I will be going to Harvard in the fall for the Master of Architecture program, but I am also very interested in housing policy/development/community building. I do know of people who earn MArch's and then end up working in these fields, but I'm wondering how common this is. Or, is the MArch degree strictly used for designing buildings? I do plan on taking courses across Harvard schools (e.g. housing policy courses at HKS, real estate at HBS, etc.) but is this even necessary?
Congrats on going to Harvard's M.Arch. program. You will be first in line for good architecture jobs but it seems Ivy grads, in general, have credibility for anything they'd want to do in a related field. I have friends from the middle-of-the-pack schools that have made similar moves. I don't know how, but think that they inched over to other lines of work. I've stayed closer to the traditional use of the degree, with the furthest out being working for multidisciplinary firms.
In my opinion, I disagree with the above; an M.Arch is a great first step on the way to housing policy / community building / etc. Just depends on whether you also like to design or not. If so, go for it, and look into taking urban design courses along with those supplementary classes you mentioned. (Or follow up your M.Arch with another degree in Urban Planning, if you have the resources, and I imagine you do since you're going to Harvard for an M.Arch.) If you're lukewarm on designing buildings then you might want to switch to a purely urban track. But honestly, a knowledge of how buildings work will be of great use in public interest design - in my opinion, the bigger thing is to get yourself out into the public-interest-design community, start making contacts, and fill in your education if necessary as you go. You can always go back later and take a few classes in policy here and there if you find it's helpful. But the M.Arch is a great solid underpinning for anyone who is interested in how buildings shelter and serve people, period. Once you get to Harvard, seek out others in the Boston area who are also interested in your extra pursuits and get yourself immersed in the milieu. Mass Group would be an obvious first place to start... anyway, you asked about versatility - an M.Arch is a highly useful education (teaches you design thinking) that, if you have the means to pay for it*, will definitely reward you as a platform for whatever additional pursuits you want to spring to.
*That said, if there is any doubt about your ability to pay for it now or later, and any doubt about what you want to do with the degree, abandon now. It is very expensive and very difficult to pay back, if you have to take out loans, especially if you go into policy/community design which can pay even less than architecture, as hard as that is to believe.
Thanks for the advice. I do not have any doubts that this is the field I want to pursue. I am deeply interested in the built environment and I am slightly more interested in the design aspect than the development/policy/sustainability sides of things, so I figure that the MArch degree is the most versatile. Also I do not want to necessarily do big picture stuff. I was just wondering if it is possible to explore multiple career avenues with an MArch.
Ki74: I'm not exactly sure, but I think my portfolio was solid - I did multiple iterations of it and showed it to people who knew what they were talking about. I had a strong personal statement, good grades and GRE scores, and had experience. I shadowed an architect, volunteered with Habitat, interned at an affordable housing policy advocacy group - all experience that shaped my perspective and in my opinion made me a strong applicant. I also had strong letters of recommendation from professors I knew. Let me know if you have any questions!
It seems like you had it all going for you, so you must have been a convincing candidate. I'm also interested in things that I could do to increase chances of acceptance..For example were you in prior contact with any professors? also did you get a chance to meet them personally (like an indirect interview)...?
Thanks again!
Aug 18, 13 9:21 am ·
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versality of degrees
Hi everyone,
I will be going to Harvard in the fall for the Master of Architecture program, but I am also very interested in housing policy/development/community building. I do know of people who earn MArch's and then end up working in these fields, but I'm wondering how common this is. Or, is the MArch degree strictly used for designing buildings? I do plan on taking courses across Harvard schools (e.g. housing policy courses at HKS, real estate at HBS, etc.) but is this even necessary?
Congrats on going to Harvard's M.Arch. program. You will be first in line for good architecture jobs but it seems Ivy grads, in general, have credibility for anything they'd want to do in a related field. I have friends from the middle-of-the-pack schools that have made similar moves. I don't know how, but think that they inched over to other lines of work. I've stayed closer to the traditional use of the degree, with the furthest out being working for multidisciplinary firms.
It's called urban planning. Do a dual degree...or switch. If You want to do big picture stuff you are going in the wrong direction bub.
Urban design / urban planning is/are the direction[s] for you.
In my opinion, I disagree with the above; an M.Arch is a great first step on the way to housing policy / community building / etc. Just depends on whether you also like to design or not. If so, go for it, and look into taking urban design courses along with those supplementary classes you mentioned. (Or follow up your M.Arch with another degree in Urban Planning, if you have the resources, and I imagine you do since you're going to Harvard for an M.Arch.) If you're lukewarm on designing buildings then you might want to switch to a purely urban track. But honestly, a knowledge of how buildings work will be of great use in public interest design - in my opinion, the bigger thing is to get yourself out into the public-interest-design community, start making contacts, and fill in your education if necessary as you go. You can always go back later and take a few classes in policy here and there if you find it's helpful. But the M.Arch is a great solid underpinning for anyone who is interested in how buildings shelter and serve people, period. Once you get to Harvard, seek out others in the Boston area who are also interested in your extra pursuits and get yourself immersed in the milieu. Mass Group would be an obvious first place to start... anyway, you asked about versatility - an M.Arch is a highly useful education (teaches you design thinking) that, if you have the means to pay for it*, will definitely reward you as a platform for whatever additional pursuits you want to spring to.
*That said, if there is any doubt about your ability to pay for it now or later, and any doubt about what you want to do with the degree, abandon now. It is very expensive and very difficult to pay back, if you have to take out loans, especially if you go into policy/community design which can pay even less than architecture, as hard as that is to believe.
Thanks for the advice. I do not have any doubts that this is the field I want to pursue. I am deeply interested in the built environment and I am slightly more interested in the design aspect than the development/policy/sustainability sides of things, so I figure that the MArch degree is the most versatile. Also I do not want to necessarily do big picture stuff. I was just wondering if it is possible to explore multiple career avenues with an MArch.
Harvard's GSD offers degrees in urban planning and design. Take many of these courses on the topics that interest you.
Not to be off topic or anything, but januts28, can you please tell us what helped you get accepted?
Any tips would really be great!
Ki74: I'm not exactly sure, but I think my portfolio was solid - I did multiple iterations of it and showed it to people who knew what they were talking about. I had a strong personal statement, good grades and GRE scores, and had experience. I shadowed an architect, volunteered with Habitat, interned at an affordable housing policy advocacy group - all experience that shaped my perspective and in my opinion made me a strong applicant. I also had strong letters of recommendation from professors I knew. Let me know if you have any questions!
januts28, thanks a lot for your reply!
It seems like you had it all going for you, so you must have been a convincing candidate. I'm also interested in things that I could do to increase chances of acceptance..For example were you in prior contact with any professors? also did you get a chance to meet them personally (like an indirect interview)...?
Thanks again!
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