Architecture

[bashir26]

Has anyone here completed or in a M.arch program? I'm thinking of switching from finance to architecture. I have a few questions.

1. Should I switch my major from Finance to a science diploma or does that not matter for me to get accepted in a M.arch program?

2. How long generally is a M.arch program? Some schools is 3 years some schools its 5 years.

3. Do I need a bachelor in architecture before I can apply to a M.arch program?

Thanks!

[Ebon]

Not in it myself but at UCalgary it takes 2 years if you do the ARST minor(your 10 prereqs). Not sure if you have to be in the Faculty of Coms&Culture to do the minor though but you will need it to even be considered.

All this is found off the website. Rather then asking on Beyond, it would have taken you less time to go to the website of a school that offers it.

The 3 possible ways of getting in are:

Admission into the M.Arch Degree as a regular student, based on the completion of a recognized 4 year undergraduate pre-professional architecture degree program with a minimum 3.0 GPA calculated on the final two years.

Admission into the M.Arch Degree as a regular student, based on the completion of a 4 year undergraduate degree from the University of Calgary with a Minor in Architectural Studies (ARST) and a minimum 3.0 GPA calculated on the final two years.

Admission into the M.Arch Degree as a qualifying student, based on the completion of a recognized 4 year undergraduate degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA calculated on the final two years but needing to complete one or more of the 10 half course pre-requisites required for regular admission.

Check out what your gonna need here: http://www.ucalgary.ca/evds/m_arch_admissions_process

Suggested and required courses:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/evds/files/evds/ARST_minor.pdf

[calgarydub]

You can use any Bachelor degree to apply for the MArch program.

You will be admitted into the 2nd year of the MArch program if you do the Minor.

I was going to go for the MArch, but decided I want to secure at LEAST a job from school and have a choice of going back to school for the Masters, or not.

The way I was going to do is this:

3 Year Non-Major Bachelor of Communication and culture with a Minor in architecture, apply for the MArch and hopefully get in. I was told you need around 3.3-3.6 GPA to get into that as it's pretty competitive, even though the requirement only says 3.0. I also think that you need a Portfolio to get in of various works you have done, which I'm sure you can acquire from your days in the minor.

So the MArch can be completed in 6 years tiem with the 3 year non major, or 7 with a 4 year degree in whatever you want. The minor is needed I'm pretty sure.

I got my information from a counsellor at the U of C.

Minor Info
http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/arch

EDIT: After a lot of thought and 2 years of school at U of C, I decided to go to SAIT to get a diploma for Architectural Technologist.
I can later decide if I want to work, never go back. I can work and go back later in a few years? Or, get the diploma at SAIT, and go back to school right away as the counsellor I spoke with explained that there are some transfer credit at UofC from the SAIT courses. That, and a lot of the 3 year non major requirements are really just to waste your money.

If you have completed the Minor in ARST (or a similar pre-professional degree) and are admitted to the Faculty of Environmental Design, you may proceed directly to the second year of the MArch program.

This means that you may obtain a professional Master of Architecture degree in seven years after graduation from high school.

[bashir26]

Originally posted by Ebon

Originally posted by calgarydub

Thanks for the quick response! the links you provided were very helpful!


Calgarydub - the pdf I just read that the graduate school does not accept 3year degree anymore

[calgarydub]

Wow lol, must be a new thing this year then, I spoke with the counsellor at the end of winter 2008 school year because I thought I wanted to be a Geologist, boy was I wrong. That sucks I guess.... Good thing I'm going to SAIT then lol!


I also was looking into going to Waterloo, or University of Toronto, or even Manitoba, before deciding on SAIT. I just don't like UofC as a whole and now that they change the requirement for the MArch, I have just done a lot of useless shit if I ever decide to go back.

[bashir26]

Originally posted by calgarydub
Wow lol, must be a new thing this year then, I spoke with the counsellor at the end of winter 2008 school year because I thought I wanted to be a Geologist, boy was I wrong. That sucks I guess.... Good thing I'm going to SAIT then lol!

I think they might have changed it...The website you linked me says you can complete it in 7 years after highschool. The pdf says 6. I think I should call in.

pdf quote

The Architecture degree at the University of Calgary is a two-year Master of Architecture program* offered by the Faculty of Environmental Design. Please see the Faculty of Environmental Design website for details: http://www.ucalgary.ca/evds/.
The MArch degree may be earned in six years after high school if preceded by the University of Calgary’s Minor in Architectural Studies. The courses taken in the last year of the Architectural Studies minor are cross-listed with the courses that would normally be taken in the foundation year of the Master of Architecture, reducing the time required for the MArch to two years.

[calgarydub]

Important Note: In the past, some students combined the ARST minor with the three-year Bachelor of Communication and Culture, cutting an additional year off the total time to completion. However, the Faculty of Graduate Studies no longer accepts three-year degrees for entry into graduate programs. The BCC is not an acceptable route.

You think they would take the time to remove this from RIGHT ABOVE what I quoted earlier

The ARST minor may also be taken with the non-major BA in Communication and Culture (multidisciplinary).

[Ebon]

Aim for as good a GPA as you can get. Grad program GPAs fluctuate a lot due to the small number accepted.

Yeah 3 year degree won't work anymore but calgarydub you should see the counselor again and see if it applies to you. It might still be valid if you were admitted to UofC before they changed but im not sure if that applies to just the undergrad.

[hrdkore]

buddy's in it right now.. its 5 years here cuz you end up with masters, while other require you do be in architectural school then you can do masters program anywhere else.

you need above a 3.3 gpa and they are totally anal about it. They have limited spots and sometimes i wonder if its even worth it.

[calgarydub]

Its definitely not 5 years (see above). You are right about the GPA though.

[dezinr]

The program is under restructuring currently. They are looking to eliminate 1 year off the total program time for the Master in Architecure.

I have completed the Master in Architecture there as well as a Bachelor's in Architecture from U of M. PM me if you have any questions. I know the Director of the Architecture program very well and can give you more specifics if you like.

There is a exhibition on April 2 in the main gallery showcasing the work of the students that attended the Barcelona semester. I suggest you come out and take a look and it is a good chance to talk to current students about their time there.

Again feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Many of my classmates have attended some of the other schools mentionned. My mentor attended Carleton which is very theoretical in its approachs. So I can answer questions on their programs as well if you are interested in any of the other schools.

Cheers.