Overview
The dual Master of Architecture I and Master of Urban Design degree is a 126 credit program. The dual Master of Architecture I AP and Master of Urban Design degree is a 81 credit program.
Master of Architecture I (3-year track)
The Master of Architecture I is a NAAB-accredited, 3-year (7 semesters) program intended for students holding undergraduate degrees in non-design fields. This STEM-designated professional degree program provides a well-grounded understanding of architecture as students immerse in contemporary challenges to address a variety of social, cultural, technological and programmatic contexts.
At the heart of the M.Arch I curriculum are Core Studios that introduce students to critical topics, imbue necessary skills, inspire critical thinking, examine the production of meaning in architecture, and foster an understanding of architecture as an integrative discipline. The Core Studios are carefully synchronized with core courses in drawing and visualization, history and theory, technology and systems, and practice.
The first year of the program is an intensive introduction to the tools, conventions and agendas central to the discipline of architecture. The first two studios balance an exploration of the technologies that will define the future of the profession, with a deep commitment to learning from architecture's past and present. The following summer, students travel to U-SoA’s studio facility on Via del Falco in Rome, with both airfare and lodging covered by the school. This 6-week experience balances design, history, theory, analysis and travel in and around the city.
During the second year, studios focus on the complex interrelationship of architectural problems across scales, from building details to global ecologies. Through design-based critical inquiry, students engage the many mandates of architectural design, including resilience, program, form, structural and environmental systems, building envelope, and urban context. The realities of the architectural profession are a consistent presence throughout the year, with practicing professionals incorporated into the studio context, and an emphasis on proficiency in technical documentation.
Beyond the Core Studios, students are able to develop individual focuses, including computation and digital technologies, design-build, building construction, sustainability and resilience, urban design, historic preservation, adaptive-reuse, healthcare, or hospitality. Students direct this trajectory to match their own interests and career ambitions, allowing them to earn certificates in a professional concentration. This development is supported by a range of Upper Level Design Studios that reflect the diversity of faculty interests and experience, including those of internationally-recognized visiting scholars and fellows. The School is also home to innovative research units, including RAD-UM, Littoral Urbanism Lab, Community, Housing & Identity Lab, Future Objects and the Center for Urban and Community Design.
In their final year, graduate M.Arch students can opt to take an additional Upper Level Design Studio or pursue an Architecture Design Degree Project. The Architecture Design Degree Project takes one of two forms: 1) an individual design thesis on a topic selected and developed by the student through rigorous research, or 2) a directed design research group. Individual thesis is an opportunity for each student, working with a faculty advisor, to define an individual position with regard to the discipline of Architecture. In contrast, design research groups are led by faculty, and address relevant architectural questions through the lens of the faculty's areas of expertise.
Master of Architecture I AP (2-year advanced placement track)
The Master of Architecture I AP is a 2-year (4-semester program) for students holding a pre-professional degree in architecture or a closely-related field. This STEM-designated professional degree program provides an advanced platform for students to engage contemporary challenges and address a variety of social, cultural, technological and programmatic contexts.
This M.Arch I AP program allows students to advance their undergraduate education by engaging more complex challenges, honing their skills in essential areas, and by developing individual focus areas, for instance in advanced technology, design-build, and building construction, sustainability and resilience, urban design, historic preservation and adaptive-use, healthcare, or hospitality. Students direct their trajectory following their interests, develop areas of professional concentration through certificates, and engage in critical research.
Beyond the Core Studios, students are able to develop individual focuses, including computation and digital technologies, design-build, building construction, sustainability and resilience, urban design, historic preservation, adaptive-reuse, healthcare, or hospitality. Students direct this trajectory to match their own interests and career ambitions, allowing them to earn certificates in a professional concentration. This development is supported by a range of Upper Level Design Studios that reflect the diversity of faculty interests and experience, including those of internationally-recognized visiting scholars and fellows. The School is also home to innovative research units, including RAD-UM, Littoral Urbanism Lab, Community, Housing & Identity Lab, Future Objects and the Center for Urban and Community Design.
In their final year, graduate M.Arch students can opt to take an additional Upper Level Design Studio or pursue an Architecture Design Degree Project. The Architecture Design Degree Project takes one of two forms: 1) an individual design thesis on a topic selected and developed by the student through rigorous research, or 2) a directed design research group. Individual thesis is an opportunity for each student, working with a faculty advisor, to define an individual position with regard to the discipline of Architecture. In contrast, design research groups are led by faculty, and address relevant architectural questions through the lens of the faculty's areas of expertise.
