Hi all,

First post here - I'll be beginning a masters program this fall and have a few exciting options to choose from. They're all quite different yet comparably appealing in their respective ways. The time to make a decision is drawing very near, so I could really use some objective feedback. Thanks in advance for your comments!

With no further ado, here's the breakdown:

1) Politecnico di Milano / MSc in Building Architecture

Pros:

Free ride! Yippee!

Well-ranked (9th by QS)

Good workshop facilities

Renowned alumni (Renzo Piano, Aldo Rossi, Geo Ponti, etc.)

Highly technical focus

Large university (40,000+ students)

Accredited professional degree

Milan is a hub of design across industries

Italy is, well, Italy

Cons:

Relatively high student/instructor ratio, i.e. less direct engagement

Not familiar with instructors/guest lecturers

Difficult to find work in country after graduation (due to economics and visa status)

Less research-oriented

Leans more traditional than progressive (conceptually and with regard to technology)

Doesn't emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration (at least not beyond 'politecnical' disciplines, i.e. engineering, architecture & design)

I don't speak Italian (course is in English, but still relevant for networking, socializing, etc.)

Few opportunities to engage in 1:1 buildings or prototypes as a student

Links:

http://www.polinternational.polimi.it/educational-offer/laurea-magistrale-equivalent-to-master-of-science-programmes/architecture-building-architecture/ 

http://www.architettura.polimi.it/en/lavori/pspa/e12/

2) Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia / MAEB Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings

Pros:

50% Scholarship (best they offer, total reduced cost including living expenses would be ~$30k)

Small student/instructor ratio

Well-renowned among the avant-garde

AMAZING workshop facilities (lasers, 3D printers, 5-axis CNC's, drones, robotics, you name it - largest Fab Lab in Europe!)

Renowned instructors/guest lecturers (Vicente Guallart, Bjarke Ingels, Winny Maas, Enric Ruiz-Geli, etc.)

Great partnerships with regional firms (EMBT, BAD., Cloud 9, etc.)

Guaranteed 6-month to 1-year research position following graduation

Guaranteed opportunities to engage in 1:1 buildings and prototypes as a student (past projects are super impressive, see links below)

Highly interdisciplinary (apart from architecture, course features modules on fabrication, parametric design, biology, permaculture, forestry, etc.)

I speak Spanish and want to learn more

Program is housed in a XIX century Catalan maisa (sort of a villa) in Collserola, the world's largest metropolitan park (in addition to the primary campus in the city)

Barcelona is, well, Barcelona

Cons:

Unaccredited degree (fortunately in CO I can attain licensure without a professional degree given I've completed my AXP hours, but still worth considering)

Less-renowned among non-avant-garde circles

Less emphasis on real-world technicalities

I don't speak Catalan (and don't really care to invest much time learning)

Links:

https://iaac.net/educational-programmes/master-advanced-ecological-buildings/academic-structure/ 

http://www.fablabhouse.com/en/

https://www.archdaily.com/2749...

3) University of Cambridge / MPhil in Architecture & Urban Design

Pros:

Small student/instructor ratio (plus regular 1 on 1 meetings w/ professors as key part of curriculum)

Well-ranked (8th by QS)

Professionally accredited degree

Extremely well-renowned

Renowned instructors/guest lecturers (Peter Eisenman, Christopher Alexander, Richard Sennett, James Stirling, Peter Clegg, etc.)

Renowned alumni (Christopher Alexander, Peter Eisenman, Peter Clegg, Spencer de Grey, etc.)

Incredible networking opportunities

Amazing research opportunities (course includes a 6-9 month fieldwork period in any location of my choosing related to my thesis)

Somewhat interdisciplinary (course covers both architecture and urban design, but it's also an 'open' university meaning I could attend lectures in any subject and obviously Cambridge has the best lecturers in all sorts of fields - especially science!)

Strong emphasis on academic rigor, i.e. quality and content of work produced over 'glam' factor

Focus on architecture integrated into real-world urban scenarios

Prioritizes the development of each student's individual style

Would set me up well both for professional practice and academia (could likely continue onto a funded PhD if I choose to)

I speak English

Gorgeous campus...duh

College system

Relatively easy to find work after graduation (due to economics, language, visa status, etc.)

Cambridge is, well, Cambridge

Cons:

No scholarships to date (total cost including living expenses would be ~$100k, still cheaper than premier US schools but extremely expensive nonetheless)

Fairly limited workshop facilities (lasers available, but hand-cut models preferred, no 3D printers, CNC's, etc.)

Few opportunities to engage in 1:1 buildings or prototypes as a student

Less avant-garde/progressive

Links:

https://www.arct.cam.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate/mphil-degree-in-architecture-and-urban-design-maud-arb-riba-pt2

http://cambridge-design-research-studio.com/

Cheers!