Architecture Colleges

[NHRef]

My son is a junior in high school and interested in architecture. We are starting to explore colleges.

Do any of you have recommendations, primarily in the northeast, but others would be of interest as well.

Two we do know of are Syracuse and Roger Williams College.

[Matt in the Hat]

http://www.archsoc.com/kcas/researchschool4.html

IMO, Cooper Union really is the top of the heap and it is 100% free. It's just hard as hell to get into so your son would need a kick ass portfolio.

Other good ones in NYC (Which is the place to be IMO if you are gonna study architecture) are Columbia, NYIT (The Manhattan Campus is good. The Long Island one is better), Parsons and Pratt, as well as Stevens Tech in Hoboken. NJIT is also a fabulous school but it is in Newark, which is a shit hole.

Does he take art courses now? A great sketching hand is a vital tool at his age and can only serve him well in the future.

[Iceblink]

How about the Stanton Institute of Technology? Seems like a good place. If you are top of your class, you are guaranteed a job with one of the most prestigious architecture firms in NYC, Francon and Heyer. Stanton tends to shun modernism and creativity though.

[Matt in the Hat]

They also create the world's greatest pyrotechnics experts. Which is nice.

[fidlerre]

My son is a junior in high school and interested in architecture.

Talk him out of it....

It's about the lowest paying "professional" job out there.

Tell him to go be a lawyer or something instead.

[Mr. Warmth]

Talk him out of it....

It's about the lowest paying "professional" job out there.

Tell him to go be a lawyer or something instead.

I hope there is a special place in Hell for Civil Engineers and other terrorists

[Dills]

Do any of you have recommendations, primarily in the northeast, but others would be of interest as well.
Drexel, Temple, and/or Penn come to mind. Penn does not offer a BArch, so a master's degree is needed in order to obtain registration. i don't know much about Temple's program. Drexel, known for their co-op programs, offers the 2+4 program in architecture ... 2 years full-time followed by 4 years of night classes while working 40+ hour work weeks. downside is really long days, attending a 3-hour class after pulling in a full work day, not getting home until 11 at night, only to wake up the next day and repeat the process (Groundhog Day anyone?). upside is the amount of hours are completed in those last 4 years to fulfill IDP requirements and sit for the registration exam(s) soon after graduation.

[NHRef]

thanks for the information everyone!

[NHRef]

Went to my first architecture college with my son last week: Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. Met with the associate dean of Architecture to get an overview of the program.

I'd like to get some opinions from those in the field of a few things he said. RWU has moved from a 5 year program to a 4+2 program where in 4 years you get a BS in architecture, in the +2 you get a Masters of Architecture, what he called a "professional degree". They supposedly did this as it is the way the industry is moving, towards the Masters as a requirement for licensing rather than a 5 year program.

One question I asked him, is how many students are taking the 4 year bachelors at full time, then graduating, going into the work force as architects and getting the Masters part time to get both the intern hours as well as the "professional" degree in parallel. He didn't have an answer. Has anyone had any experience with this?

He also was a bit evasive about whether you could get your license with just the 4 year bachelors degree. He was clear that getting a masters would be better to differentiate yourself from those with a Bachelors, but he wasn't clear on if you could get licensed with out the masters.

We will be visiting other schools as the spring goes, but wanted to see if anyone had any feedback on what he told us. This is a new world for my family, so we are learning as we go.

[Matt in the Hat]

Went to my first architecture college with my son last week: Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. Met with the associate dean of Architecture to get an overview of the program.

I'd like to get some opinions from those in the field of a few things he said. RWU has moved from a 5 year program to a 4+2 program where in 4 years you get a BS in architecture, in the +2 you get a Masters of Architecture, what he called a "professional degree". They supposedly did this as it is the way the industry is moving, towards the Masters as a requirement for licensing rather than a 5 year program.

One question I asked him, is how many students are taking the 4 year bachelors at full time, then graduating, going into the work force as architects and getting the Masters part time to get both the intern hours as well as the "professional" degree in parallel. He didn't have an answer. Has anyone had any experience with this?

Your kid is better off going with the 4+2 if the masters is a must. Once you seriously enter the profession you tend to not have much time for school. Those 11pm days just kind of sneak up on you and clients give a shit if you have studio that night. Associates are barely more sympathetic.

He also was a bit evasive about whether you could get your license with just the 4 year bachelors degree. He was clear that getting a masters would be better to differentiate yourself from those with a Bachelors, but he wasn't clear on if you could get licensed with out the masters.

In most states you need the MA or MS to take the licensing tests. Or you need a lot of years of experience (I think the NCARB exemption is still 10 years but I could be wrong)

But the best thing is that you do not need the license or even masters to work. You only need it if you are stamping drawings which means he could end up in a multiple of different role within a large firm or joining/owning a consultancy that does not stamp drawings like an interior designer. That's where I am at. More money, better hours and less liability.

We will be visiting other schools as the spring goes, but wanted to see if anyone had any feedback on what he told us. This is a new world for my family, so we are learning as we go.

Good luck and enjoy it. and do take the trip to New York and Boston. That is where the work is in the area.

[Mr. Warmth]

Your kid is better off going with the 4+2 if the masters is a must. Once you seriously enter the profession you tend to not have much time for school. Those 11pm days just kind of sneak up on you and clients give a shit if you have studio that night. Associates are barely more sympathetic.

Agreed with Matt, though I made it work, somehow. Worked part time at least through all 6 years of my 5 year degree - FT in the summers and played college club soccer. Did the same with my Master's in Regional/City Planning, including being newly married. I think it would be impossible now, given the demands that schools are placing on students.

In most states you need the MA or MS to take the licensing tests. Or you need a lot of years of experience (I think the NCARB exemption is still 10 years but I could be wrong)

http://www.ncarb.org/

It's somewhere on here, but it would be faster to just contact the state board where your son intends to practice or get his initial license. But I agree with Matt, you'll likely have to have the MA/MS or the 5 year BA in order to get registration. NCARB as far as I know has been trying to get rid of the 10 year exemption.

But the best thing is that you do not need the license or even masters to work. You only need it if you are stamping drawings which means he could end up in a multiple of different role within a large firm or joining/owning a consultancy that does not stamp drawings like an interior designer. That's where I am at. More money, better hours and less liability.

Interior Designers here fought to get "the stamp" for about 10 years and just got it last year or so. They were "SHOCKED" to find out the additional liability that this heaped on them.

[Matt in the Hat]

Interior Designers here fought to get "the stamp" for about 10 years and just got it last year or so. They were "SHOCKED" to find out the additional liability that this heaped on them.

Dumbasses. How much harder is it to get a local self practicing architect to verify your stuff. You can still charge the client for the service.

Is it required in OK for interior designers or is it just available?