Master of Urban Design
The Master in Urban Design, is a three (optional four) semester, STEM designated program that provides students with a vital design experience investigating the guiding principles for building regions, cities and communities. Reflecting the imperatives of sustainability and resilience, the program conceptualizes cities as an extension of the ecological transect across the natural to human habitat, providing students with a range of experiences from rural to urban. Studios and seminars engage the pressing contemporary challenges of housing, infrastructure, climate change, and health and wellness.
Program Director Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, recognized for her foundational role in the development of the movement called the New Urbanism, leads the program that invites students to explore design, policy and management tools for place-making as a vehicle for improving quality of life in a variety of urban settings. The impact of the built environment on health, retrofitting the suburban landscape, real estate development as community building, adaptation to climate change, and urban growth and revitalization, are topics prominent in course offerings and faculty research.
The three-semester curriculum begins in the fall each year with foundation courses in urban design and real estate development, in an Interdisciplinary approach structured by environmental, social and economic goals. The spring semester intensifies students' engagement with contemporary urban challenges such as climate resilience, healthy community design, and repair of suburban sprawl. The summer semester provides a concluding experience that aggregates prior topics in an international setting that challenges goals of sustainability and resource conservation. As part of the curriculum, students participate in the National Charrette Institute certification course, a training in public outreach and participatory planning, and collaborate with real estate development students in two special projects: a national design and development competition, and a local community revitalization plan. These experiences and the course work shared with the Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism program provide a focus on implementation. The optional fourth semester of the Master of Urban Design program is a semester-long independent study design project or thesis. In recent years these have focused on topics such as an analysis of principles and metrics of Smart Cities and New Urbanism, presentation of historic districts in China and post-pandemic design of public space.
Other resources that enrich the urban design student's experience in the School include the Center for Community and Urban Design (CUCD), engaging students in community outreach projects in South Florida and The Caribbean, and the Archive of the New Urbanism, housed in the School of Architecture Library. The Archive is a growing resource of documents, with both texts and images that support research related to urban design. Also, Research Affiliates from around the world join the faculty annually to study the state-of-the-art in urban design and architecture.
Guiding the ever evolving program are faculty members Charles Bohl, Jaime Correa, Eric Firley, Jean Francois Lejeune, Victor Deupi and Joanna Lombard, internationally recognized in research, publication and design.
While the Master of Urban Design is a post-professional program, structured for students with a professional degree in architecture, those holding a degree in engineering, planning or landscape architecture may apply for admission. A preparatory summer course may be required for non-architects, to be determined by the admission process.
Admission Requirements with MARCH I (3-Year Track)
Applications are generally considered for entrance in the Fall semester. only. Design studios in the Master of Architecture I and Master of Urban Design programs are sequenced to deliver a cohesive educational experience and students are expected to follow the established design studio sequence for their program. Students entering the program in Spring or Summer are not eligible to enter the studio sequence at that time, but may take electives or other required courses. This may extend the duration of the program.
Applications start on November 1 until June 1 for entry in Fall and October 1 until December 1 for entry in Spring. Admission to the Graduate Program is subject to the rules, regulations and procedures of the Graduate School as stipulated in the University Graduate Bulletin. It is the responsibility of each student to understand these requirements and to ensure that they are met.
Applications will be reviewed by the Architecture Faculty Graduate Admissions Committee only after fulfilling the below requirements and all of the following documents have been received:
- 3.0 cumulative point average
- Completed application form with an application fee. This fee is mandatory.
- A letter or statement expressing your interest in the program and reasons for applying.
- Official transcripts of all college and university courses taken, indicating the date your professional or other undergraduate degree was awarded. All transcripts must be sent directly from the institution’s registrar. E-scripts to download are also accepted. See more information on international transcripts below.
- Three academic (and professional, if applicable) letters of recommendation. If you have waived your right for access to your letters, they may be sent directly from the recommender, or they may be included with your application in a signed and sealed envelope.
- Digital portfolio sent to email: SoAgradadmissions@miami.edu.
Please save the digital portfolio with your Lastname_Firstname. Digital portfolios must be no greater than 8 MB. You may also share a portfolio link to review your work.
Students applying must present a selection of their best architectural works during their pre-professional studies. In order to facilitate the waiving of courses and studios, examples must emphasize comprehensive skills including sketches, plans, sections and elevations, and graphics that exhibit conceptual and diagramming abilities, understanding of structures and of urban context, as well as any other skills (computer modeling, models, photography and film abilities, etc.). Examples of professional work are encouraged but must clearly identify and describe work done independently and as part of a team.
