I am a recent graduate (2003) of James Madison University's Business School. I have been working in finances for the last three years, but for the past year and a half I have been looking into pursuing a career in architecture. I've looked into the masters degree programs at UVA and VA Tech, as well as VA Tech's Architecture Center in Alexandria.
If anyone has taken this route to become an architect could you please offer any suggestions or advice? I have 2 options that I am looking at now which are:
(1) Wait until the end of 2006 to apply to UVA or VA Tech's M.Arch programs which should take me 3 1/2 years to complete.
(2) Earn an associates degree over the next 2 years at Northern Virginia Comm. College while working full-time, then apply to VA Tech's Architecture Center's M.Arch program which would take 2 1/2 years.
Either way, it's a 4 1/2 to 5 year commitment. So I'm looking for any advice that I can get. Thanks.
Are you sure that VA Tech would accept an associate's degree for placement into their 2.5 year program? That would be unusual, because generally schools are required to show that people accepted into 2 or 2.5-year programs have the equivalent backgrounds (in studio courses and other architecture curriculum) to a 4-year non-professional architecture major.
In any case, if you already have a college degree you are probably best off going straight to a 3 or 3.5-year M.Arch program (the length depends on the school. There are over 100 of these programs in the US.) At most of these about one third or more of the class is made up of people from backgrounds unrelated to architecture or design.
Be aware that the usual path to licensure after graduation involves an internship that is usually a minimum of 3 years of fulltime work (at salaries currently ranging from 28k to 45k in various regions of the country and depending somewhat on the type of firm), and a 9-part exam. The current average time between graduation and licensure, as reported by NCARB, is 7.5 years.
There are some ways to speed this up a bit, by testing concurrently with the internship for example, but due to very long paperwork processing times, the difficulty of getting all the required training units in various categories, etc., it's a very difficult thing to do in less than 4 years.
The education part of things is just the tip of the iceberg - in the long run you're looking at a 7 to 10+ year commitment.
I am a WAAC grad (Va Tech - Alexandria), albeit 10 years ago. NOVA won't be of any use to you unless you're looking at taking some autocad classes. It will not shave any time off the M. Arch. I assume the business school degree is a four year degree? As Aluminate says above, going straight into an M. Arch is the best option for you. The only way to do a Masters in 2 years is to have an accredited four year degree in architecture. 3.5 year M. Arch's are tailor made for students with a non-architectural college degree.
Call the WAAC center and talk to someone. They are very nice. I think Jaan Holt is still the director there. If he can't talk to you I'm sure there is someone else who can discuss the program with you. There are some people floating around here who are more recent grads. I'm sure they'll jump in and give more current views on what the program is like.
Find a firm that needs a business or project manager and get a job for a while. Most architects have no business savy- hence the low salaries. If you think that looking at an autocad drawing is more exciting then a spreadsheet, you'll quickly find out the truth... Then after you've marinated in architecture culture for a few more years, then apply to grad school. Get a M.Arch and a MBA- start a firm a few years later and become rich.
don't spend the time doing the associate's degree. i think it wouldn't be valued very highly by graduate schools. rather, try a summer long career discovery type course. i know columbia, harvard, and UCLA offer them. get the technical skills under your belt and try to put together some semblance of a creative portfolio.
then apply away.
for m.arch I programs, you won't need a strict architectural background but having a portfolio and experience in fine arts (whether academically formal or on your own) will help prep you for admissions.
and aluminate speaks the truth. to become licensed, you'll need to fulfill IDP requirements and then take your exams... all after getting your m.arch.
May 9, 06 9:38 pm ·
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I want to be a licensed architect...any suggestions?
I am a recent graduate (2003) of James Madison University's Business School. I have been working in finances for the last three years, but for the past year and a half I have been looking into pursuing a career in architecture. I've looked into the masters degree programs at UVA and VA Tech, as well as VA Tech's Architecture Center in Alexandria.
If anyone has taken this route to become an architect could you please offer any suggestions or advice? I have 2 options that I am looking at now which are:
(1) Wait until the end of 2006 to apply to UVA or VA Tech's M.Arch programs which should take me 3 1/2 years to complete.
(2) Earn an associates degree over the next 2 years at Northern Virginia Comm. College while working full-time, then apply to VA Tech's Architecture Center's M.Arch program which would take 2 1/2 years.
Either way, it's a 4 1/2 to 5 year commitment. So I'm looking for any advice that I can get. Thanks.
Are you sure that VA Tech would accept an associate's degree for placement into their 2.5 year program? That would be unusual, because generally schools are required to show that people accepted into 2 or 2.5-year programs have the equivalent backgrounds (in studio courses and other architecture curriculum) to a 4-year non-professional architecture major.
In any case, if you already have a college degree you are probably best off going straight to a 3 or 3.5-year M.Arch program (the length depends on the school. There are over 100 of these programs in the US.) At most of these about one third or more of the class is made up of people from backgrounds unrelated to architecture or design.
Be aware that the usual path to licensure after graduation involves an internship that is usually a minimum of 3 years of fulltime work (at salaries currently ranging from 28k to 45k in various regions of the country and depending somewhat on the type of firm), and a 9-part exam. The current average time between graduation and licensure, as reported by NCARB, is 7.5 years.
There are some ways to speed this up a bit, by testing concurrently with the internship for example, but due to very long paperwork processing times, the difficulty of getting all the required training units in various categories, etc., it's a very difficult thing to do in less than 4 years.
The education part of things is just the tip of the iceberg - in the long run you're looking at a 7 to 10+ year commitment.
Business school, eh? Have you read the salary related threads?
I am a WAAC grad (Va Tech - Alexandria), albeit 10 years ago. NOVA won't be of any use to you unless you're looking at taking some autocad classes. It will not shave any time off the M. Arch. I assume the business school degree is a four year degree? As Aluminate says above, going straight into an M. Arch is the best option for you. The only way to do a Masters in 2 years is to have an accredited four year degree in architecture. 3.5 year M. Arch's are tailor made for students with a non-architectural college degree.
Call the WAAC center and talk to someone. They are very nice. I think Jaan Holt is still the director there. If he can't talk to you I'm sure there is someone else who can discuss the program with you. There are some people floating around here who are more recent grads. I'm sure they'll jump in and give more current views on what the program is like.
Good Luck!
Find a firm that needs a business or project manager and get a job for a while. Most architects have no business savy- hence the low salaries. If you think that looking at an autocad drawing is more exciting then a spreadsheet, you'll quickly find out the truth... Then after you've marinated in architecture culture for a few more years, then apply to grad school. Get a M.Arch and a MBA- start a firm a few years later and become rich.
don't spend the time doing the associate's degree. i think it wouldn't be valued very highly by graduate schools. rather, try a summer long career discovery type course. i know columbia, harvard, and UCLA offer them. get the technical skills under your belt and try to put together some semblance of a creative portfolio.
then apply away.
for m.arch I programs, you won't need a strict architectural background but having a portfolio and experience in fine arts (whether academically formal or on your own) will help prep you for admissions.
and aluminate speaks the truth. to become licensed, you'll need to fulfill IDP requirements and then take your exams... all after getting your m.arch.
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