Overview
The Master of Science in Architecture is a two semester program that allows enrollment in six different tracks (with a minimum curricular requirement of 30 credits) and an optional third semester for a written thesis. On the background of interdisciplinarity the students of the six tracks will oscillate between joint courses for all MSA students, track-specific courses and courses that are shared with students from other programs and departments. Each track will be led by a recognized leader in the field, supported by the joint resources of the MSA umbrella. The program acts as an accelerator and cross-pollinator, in which the confrontation with contemporary problems and themes takes priority over disciplinary silos. In offering an open academic environment to investigate design strategies in relation to the most pressing issues of the 21st century, the MSA program provides a contemporary skills and knowledge base for professional application, as much as future advanced doctoral study. The degree is STEM-designated which allows international students to apply for OPT for up to 36 months after graduation.
Admissions
Applications are generally considered for entrance in the Fall semester. Courses are sequenced to deliver a cohesive educational experience and students are expected to follow the established course sequence for their program. Students entering the program in Spring or Summer may not be eligible to enter the course sequence at that time but may take electives or other required courses. This will necessarily extend the duration of the degree program.
Applications are reviewed by a committee of various faculty ranks and staff who evaluate potential applicants and submit recommendations to the Program Director. Committee members must submit a survey with comments and notes on each student application for program record keeping. Requirements/Recommendations for additional coursework will be contingent on the evaluation of the student’s prior work at the time of admission.
Selected teaching faculty reviews transcripts, grades, and syllabi to determine equivalent course content from non-accredited degrees that may be replaced using form “Equivalent Course work” after matriculation and prior to the start of a semester.
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.
The minimum requirement for applications to all Masters’ Degrees programs is a 3.0 GPA (cumulative grade point average).
Please visit our website at msa.arc.miami.edu and refer to our latest admission and portfolio requirements here.
Additional requirements for International Students:
- TOEFL of min. 80 or IELTS of min. 6.5 (please use University code 5815) or Duolingo with a min. score of 125 (scores to be sent to University of Miami - Graduate School).
- 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)
Curriculum Requirements
Master of Science in Architecture: Digital Fabrication & Technology
Non-thesis Option 30 credits, Thesis Option 36 credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design or Research Studio | 6 |
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 656 | Parametric Tectonics | 3 |
| ARC 657 | Design and Fabrication Techniques | 3 |
| ARC 681 | Special Problems Emergent Methods | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Technology Electives | 6 | |
| Thesis Option | ||
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis Optional | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30-36 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Hospitality Design
Non-thesis Option 30 credits, Thesis Option 36 credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design or Research Studio | 6 |
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 640 | Tropical Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 664 | The Hotel: Past, Present, Future | 3 |
| ARC 685 | Special Problems Fundamentals of Hotel Design/Hotel U | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Thesis Option | ||
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis Optional | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30-36 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Healthcare Design
Non-thesis Option 30 credits, Thesis Option 36 credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design or Research Studio | 6 |
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 681 | Special Problems Healthcare Modules | 3 |
| ARC 682 | Special Problems Hospitals, Health Care Services and Access | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Thesis Option | ||
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis Optional | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30-36 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Classical & Traditional Design
Non-thesis Option 30 credits, Thesis Option 36 credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design or Research Studio | 6 |
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 674 | Renaissance Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 681 | Special Problems Structure and Decay of Materials | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| History Electives | 6 | |
| Research Elective | 3 | |
| Thesis Option | ||
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis Optional | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30-36 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Historic Preservation & Adaptive Reuse
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design or Research Studio | 6 |
| ARC 618 | Documentation of Historic Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 628 | Historic Preservation | 3 |
| ARC 681 | Special Problems Structure and Decay of Materials | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| Preservation Planning Elective | 3 | |
| Research Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Contemporary Theory of the Built Environment
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design or Research Studio | 6 |
| ARC 620 | Responsible Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| History/Theory Elective | 3 | |
| Research Electives | 6 | |
| Field Research Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
All Electives as per semester schedule offerings and with approval.
Suggested Plan of Study
Master of Science in Architecture: Digital Fabrication & Technology
Non-thesis Option 30 credits, Thesis Option 36 credits
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design | 6 |
| ARC 681 | Special Problems Emergent Methods | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Technology Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 656 | Parametric Tectonics | 3 |
| ARC 657 | Design and Fabrication Techniques | 3 |
| Technology Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
| Fall I | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 6 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Hospitality Design
Non-thesis Option 30 credits, Thesis Option 36 credits
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design | 6 |
| ARC 685 | Special Problems Fundamentals of Hotel Design/Hotel U | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 640 | Tropical Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 664 | The Hotel: Past, Present, Future | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
| Fall I | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 6 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Healthcare Design
Non-thesis Option 30 credits, Thesis Option 36 credits
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design | 6 |
| ARC 681 | Special Problems Healthcare Modules | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 682 | Special Problems Hospitals, Health Care Services and Access | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
| Fall I | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis Optional | 6 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 6 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Classical & Traditional Design
Non-thesis Option 30 credits, Thesis Option 36 credits
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design | 6 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Research Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ARC 610 | Architecture Design Degree Project | 6 |
| ARC 674 | Renaissance Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 685 | Special Problems Structure and Decay of Materials | 3 |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
| Fall I | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis Optional | 6 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 6 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Historic Preservation & Adaptive Reuse
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design | 6 |
| ARC 618 | Documentation of Historic Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 628 | Historic Preservation | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| ARC 685 | Special Problems Structure and Decay of Materials | 3 |
| Preservation Planning Elective | 3 | |
| Research Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Master of Science in Architecture: Contemporary Theory of the Built Environment
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARC 609 | Architecture Design | 6 |
| ARC 620 | Responsible Architecture | 3 |
| ARC 699 | Directed Research | 3 |
| Research Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ARC 810 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| History/Theory Elective | 3 | |
| Research Elective | 3 | |
| Field Research Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
All Electives as per semester schedule offerings and with approval.
Goals
- To prepare students for professional leadership and lifelong learning in architecture, urbanism, and related fields.
- To preserve and develop knowledge for the profession through research and practice.
- To share knowledge locally and internationally.
- To promote building and community design goals of environmental responsibility, social equity, and economic sustainability.
- To bridge disciplinary silos within the professions of the built environment.
- To explicitly address issues of societal and environmental change.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate the ability to develop knowledge for the profession through research and practice.
- Students will demonstrate clear reasoning with organized presentation of evidence, assumptions, and conclusions.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to raise clear and precise questions, use abstract ideas to interpret information, consider diverse points of view, reach well-reasoned conclusions, and test alternative outcomes against relevant criteria and standards.
- Students will not only deepen their knowledge in their selected field of specialization, but will be able to understand and communicate concepts that originate from other fields.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak and listen effectively.
