What Should I Expect from Architecture College?

Students will learn how to design buildings, master construction techniques, and foster design projects in architecture college. Buildings must be structurally safe and sound, in addition to being functional and appealing; architecture school will help future architects prepare for this in their designs. Furthermore, because an architect’s designs must meet or exceed the needs and desires of the people who commission the project, architectural coursework can assist with this. Finally, because the construction of structures is often constrained a variety of building codes, budget constraints, and deadlines, students should learn these skills as part of their architecture education.

When students decide to attend an architectural college, their primary goal is to become educated in the fundamental concepts needed to become an architect. This is usually accomplished earning a professional engineering, design, or construction degree. A sanctioned internship program at the architect’s school also assists students in gaining experience. In the United States, coursework assists students in passing the Architect Registration Exam, which is required to become a professionally licensed architect (ARE). It will take eight to ten years to complete this long-term strategy.

A typical architecture student has a long list of required courses to complete in order to obtain licensure. A student attending an architecture school can expect to take artistic classes in drawing and drafting. The history and theory of architecture are typically studied in order to learn about the precedents of construction methods. The importance of mathematics and physics in relation to building safety and feasibility is also critical. Courses on how to use and become proficient with computer-aided design software (CADD) to create at-scale blueprints electronically are also available in most college courses. Drawings and three-dimensional models of design are almost always required nowadays. City planning, construction management, sociology, and calculus are examples of other classes.

Students learn to create designs that solve problems, are technically accurate, and aesthetically pleasing in most architecture courses, which are highly competitive, time-intensive, and detail-oriented. A five- to six-year bachelor’s degree in architecture is typical in the United States, but many students continue on to earn a master’s degree in architecture for better jobs, higher pay, and more self-driven opportunities. Before being licensed in the United States, candidates must complete an extensive internship and pass a nine-part exam.

Even high school students can begin preparing for architect school examining the buildings and spaces around them, according to architecture college advisors. Color, texture, light, and perspective are all elements that potential architecture college students are encouraged to notice in the designs around them. Computer literacy, as well as an understanding of mathematics and physics, are required, as is the ability to communicate and express ideas about design and theory. Students are encouraged to visit accredited architecture schools or tour design studios. There are 114 accredited architecture schools in the United States, according to the National Architecture Accrediting Board.