hi I am 36 and thinking of going into architecture. Would it be advisable? And how would I do it? Enroll in an undergrad again or a master's degree? I graduated computer science.. thanks.
Since you already have a bachelor degree, the shortest route would be an M.Arch program. Most have a 3 to 3.5 year route for those who don't already have an undergrad degree in a related field. Applying typically requires a portfolio of visual work, and sometimes a few pre-reqs such as a course in architecture history, a semester of physics, and/or calculus.
Whether you should do it or not is a lot more complicated - you should try to arrange to shadow an architect, to see what the day to day work is really like. Understand the timeline: after the 3 or 3.5 years of study you'll usually need at least 3 years of experience before you can sit for the licensing exams. An oft-repeated rule of thumb is that architects aren't even fully competent until their mid 50s. If you start your M.Arch at 36 you'll be 8-10 years behind the average, so might hit your stride in your 60s. Be realistic about salary expectations: most architects are not highly paid professionals.
Also if you go the 3/3.5 M.Arch. route, know there is a bit of a bias against graduates of those programs outside the Ivies, MIT, etc. Many 5 or 6 year degree holders look down on them as expensive associates degrees and I have seen job ads for entry level specifying 5 or 6 year degrees only.
Nov 24, 19 2:42 pm ·
·
BulgarBlogger
Lol- you have it all wrong. If you get credit for all AP-classes, you can substitute architectural classes for general education classes in order to be full-time. Beyond that, the B.Arch supplements his 3-years or so of architectural education (as you put it) with earlier exposrure to practice/work. Where someone who went to a four-year non-architecture related program, and then gets a 3.5 Masters (total of 7.5 years of education), the B.Arch graduate has a headstart
Nov 25, 19 12:19 am ·
·
BulgarBlogger
in terms of experience. Finally, the B.Arch saves a total of 2.5 years of tuition compares to that person who "suddenly" woke up and decided he/she wanted to study architecture and enrolled in a 3.5 year M.Arch.
Nov 25, 19 12:20 am ·
·
SneakyPete
Speaking as a 3.5 graduate, you can succeed just fine.
Nov 25, 19 11:48 am ·
·
Gloominati
No M.Arch programs grant advanced placement for work in a firm.
Nov 26, 19 1:39 pm ·
·
Gloominati
There is advanced standing in some M.Arch programs, based on previous coursework. Articulation doesn't apply though, because the courses don't "transfer". There's no connection between undergrad and graduate transcripts, and your GPA starts over from scratch in grad school (except in a few cases of schools that award both a 5-year B.Arch and a 1-year or 1.5 year M.Arch at the same time at the end of one continuous curriculum.) What happens is that the M.Arch program admits the student at a higher level, and waives the credit requirement for the courses already taken. There is also advanced placement or course waiver - this is different - it means the courses are waived, but the total credit requirement is still the same. In that situation the student has to take other electives instead of the waived required courses, because the credits needed to graduate are still the same.
Switching careers at 36 to architecture?
hi I am 36 and thinking of going into architecture. Would it be advisable? And how would I do it? Enroll in an undergrad again or a master's degree? I graduated computer science.. thanks.
Since you already have a bachelor degree, the shortest route would be an M.Arch program. Most have a 3 to 3.5 year route for those who don't already have an undergrad degree in a related field. Applying typically requires a portfolio of visual work, and sometimes a few pre-reqs such as a course in architecture history, a semester of physics, and/or calculus.
Whether you should do it or not is a lot more complicated - you should try to arrange to shadow an architect, to see what the day to day work is really like. Understand the timeline: after the 3 or 3.5 years of study you'll usually need at least 3 years of experience before you can sit for the licensing exams. An oft-repeated rule of thumb is that architects aren't even fully competent until their mid 50s. If you start your M.Arch at 36 you'll be 8-10 years behind the average, so might hit your stride in your 60s. Be realistic about salary expectations: most architects are not highly paid professionals.
Do you have a trust fund?
Also if you go the 3/3.5 M.Arch. route, know there is a bit of a bias against graduates of those programs outside the Ivies, MIT, etc. Many 5 or 6 year degree holders look down on them as expensive associates degrees and I have seen job ads for entry level specifying 5 or 6 year degrees only.
Lol- you have it all wrong. If you get credit for all AP-classes, you can substitute architectural classes for general education classes in order to be full-time. Beyond that, the B.Arch supplements his 3-years or so of architectural education (as you put it) with earlier exposrure to practice/work. Where someone who went to a four-year non-architecture related program, and then gets a 3.5 Masters (total of 7.5 years of education), the B.Arch graduate has a headstart
in terms of experience. Finally, the B.Arch saves a total of 2.5 years of tuition compares to that person who "suddenly" woke up and decided he/she wanted to study architecture and enrolled in a 3.5 year M.Arch.
Speaking as a 3.5 graduate, you can succeed just fine.
No M.Arch programs grant advanced placement for work in a firm.
There is advanced standing in some M.Arch programs, based on previous coursework. Articulation doesn't apply though, because the courses don't "transfer". There's no connection between undergrad and graduate transcripts, and your GPA starts over from scratch in grad school (except in a few cases of schools that award both a 5-year B.Arch and a 1-year or 1.5 year M.Arch at the same time at the end of one continuous curriculum.) What happens is that the M.Arch program admits the student at a higher level, and waives the credit requirement for the courses already taken. There is also advanced placement or course waiver - this is different - it means the courses are waived, but the total credit requirement is still the same. In that situation the student has to take other electives instead of the waived required courses, because the credits needed to graduate are still the same.
Let's pretend, for the moment, the answer is yes. What next?
Next question: Who hurt you? Haha I'm just joking, but in all honesty, what makes you want to switch fields?
No. Don't do it.
Look into computational design maybe
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.