Hi,

I'm a PhD student working on post-industrial urban renewal, and my advisors have strongly encouraged me to take architecture courses before I spend the next year doing fieldwork interviewing architects and urban planners. 

I'm considering taking Columbia's Intro to Architecture program but I'm wondering: is it actually an introduction or is it more a chance to build up your portfolio before applying to grad school? My background is only in social science and I've never taken a single architecture course, so I'm really looking for a way to become familiar with the discipline from an insider's perspective--however, I imagine the theoretical aspects will be much more useful to me than the practical/studio experience. 

I live in NYC so travel and living expenses are not an issue, and I'll (hopefully, fingers crossed) get some grant money to cover part of the cost. All things considered,

1) Would anyone who has done this program in the past recommend it for someone in my position, someone who has no intention of becoming an architect but wants to gain some introductory knowledge? and

2) Can anyone describe the balance of theory and practice? Do the professors and TA's care about or emphasize anything outside of building a portfolio?

Thanks!