Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
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University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
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Degree advice after M.Arch and work experience
Hello, I'm a 2011 M.Arch grad who has worked for 2 years in the architecture industry post-graduation. My last job was for corporate clients and nearly stifled any creative/idealistic/intellectual ambition left in me. Now that I'm free from it, I'm looking into the possibility of returning to school. I've always enjoyed the academic environment, but I know that academic jobs are difficult to come by these days. I'm interested in design, design thinking, theory, urban planning, material science, structural engineering, and research/knowledge production in general. In terms of job outlook, what would be a wise degree program for me to pursue? I'm torn between engineering degrees for ostensibly better salaries and Ph.D programs. My background is diverse - social theory/anthropology bachelor's, some lab science, and I can handle the mathematics in engineering. Something like the Yale M.E.D. program is where my heart is but engineering seems to be what my head is saying.. If there are any programs out there that can bridge the two, I am definitely interested in hearing about them. Programs with a reputation for generous financial aid are greatly desirable (Rice?).
Most PhD programs are fully funded, are they not? (based on the PhD students I know) You are essentially an employee of the school, tuition is free, and they give you a fairly nice stipend, and perhaps other benefits based on the school and their generosity.
Try the non for profit sector
Center for Neighborhood Tecknologies
http://www.cnt.org/
Archeworks
http://www.archeworks.org
these two are in Chicago but lots of other cities have a few similar organizations. This can be a useful stepping stone into academia but frankly you should have some years of "real world" experience and a license before you leave the commercial side of things. This gives you credibility in the classroom and keeps open the possibilities that you can teach design at a technically focused program. Also Non for profits publish a lot of work, reports research and studies, so this is a potential way to get published in a rigorous academic setting thus improving your chances when you do apply for an academic position since most schools want their faculty to publish regularly.
If you are published especially research papers and reports for NGOs regional planning and the like, even as a contributor or coauthor, you are much more attractive to architecture and design schools in major universities who have a devil of a time getting their faculty through the tenure process which involves research and publication.
The down side is you do a lot less design and more fundraising grant writing but this is not too different than what you would encounter in an academic job.
Maybe we could use some more insight as to what aspects of your last work was so uninspiring, sometimes people just land in the wrong firm doing the wrong kind of work shop around you may find a firm you would be excited about, look for new and up and coming firms see if the next place might be better fit, Jobs are like clothes you have to try some on before you know what fits. Go out and try some other firms before giving up on the for profit architectural industry
Best of luck
Peter N
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