Certificate in Urban Design

Certificate in Urban Design

The vital role of designers in shaping the physical environment and its relationship to the natural world is at the core of the school’s pedagogy. Urban Design and Real Estate Development, and the nexus between them, form a critical field of inquiry supported by the two distinct Master programs: the Master of Urban Design and the Master of Real Estate Development + Urbanism. Students in both programs share experiences in the classroom and in learning engagements with communities.

Certificate requires a total of 15 credits of core courses and related electives.

Admission Requirements

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 Certificate 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:

1. Bachelor degree with a 3.0 cumulative point average (GPA)
2. Completed application form with an application fee. This fee is mandatory.
3. A letter or statement expressing your interest in the certificate and reasons for applying.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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. 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:

1. TOEFL of min. 80 or IELTS of min. 6.5 (please use University code 5815). 
2. 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

Certificate in Urban Design

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively use basic architectural and environmental principles in design.
• 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 demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak and listen effectively.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to use appropriate representational media, such as traditional graphic and digital technology skills, to convey essential formal elements at each stage of the programming and design process.