Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
University of Southern California (USC)
Tulane University
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Temple University
University of Oregon
Cranbrook Academy of Art
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
Kansas State University
Masters or not before it’s too late?
I graduated with RIBA Part 1 a few years ago. I have been working in Canada since but not on the path to licensure. I’ve been a full time designer and now I’m leading comp design/viz and sometimes doing designer role stuff at a natural playground company near Toronto. I’m making 72,000 CAD a year and my job is relatively good work/life compared to when I was a designer at a well known design firm in Toronto, plus I’m living at home still so I’m saving a lot more. I probably have some salary room to grow as well, but that’s not really the point of considering a Masters for me anyways…
My dilemma is that I am almost 28 (I went to arch school late) and I have a good amount of experience, but without doing my Master’s, I’m not on the path to licensure. However, I have some niche skills which is why in part I’ve got hired fine without. That being said, I want to do architecture on my own soon, and I am also getting old, and so getting that Masters now at least could open the door if I choose to get licensed in the future. I could always return to a job like where I’m at now, but what I really would rather due is be an entrepreneur, so I look at a Masters as a way to culminate my last few years of experience before I do that, versus part of the accreditation process. In this profession I don’t think people take you seriously without it unfortunately…
I have been lucky to have a lot of architect mentors in my life, and some don’t believe in licensure really. What do you think? I would rather do the Masters now when I’m younger and don’t have kids or a family to take care of versus regret later in life.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Am I old? Also where would you study? What’s hot? I did my undergrad at a very conceptual design school on the fringes, and I tend to like that, versus big institutional things. I’m open to going international as long as it’s not the US where it’s impossible to get an ROI IMO even though SCI-Arc seems sick as.
Thanks for any help!
The reason they don’t believe in licensure is because they’ve all worked multi internationally and so the thought is that there is no point in getting licensed unless you know for sure you’re practicing in one place longterm. All are licensed somewhere however…
It's not too late.
Do your Master's and get your license. 28 is quite young in this biz. Dont spend stupid money on schools like Sciarc, as fun as they are.
So, first things first, as a design with only a undergrad, you're getting paid well above average compared to someone in a similar position in an arch office... even in an expensive metro area like Toronto. Second, getting a M.arch won't really increase your pay if switching to an arch practice because you're already used to above average but it is one of the only ways for you to get a license and start your own gig. The other option besides a M.arch is the RAIC syllabus but that is canada specific and could take 6 to 10years.
Point is, if you want to do your own thing, get an accredited degree and get the license. That's the minimum you need and there no real shortcuts or hacks around this. Look around for program options because lenght varies just don't go thinking the name of the school means anything because it does not. Just take the cheapest accredited M.arch you can find (that is acceptable under CACB if in canada).
You are not old at 28. I'm 49 and working on my credentials. I'm the one that's old and I'm still working on it.
Architecture isn't a profession that retires at 65. Its a profession where you practice and die at the drafting table or at a public restroom at a train station (or the likes).
Sorry for the macab part but its getting close to Halloween in a little over 30 days and its kind of true.
I was always told to not bother with a masters degree unless you wanted to teach ( full time ) but know of many that work in the profession who still teach part time and never went back for more time in academia.
This is probably just and American thing but: I think there are around 175 accredited architectural programs in the US. I think around 20 programs still offer a B.Arch. The rest offer M.Arch.
Is it like this in Canada as well?
B.arch became extinct sometimes in the 90s up here in the frozen communist thundra.
Well I am Canadian! and I thought most of the programs across Canada all went to a M.Arch years ago??? anything that was a B.Arch became a B. Environmental Science or something else. Not sure
B.A.S is common now... bachelor of arch studies. Others tack on the enviro science for extra spice. There are all pretty much the same although some schools are obviously much stronger than others regardless of the undergrad letter combo.
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