Are you an Architect

[SLO]

Originally Posted by kpexpress

So did you ever compete in the PolyRoyal while you were at SLO?

Ahh yes, Poly Canyon design village. Joint project....I was always an independent type.
Poly Royal dissappeared for a few years and then came back as an open house. How do you know about that, you seem to be well versed at Archicture education and schools for someone who is still in school....

[plinko]

Originally Posted by kpexpress

As for your comment about the smaller programs. I agree, but we are seeing a lot of "public" schools drop their undergrad architectural programs because of the mere cost it takes to maintain the programs and the small turnout of students that are in them. I think the future of the architectural education (long after anyone in school now has gone on into the profession) is that the undergrad portion of the process will all be done at a private school and a grad program (if desired) at a larger more well known program such as Harvard GSD, Columbia, Yale, Cincinnati, IIT, etc.

I'm curious which public schools have dropped their undergrad programs? First I've heard of that...

[kpexpress]

Originally Posted by SLO

Ahh yes, Poly Canyon design village. Joint project....I was always an independent type.
Poly Royal dissappeared for a few years and then came back as an open house. How do you know about that, you seem to be well versed at Archicture education and schools for someone who is still in school....

I've heard that our school has competed in it for the past few years (and from what I've heard we have done well).

[kpexpress]

Originally Posted by plinko

I'm curious which public schools have dropped their undergrad programs? First I've heard of that...

UCLA, UC BERKELEY, ASU, University of Idaho, University of Utah, UNLV, University of New Mexico, University of Washington, Yale, Columbia, Woodbury, University of Virginia, Taliesin to name a few.

[plinko]

Originally Posted by kpexpress

UCLA, UC BERKELEY, ASU, University of Idaho, University of Utah, UNLV, University of New Mexico, University of Washington, Yale, Columbia, Woodbury, University of Virginia, Taliesin to name a few.

Source?
As an ASU alumnus, this is the first I've heard of that (in fact, if anything they are diversifying their program with dual programs). And as someone who regularly interviews kids from UCLA and UC Berkeley, I've never heard anything like that.

Not that I don't believe you, I just find it a bit suprising.

[SLO]

I know its hard for schools to concentrate and have great undergrad and grad programs, thats why CalPoly SLO doesnt have an MArch degree program.

[kpexpress]

http://naab.org/architecture%5Fprograms/ has the up-to-date accreditation records for all 142 NAAB accredited schools in the US.

[plinko]

The programs you're talking about haven't 'dropped' their undergraduate programs. Quite the contrary. All it means is that they offer a 4 year undergraduate degree in some form of architectural education (architectural studies, design, architectural engineering, and others) and then a 2+ years M.Arch. No change.

The 4 year undergraduate degrees offered are not NAAB accredited (NAAB only accredits 5 year Bachelor of Architecture programs for undergrad), but all of those schools offer a NAAB accredited M.Arch.

It's not that uncommon. Say you have a Bachelor's of Science in Design from Berkeley. Basically it means that if you want an M.Arch, you don't have to go through a 3+ program (M.Arch students coming from different majors other than architecture usually require at least three years to get an M.Arch). It only takes 2 years (depending on the program). This is the same at ALL of the schools you listed.

There are very few schools that offer both the NAAB 5 year Bachelor's of Architecture and the NAAB M.Arch. There used to be a few (though I can't recall any specifics), but I don't know that there even are any more.

Where did you get the idea that those schools were 'dropping' undergraduate architectural education?

The NAAB accreditation for a degree only matters in about 1/2 of the states in terms of licensure. In many of those other states (including California), you can get a license with just work experience or a combination of work experience + a related undergrad degree (such as a B.S.D.). And of course 49 states require IDP (Arizona is the holdout).

HOWEVER, having a NAAB degree does help later on when working state to state. You can't get NCARB (national) licensure without a NAAB degree (well, there are ways, but it takes a really long time).

I am a practicing licensed architect without either a NAAB degree (I have just a 4 year B.S.D.) or IDP and thus know far too much about how and why the licensure process is the way it is. It's why I won't be NCARB certified until 2011.

[kpexpress]

There must have been an misunderstanding, this is what I was talking about. NAAB accredited undergrads at public schools are becoming less common, of course someone can study architecture and graduate with a BA or BS and then continue to a masters program + IDP and then licensing or the 8 years of working directly under a licensed architect and then take the ARE exams. I personally don't think studying architecture in a BA/BS program is worth it. I mean the amount of material needed to cover is hard enough to do it all in 5 years (thesis included) I think it would be hard to do in 4. Most people that I know who have completed the NAAB BARCH degree don't ever go on to masters.

[plinko]

Well, you might be right about there being less 5 year B.Arch programs out there, I'm just not aware of any closing up shop. NAAB has never accredited 4 year BA/BS programs in architecture (if they did it was at least 20 years ago).

As far as going forth into the profession, believe me, you'll get out of school what you put into it, just like the profession. Some of the most talented architects I've ever worked with didn't go to school at all. Some of them (like me) have just a BS/BA, and some of them have a B.Arch.

My point is that you can learn whatever you need to learn during school, regardless of the duration...but design talent is design talent. And whether you have it or not is likely to be much more evident while practicing...not while in school.

[SLO]

Originally Posted by plinko

Well, you might be right about there being less 5 year B.Arch programs out there, I'm just not aware of any closing up shop. NAAB has never accredited 4 year BA/BS programs in architecture (if they did it was at least 20 years ago).

As far as going forth into the profession, believe me, you'll get out of school what you put into it, just like the profession. Some of the most talented architects I've ever worked with didn't go to school at all. Some of them (like me) have just a BS/BA, and some of them have a B.Arch.

My point is that you can learn whatever you need to learn during school, regardless of the duration...but design talent is design talent. And whether you have it or not is likely to be much more evident while practicing...not while in school.

This is key to architecture. I know far to many licensed architects who have no design ability, or very little. For a brief period I worked with a guy in Dallas that was a partner in his firm, he was the principal in charge of design. A fantastic designer, but unlicensed. He happened to be a Cal Poly grad, and we had many conversations on this topic. He brought me in for design purposes and because I could actually spearhead a project from concept through completion, he told me he didnt trust any of his licensed guys. The job was too long of a commute for me, but I see him once a year now, and he finally found someone who could handle projects and not just be a small part of a project like many are in larger firms.

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by plinko

Source?
As an ASU alumnus, this is the first I've heard of that (in fact, if anything they are diversifying their program with dual programs). And as someone who regularly interviews kids from UCLA and UC Berkeley, I've never heard anything like that.

Not that I don't believe you, I just find it a bit suprising.

I know Pomona still offers it; which is why i'll be transferring there from Citrus in the next couple of years to begin my studying.