It's a good idea. Either you can work with the MBA, save a ton of money, then do what you want. It will be a huge asset in running a firm or starting your own. Only caveat is that you will probably be doing business stuff, just in an architecture office.

I'd get the MBA. It'll be helpful, even if you intentionally avoid using it at a firm (if, say, you want to design). Any business knowledge is good stuff. As they say, the world revolves around money, and money is business.

MBA is a great idea. If you're already on this stream of thought, you might look for an arch internship in an area with a school offering night or weekend MBA programs. Good luck!

I have both degrees ... started with the B.Arch and took the MBA a few years later ... what trace says is true ... taking the MBA will tend to funnel you toward "business stuff" separate and distinct from "project stuff" ... not sure that needs to happen, but is does - in my experience.

I think you should be very clear in your own mind why you want to pursue the MBA ... if it's just a safety net, I don't think you should bother ... it would be better to focus on becoming a really good architect ... however, if you want to pursue the practice management side of the business or move into real estate development at some point in the future, the MBA can be highly useful - especially when it comes to opening doors that might otherwise be closed to a "mere" architect.

I will say that most of what you really need to know about practice management can be learned on the job if you will keep your ears and eyes open, attend appropriate aia conferences, read appropriate newsletters and books, and seek out a mentor with practice management skills. Most of what you will learn in MBA programs will be overkill for all but the very largest of design firms ...

In fact, because most MBA programs are designed to prepare individuals for careers in large organizations, much of what you may learn there can be dangerous in a <20 person firm, unless you know how to distill that knowledge and adapt it to the smaller environment

I see little evidence that an MBA will provide you a meaningfully higher salary in a design firm, unless you choose to specialize in practice management ...however, an MBA might help you find employment in other fields, which typically pay better than does architecture.

thanks everyone!

my primary motive for getting a mba is mainly because it's a nice safety net. but in case I ever start a firm, getting a mba might be useful? but i'm not sure

i hear there are dual degrees (m.arch + MBA) in various universities such as Arizona State University. I don't know if I'll later on pursue a M.arch II (since Ill have a b.arch already) but since my dad is a professor at ASU, going there would almost be free...and i figure getting a MBA while at grad school wouldn't hurt

any thoughts?

I almost got a dual MBA and M.Arch. This is what I was told from other professionals.

Essentially you'll be well off (especially if you start your own firm) if you take some business classes in conjunction with your degree. I wouldn't worry about getting an MBA with out several years of business background and a desire to operate a large firm.

Get a good degree with some business classes, and several years in the arch. business, and you'll be well off.

Also keep in mind that most MBA programs require at least 2 years of management experience to get into their programs. Many programs that don't require some kind of real life experience prior, well that may say something about the quality of their program, in which do you really want to invest that time and money into it?

Oh, and I almost went tp ASU for the same reason. The offer both degrees jointly (aka, they organize the classes that you can take both jointly with out many conflictions). And they have a very good Arch program. If you really want to do the dual route, ASU would be an excellent place to do it, but don't fool yourself, it's not going to be easy.

thanks guys!

oh ..regarding the 'safety net'..i'm still in high school and just having to hear how so many people in the architecture field have dropped out maybe due to low pay or lack of satisfaction, has made me think the mba might allow me to provide me with more options in case that ever happens.

but i don't want to seem like architecture is not my only passion because it really is...and i would highly be dissatisfied as a financial adviser ..or something else

but i think it would give me some more stability.....hearing all these drop outs have been worrying me for years..

well there was this "MBA in Design Management" that I was interested in. Meant for design proffesionals of course .

I think one of the universities in UK had it before they discontinued it.

I dont know if there is any such course anywhere else.

well there was this "MBA in Design Management" that I was interested in. Meant for design proffesionals of course .

I think one of the universities in UK had it before they discontinued it.

I dont know if there is any such course anywhere else.

hehehe sporadic..I got ya now ! .....

haha funny nevermore

You might wanna take a look at this ..