Additional requirements for International Students:
- TOEFL of min. 80 or IELTS of min. 6.5 (please use University code 5815).
- Graduate international transcripts will be reviewed by one of the approved Evaluation Services:
- Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., International Education Associates , (www.jsilny.org)
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (www.ece.org)
- World Education Services (www.wes.org)
For application review purposes, English translated official transcripts are sufficient. Once the applicant gets admitted, the international evaluation report is required.
Admission Requirements with MARCH (2 Year Track)
Applications are generally considered for entrance in the Fall semester. only. Design studios in the Master of Architecture and Urban Design programs are sequenced to deliver a cohesive educational experience and students are expected to follow the established design studio sequence for their program. Students entering the program in Spring or Summer are not eligible to enter the studio sequence at that time, but may take electives or other required courses. This may extend the duration of the Master of Architecture program.
Applications start on November 1 until June 1 for entry in Fall and October 1 until December 1 for entry in Spring. Admission to the Graduate Program is subject to the rules, regulations and procedures of the Graduate School as stipulated in the University Graduate Bulletin. It is the responsibility of each student to understand these requirements and to ensure that they are met.
Applications will be reviewed by the Architecture Faculty Graduate Admissions Committee only after fulfilling the below requirements and all of the following documents have been received:
- 3.0 cumulative point average
- Completed application form with an application fee. This fee is mandatory.
- A letter or statement expressing your interest in the program and reasons for applying.
- Official transcripts of all college and university courses taken, indicating the date your professional or other undergraduate degree was awarded. All transcripts must be sent directly from the institution’s registrar. E-scripts to download are also accepted. See more information on international transcripts below.
- Three academic (and professional, if applicable) letters of recommendation. If you have waived your right for access to your letters, they may be sent directly from the recommender, or they may be included with your application in a signed and sealed envelope.
- Digital portfolio sent to email: SoAgradadmissions@miami.edu.
Please save the digital portfolio with your Lastname_Firstname. Digital portfolios must be no greater than 8 MB. You may also share a portfolio link to review your work.
Students applying for advanced standing (MArch.I AP/ 2-year track) must present a selection of their best architectural works during their pre-professional studies. In order to facilitate the waiving of courses and studios, examples must emphasize comprehensive skills including sketches, plans, sections and elevations, and graphics that exhibit conceptual and diagramming abilities, understanding of structures and of urban context, as well as any other skills (computer modeling, models, photography and film abilities, etc.). Examples of professional work are encouraged but must clearly identify and describe work done independently and as part of a team.
Additional requirements for International Students:
- TOEFL of min. 80 or IELTS of min. 6.5 (please use University code 5815).
- Graduate international transcripts will be reviewed by one of the approved Evaluation Services:
- Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., International Education Associates , (www.jsilny.org)
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (www.ece.org)
- World Education Services (www.wes.org)
For application review purposes, English translated official transcripts are sufficient. Once the applicant gets admitted, the international evaluation report is required.
Please visit our website at www.arc.miami.edu and refer to our latest admission and portfolio requirements here.
