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Dropping out of UofT Arch and pursuing an M.Arch without BA(AS)
Hi,
As the title suggests, I am currently a first-year undergraduate who is about one month into my studies at UofT Daniels. Needless to say, I have become slightly disillusioned with the program. I was initially attracted to Architecture because I am interested in the human aspect of design: considering public/private spaces, how light and sound affect the user, and developing design solutions regarding a wide range of social issues (such as climate, etc). However, while the people so far have been great, UofT's curriculum has been unable to stretch me creatively.
I am thinking of reapplying to a more rigorous practical arts program (i.e. Sheridan's Hons Bachelor of Animation, another program that I previously got into) and then pursuing an M.Arch at UofT/UBC or getting an Architectural Technician diploma while completing Summer Intro courses. While working in animation has always been my dream, the animation industry is oversaturated, very unstable, and (shockingly!) pays even less than architecture (~35k w/o union vs ~50k entry). Architecture is also very integrated into the social fabric and has a problem-solving aspect that I like. I plan on achieving a nice balance of both so that I can pivot from one industry to another (as well as construction etc.) when times get tough. Would welcome some advice from practicing architects in Canada as I come from a non-arts immigrant family and have been unable to discuss this with anyone.
Thanks!
A burnt-out 18-year-old lol.
I'll bite and hopefully I can help a little.
I started out in fine arts, including a brief stint studying animation. Several of my peers went to Sheridan, an excellent program (that just means the program is good; it doesn't mean you'll be able to find a job in the field).
The path you're suggesting is so off-the-wall that I simply don't understand where you're coming from. There are different undergrad programs across Canada, and UofT is nowhere near the top. Having said that, is an undergrad degree and it absolutely does not matter where you get your degree from in Canada, because you still can't (really) get licensed as an architect with only a Bachelor degree. My advice would be to seek out other programs, rather than abandon ship. Most M.Arch programs won't allow direct entry from a non-architecture undergrad degree, so keep that in mind as well. The path you're dreaming up isn't well thought out or researched at all.
I can tell you as somebody with a degree in product design, even though that's as close as you can get to architecture without it being architecture, there's essentially no crossover. If you think you'll be doing animations for an architecture firm, you probably won't - because it's never been a traditional role, and even in-house rendering is almost obsolete these days. With AI coming, that's a dead end.
You need to decide what you actually want to do. It doesn't have to be architecture and it doesn't have to be animation. But only dabbling in one or both is only going to get you left behind by your peers, unless you can come up with a viable position/role that nobody else can do, and that's a very risky proposition for somebody who's never worked in either industry.
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