Program Information
The School’s curriculum prepares its graduates for a full range of professional activities. The Master of Architecture is fully accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). The School’s course of study emphasizes urban architecture and related topics to take advantage of its diverse metropolitan setting in Florida’s Tampa Bay region. Its sequence of design studios provides an integrating element in a curriculum offering a broad mix of history, theory, technology, and professional practice along with an array of elective courses.
Graduate Studies
Master of Architecture
[For students with a non-architectural degree]
The M. Arch. degree normally requires 105 credit hours of coursework for students with baccalaureate degrees in non-architectural fields. Pending review of transcripts and portfolios, students having undergraduate degrees in related fields may receive waivers for some required courses for which a grade of B or better was earned. In order to complete the program in a timely manner, students must complete 15-17 credit hours per semester. In recognition of students’ various personal and economic needs, the School has designed three different 105 credit hours tracks, an 8-semester track, a 10-semester track, and an 11-semester track.
[For students with a pre-professional degree in architecture]
Students having a four-year, pre-professional degree in architecture may, pending review of their transcripts and portfolios, receive up to 53 credit hours of course waivers toward the 105 credit hour curriculum, leaving 52 credit hours for completion of the Master of Architecture degree. These credit hour waivers will only be considered for previous completion of certain similar courses in which a grade of B or better was earned. However, pending this transcript and portfolio review, the School may require the admitted student to take additional required or elective courses beyond the indicated 52 credit hour minimum.
[For students with a professional degree in Architecture]
Students having a five- year professional degree in architecture from a NAAB/CACB accredited program (U.S. and Canada) must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in the School’s Master of Architecture program. For these students, the School will develop individualized curriculum tracks to meet each student’s academic and professional objectives. However, pending the review of each applicant’s undergraduate transcript and portfolio, the School may require the admitted student to take additional required or elective courses.
[PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS - FOR ALL GRADUATE STUDENTS]
In addition to the minimum credit hour requirements indicated above (105, 52, and 30), all students must meet the following prerequisites for admission into the School:
a. an undergraduate course in Calculus;
b. an undergraduate course in Physics;
c. an undergraduate course in Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD); and
d. a GRE test score.
105 Credit Hour Core Curriculum
51 Credit Hour Core Curriculum
SACD Prerequisite Requirements
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Computer Policy for Incoming Students
NEW STUDENTS with 4 / 5 year Architectural Degrees entering the SACD Advanced Studios must meet the SACD Required Laptop policy.
ALL other NEW STUDENTS entering the SACD Architecture Program (including 2+3) are STRONGLY encouraged NOT to purchase a computer until submitting portfolio for advanced studios. Programs used in the School of Architecture are very demanding. Our students find that their laptops have a useful life of 2 - 3 years, after which they are too slow to be useful. New students do not need to use a computer until their third or fourth studio.
The School maintains a computer lab with 24/7 access.The lab has 12 computers with all the software you will need. The school also provides an 11x17 scanner, a 36” wide Vidar scanner, six laser printers (4 b&w and 2 color), five plotters (3 color and 2 b&w laser), 4 gigs of network storage space and wired and wireless internet access.
The minimum requirements for student laptops CHANGES every year. You will be expected to satisfy the requirement at the time you submit your portfolio to advance into the Advanced Studio (A,B,C) Track.
Students not meeting the Laptop Requirement at the time they submit their portfolio will be required to purchase another laptop prior to advancing into the Advanced Studio Track regardless of the computer’s age.
If you have questions about this policy please email or call your advisor.
Undergraduate Studies
The School’s curriculum prepares its graduates for a full range of professional activities. The Master of Architecture is fully accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). While the school of Architecture and Community Design only offers graduate degrees and certificates, undergraduate students may, in some circumstances, enroll in the M. Arch. program before earning a baccalaureate degree.
Architecture Studies for Undergraduates
[For students with an associate degree in architecture]
Students having an Associate degree in Architecture must complete a minimum of 93 credit hours in the School’s Master of Architecture program. Holders of the Associate degree in Architecture will normally receive a waiver of 12 credit hours for their previous design studio experience, reducing the normal 105 credit hour M. Arch. degree requirement to 93 credits hours. Further, these students may receive course waivers for the following architecture courses in which a grade of B or better was earned: Design Theory, History I, History II, and Structures I. However, pending the review of each applicant’s transcript and portfolio, these credit hour and course waivers may not be granted.
[For non-degree holding students]
For non-degree holding students, the School’s professional program involves a minimum of 165 credit hours of undergraduate and graduate work, leading to the M. Arch. degree. No bachelor’s degree is awarded. Before entering the program, students are to complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of general education and prerequisite courses at a community college, the University of South Florida, or other college or university. Having completed these requirements, students will complete the School’s 105 credit hour, M. Arch. program. In recognition of students’ various personal and economic needs, the School has designed three different 105 credit hours tracks, an 8-semester track, a 10-semester track, and an 11-semester track.
[PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS – FOR ALL UNDERGRADUATES]
In addition to the minimum credit hour requirements indicated above, all undergraduate students must have successfully completed following prerequisites for admission into the program:
a. an undergraduate course in Calculus;
b. an undergraduate course in Physics;
c. an undergraduate course in Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD); and
d. a GRE test score.
Further, these students who do not have an associate’s degree in architecture must also meet the following:
e. ARC 2001 - Introduction to Architecture – 3 cr. hrs.
f. ARC 2131 – Introduction to Architectural Design/Graphics – 4 cr. hrs.
g. creative art or design courses – 8 cr. hrs.
[CONVERSION TO GRADUATE STATUS]
The School of Architecture and Community Design does not award a bachelor’s degree. Rather, students electing this course of study will hold “undergraduate” status for the first 120 credit hours and “graduate” status for the remaining credit hour requirement.
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