Curriculum Requirements with MARCH I (3-Year Track)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 601 | Urban Design Studio I | 6 |
| ARC 603 | Urban Design Studio III | 6 |
| ARC 604 | Immersive Architectural Design Studio I | 6 |
| ARC 605 | Immersive Architectural Design Studio II | 6 |
| ARC 606 | Great Cities Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 607 | Advanced Architectural Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 608 | Integrated Architecture Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 611 | Spatial Representation + Architectural Media 1 | 3 |
| ARC 613 | Spatial Representation + Architectural Media 2 | 3 |
| ARC 620 | Responsible Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 621 | Housing, Infrastructure and Transportation | 3 |
| ARC 622 | Urban Design Theory and History of the Modern City | 3 |
| ARC 623 | Urban Design Competition | 1 |
| ARC 630 | Building Technology: Materials and Methods | 3 |
| ARC 631 | Building Technology II: The Form of Forces | 3 |
| ARC 632 | Structure Pt. I - The Form of Forces in Elements | 3 |
| ARC 633 | Structure Pt. II - From Elements to Assemblies | 3 |
| ARC 652 | Management of Professional Practice | 3 |
| ARC 662 | Environmental Building Systems I | 3 |
| ARC 663 | Environmental Building Systems II | 3 |
| ARC 667 | History of Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 668 | Diverse Histories of Architecture 20C. + Beyond | 3 |
| ARC 690 | History of Cities | 3 |
| ARC 691 | Analysis and History of Urban Form | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| RED 601 | Introduction to Real Estate Development and Urbanism | 3 |
| RED 640 | Applied Design for Real Estate Development | 1 |
| RED 699 | Capstone: Real Estate Development and Urbanism Charrette | 3 |
| History of Architecture Elective | 3 | |
| Professional Elective | 3 | |
| Electives | 13 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 126 | |
Curriculum Requirements with MARCH I AP (2-Year Track)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 601 | Urban Design Studio I | 6 |
| ARC 603 | Urban Design Studio III | 6 |
| ARC 607 | Advanced Architectural Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 608 | Integrated Architecture Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 615 | Advanced Architectural Media | 3 |
| ARC 620 | Responsible Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 621 | Housing, Infrastructure and Transportation | 3 |
| ARC 622 | Urban Design Theory and History of the Modern City | 3 |
| ARC 623 | Urban Design Competition | 1 |
| ARC 652 | Management of Professional Practice | 3 |
| ARC 690 | History of Cities | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| RED 601 | Introduction to Real Estate Development and Urbanism | 3 |
| RED 640 | Applied Design for Real Estate Development | 1 |
| RED 699 | Capstone: Real Estate Development and Urbanism Charrette | 3 |
| History of Architecture Elective | 3 | |
| Electives | 19 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 81 | |
Suggested Plan of Study with MARCH I (3-Year Track)
| Fall I | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 604 | Immersive Architectural Design Studio I | 6 |
| ARC 611 | Spatial Representation + Architectural Media 1 | 3 |
| ARC 620 | Responsible Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 630 | Building Technology: Materials and Methods | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring I | ||
| ARC 605 | Immersive Architectural Design Studio II | 6 |
| ARC 613 | Spatial Representation + Architectural Media 2 | 3 |
| ARC 631 | Building Technology II: The Form of Forces | 3 |
| History of Architecture Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Summer I | ||
| ARC 606 | Great Cities Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 691 | Analysis and History of Urban Form | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Fall II | ||
| ARC 607 | Advanced Architectural Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 632 | Structure Pt. I - The Form of Forces in Elements | 3 |
| ARC 662 | Environmental Building Systems I | 3 |
| ARC 667 | History of Architecture | 3 |
| RED 601 | Introduction to Real Estate Development and Urbanism | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Spring II | ||
| ARC 608 | Integrated Architecture Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 633 | Structure Pt. II - From Elements to Assemblies | 3 |
| ARC 663 | Environmental Building Systems II | 3 |
| ARC 668 | Diverse Histories of Architecture 20C. + Beyond | 3 |
| Professional Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Summer II | ||
| Electives | 10 | |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| Fall III | ||
| ARC 601 | Urban Design Studio I | 6 |
| ARC 621 | Housing, Infrastructure and Transportation | 3 |
| ARC 690 | History of Cities | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| RED 640 | Applied Design for Real Estate Development | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring III | ||
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 622 | Urban Design Theory and History of the Modern City | 3 |
| ARC 623 | Urban Design Competition | 1 |
| ARC 652 | Management of Professional Practice | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Summer III | ||
| ARC 603 | Urban Design Studio III | 6 |
| RED 699 | Capstone: Real Estate Development and Urbanism Charrette | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 126 | |
Suggested Plan of Study with MARCH I AP (2-Year Track)
| Fall I | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 607 | Advanced Architectural Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 615 | Advanced Architectural Media | 3 |
| ARC 620 | Responsible Architecture | 3 |
| RED 601 | Introduction to Real Estate Development and Urbanism | 3 |
| RED 640 | Applied Design for Real Estate Development | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring I | ||
| ARC 608 | Integrated Architecture Design Studio | 6 |
| ARC 622 | Urban Design Theory and History of the Modern City | 3 |
| ARC 623 | Urban Design Competition | 1 |
| History of Architecture Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Summer I | ||
| Electives | 9 | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Fall II | ||
| ARC 601 | Urban Design Studio I | 6 |
| ARC 621 | Housing, Infrastructure and Transportation | 3 |
| ARC 690 | History of Cities | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Elective | 1 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring II | ||
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 652 | Management of Professional Practice | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Summer II | ||
| ARC 603 | Urban Design Studio III | 6 |
| RED 699 | Capstone: Real Estate Development and Urbanism Charrette | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 81 | |
