologies or experience in understanding how buildings are designed as environmental, material, and structural systems. The program accommodates students from varied backgrounds, including practicing design professionals, M.Arch graduate students, and students from other and related disciplines. While it prepares students to integrate sustainable design practice and research in the design professions, government agencies, research institutes, and corporations, the M.S. in Architecture - Sustainable Design degree does not lead to licensure and is not similar to our professional three-year M.Arch degree program. The M.S. in Architecture - Sustainable Design degree can be completed at the Minneapolis campus in three semesters or taken over several semesters -- it is common to have some students take two years to complete the degree.
I am interested in urban planning. What sorts of programs do you offer?
We offer a certificate in Metropolitan Design to masters students in M.Arch, MLA, MSLA, and the M.S. in Architecture. In order to be considered for this certificate, students must declare their intention at least two semesters before graduation. This declaration will require signatures from their graduate advisor and the certificate in Metropolitan Design program director. In order to obtain the signatures, students will need to prepare a statement of purpose, no longer than two pages, describing their interest in the program. This will be read by the program director and in some cases the Faculty Oversight Committee. It will be used to advise the student and ensure prospective certificate students understand the character of the program. The University of Minnesota also offers a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) offered through the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
Student experience
What is the average graduate incoming class size?
Our class sizes vary depending upon the applicant pool. Generally, an incoming class size is between 48-52 students.
What is the student to instructor ratio in the classroom?
Studios average one instructor to 11-12 students. Elective courses range from 20-52 students to each instructor.
This material is for informational purposes only. Please note that application requirements, deadlines, and prerequisites change yearly. Contact the School of Architecture at archinfo@umn.edu for necessary clarification or if you have additional questions.