The Art Institutes International Minnesota launches new Bachelor of Science Degree in Design Management

I am not sure that getting an MBA is a guarantee too be financially successful, it like saying that if you have an architecture degree you can design stuff...... we all know Architects who produce crap. However, I would say that the conmbination has some good broad education that would give you a good platform and skill set for design / development / and managment. That being said I think it would be a worthy combination.

I have my MBA/M.Arch from Univ. of Illinois, and I tend to agree with some of the previous posters. If your goal is to work in a design firm as a design architect the MBA may be a bit overkill, and your probably better off (time wise and financially) just taking a few business classes. If you want to eventually use your arch experience to move in a different direction - consulting, real estate development, etc the MBA will be perfect for this. I also think anyone who wants to own their own business be it an arch design firm or otherwise would benefit from having an MBA.

Thanks,

-Brent

whistler - it actually is a guarantee, assuming you go to a top 20 school. Average starting salaries are easily above $100k. That's starting. I'd say that's a pretty good beginning, as far as $$ are concerned.

i'd say - not a bad combination of degress, but you might want to space them out.

I'd suggest the following: Get your Barch, and while you're there, take some business and management classes.
Graduate, work a couple years and get to know the profession and then think about the MBA. You'll have a much better sense of how it could be usefull to you, and what the best way to go about it would be.

Quizzical and others,

I was wondering how helpful getting an mba would be to starting your own firm.

Is there anyone out there with an mba that has started their own firm and can speak to whether or not it was worthwhile?

I am currently teaching and can get an mba from an associated school for free. It's a no name shool, but I already have 2 high profile degrees.

I am not interested in being the project management person at all. I'm only interested in it to build skills/knowledge that would help me start a design firm. Is this overkill, should I just take a few business classes and go to AIA seminars/read books?

I might also entertain starting a design development firm, so I can be my own client....although I am more interested in the design aspect. If I started a design development firm would an mba help or would I need something specifically in real estate? I Don't have access to free real estate development classes.

ALternatively I could just take a few classes from the mba program and not complete the degree since I am building knowledge for myself, I am not concerned about how it will appear on my resume. WHich types of classes from an MBA program are the most relevant?

Other random tangent. I can also get a second BA in ANimation for free. Instead I was thinking I would just audit a few classes in the program. It's kind of a hobby, but I don't see myself switching careers and doing video games or movies. Unless of course I could land a job designing the digital set for the next sci fi flick. THat would be cool :)

I only have so so rendering skills, so I suppose that strengthening these skills could make me a more valued employee until I start my own firm down the line. And I use rendering as a design tool. so I would expect any office I started to have a heavy bent in that direction, but I would not want to open a rendering for others only type firm.

If I apply to architecture firms would the actual animation degree be helpful in getting a job with some place experimental or would the boost in skill level from auditing be all I need? I am assumming it will not up my salary at an architecture firm post degree since it's usually younger staff that render anyway. Also I could focus either on Maya with people interested in doing movie animation, or 3DStudio max with people more interested in Video games--would one be better than the other job wise?

Does anyone know of firms that do real architecture and also design environments for movies or video games? Is movie or game environment design only done at places like Sony or EA games or is it ever subcontracted out? I don't think I'd be happy giving up architecture totally, but wouldn't mind dabbling in both with my own office or working for someone that's doing something similar.

Unfortuantely I think what I am really interested in learning and implementing in a future office is more parametric modeling, rhino, rapid prototyping stuff, but I do not have access to these types of courses for free currently.

Last question. I may continue forward in academia as well and am wondering whether either of these degrees would make me more attractive as a professor at major architecture programs. In which case maybe I don't want to just audit classes. Or would independent built work or being published be the only thing they'd care about?

Sorry for the length, I am kind of at this crazy crossroad in my career and trying to figure out how to best utilize my resources. I know the options I posted are all over the place.

Thanks.