I would try to go into structural, MEP, or civil engineering if possible. Even if they are not master programs. Architecture is not a legitimate career field anymore, unfortunately. A Master in architecture really doesn't do much for a resume, and a Master in Urban Design is just the same....worthless. I'm sure that you like to be creative and all, but I bet that you like feeling like you have a place and purpose in life more. It is all a scam by collegiate institutions to rape you, and your parents pocket books.

REALLY!

^ Don't know what that person is on or lacking.

Some schools have a dual arch/urban planning program. Depending on the curriculum, it might be a M.Arch or a typical M.S. or M.A along with whatever urban design equivalent. I skimmed through the titles quickly so can't provide anything more specific. Not sure if this dual option fulfills the PAB but in regards to urban design, I'd assume the programs without accreditation fall in line with the non-professional arch degrees. Urban design seems to be an informal term or something for electives--the programs listed on PAB all say Urban Planning except for one PhD program.

Guess it depends where you want to work but in either way, you'll have something to fulfill licensing requirements for arch and/or urban planning.

Pretty sure you will be able to choose electives outside of each major but they'll likely be limited to intro/low-end courses. Might not matter to you though. If you don't want to work with policy and planning and politics, Arch Master's with a urban focus will probably be much more flexible in terms of designing things. 

Yeap, I am totally high and have no idea what I'm talking about. Since 24arches is so smart and always right I would just believe them. Typical pompus comment from a wannabe architect...

It's your own fault your life sucks. And if you want to make a firm derogatory statement about me, use a damn period instead of copping out on the cowardly ellipsis.

lol. yes, I take full responsibility for my sucky life... and I'm sure you will be an amazing architect someday...

Urban Design... what? Urban Planning perhaps, and even than...

gruen, do you feel better now?

I gave them my opinion.

How often do you see a job ad for urban design or even urban planning?

In my opinion, when most ppl in architecture can't make little more than a kindergarten teacher... it is an illegitimate career path.

Your little jabbie comments demonstrate your bitterness, not mine buddy.

you can find urban planning jobs all over, but they're mostly state jobs

good and bad thing.

good  - youll get benefits and so forth

bad - you wont probably have much creativity

and DeTwan

although i dont disagree fully with what you are saying, it is only useless if you make it so.

ANY MAJOR, not just architecture, will be useless if the person is not willing to go above and beyond. you feeling me? 

I agree with you batman...lol

You have to dedicate yourself to any degree or whatever it may be to be successful. But when you rely on clients that are in the top 10% of society to fund your success it is not a good percentage. My last boss admitted that he would not be in business if he did not fund his initial projects. How he did so is unknown to me.

I would consider architecture a legitimate career if schooling was structured in a manner where you went to trade school for 2-4 years, practiced under a licensed individual for X amount of time, then perhaps specialized in a certain spectrum of the field at a master level of education. But unfortunately collegiate institutions have realized that since architecture is considered 'high brow' in most successful social groups, they can manufacture a program that insist that you need a masters and $90,000+ of debt to 'become' a student of architecture... not even an architect. Then to become an architect you need to pay several $1000 dollars to become an 'architect' through the accreditation hoops of NAAB & NCARB. And since most students of architecture come from this upper echelons of of society, they go along with it, because who doesn't want the best for their child.

I am feed up with this propaganda that you need 10-14 design studios, plus all of the other classes that are taught by out dated tenure professors that know very well that they are contributing to the demise of 'architecture'. Architecture is not a very specialized industry in modern times. It is not like brain surgery or mapping the human genome. Building practices have been standardized, and information on construction are cheap. It is all a social perception that you need all this schooling for something that is quite simple. This social norm needs to be broken. This industry is not that specialized, there is no need to fund these collegiate institutions for a false degree.

What gets me is how other professions don't realize how architecture and its students can meld into a valuable asset to really any situation. I think that it goes back to this idea that architecture is this very 'specialized' industry that only applies to the construction. This is a complete myth. And then the other contributing factor is that architects make tons of money. So with this in mind may hiring managers fail to see the value that architects and students of it can bring to the table.

I do not plan on changing the worlds views on architecture, but if I can make one potential student chance their mind on going into this farce of a career field then I will have succeeded. Succeeded in preventing them from going into debt.

Anyone that will be successful in architecture in the future, will not be through the current curriculum that is in place. They will be coddled by a successful individual already in the industry, warning and guiding them in the right path, or they will unexpectedly find themselves successful through an unconventional path such as many starchitects have done so.

Many do not want to hear this but as the old adage goes, 'the truth hurts'.

I know there's a sense among engineers of all kinds that engineering is the best field and engineers always have the best approach, because engineering is a "science" and an engineer's solution is always the most "efficient."  But there's more to life than efficiency, and that's why there will always be a need for designers.  Designers make the world better in ways we don't even notice, simply by taking into account the human experience.  As artists go, the architect's medium is arguably the most important--the places where we live and work and learn and heal.  

And if occupations were always to be evaluated based on how much you can earn, everyone would go into finance, banking, and business, and there would be no musicians, no stage actors, no childcare workers, no teachers.  Decide what you want to do based on what you enjoy and what you're good at, as long as you can make a living.  Architects and designers who are good at what they do can certainly make a living. 

Urban Design programs don't have an accrediting body partly because urban designers need a broad understanding of a range of disciplines--it is a fundamentally interdisciplinary field that brings together the study of architecture and the study of urban planning.  Obtaining an urban design degree will enable you to traverse both fields--which seems important to you, based on how you describe your interests.  But if it's also important to you to obtain an accredited degree, an accredited Master of Landscape Architecture could work as well, as doug_las indicated--because a good, urban-focused landscape architecture program can also bring together elements of architecture, urban design, and planning. Here is a cool landscape architecture project I learned about recently!  http://www.limno.com/success_stories/donr.html 

Charuta, if you have a 5 yr B.Arch degree you don't have to worry about accreditation for the M.Arch program. You would most likely always qualify for the post-professional M.Arch version of such university. If you want to follow the path towards licensure then you can do that independently through the NCARB. It will be costly because you have to have your degree evaluated by them, and then follow the IDP and take the AREs which could take years, but if you are international you have to see if this investment is worth it. I'm under the impression that work visas for young international architects could be hard to get. 

However on the other hand, if you just want to pursue an Urban Design degree in the U.S. from a prestigious college, when you go back to your country or go to other countries this may look good on your resume (granted that, of course, you can support it with the work in your portfolio). Urban designers are needed everywhere in the world, the reality and situations are there, however there may not be as many jobs available. But think about it, perhaps you want to start your own initiatives and this degree and education can provide you the tools for it. 

Choose what fits according to your goals, and if you want more detailed information I recommend that you select the schools you are interested in, contact current students (they have this info available in their websites) and e-mail them with a few of your questions. They can provide you with more accurate information.

Good luck :)

Would not the common sense approach be for the OP to go to the planning departments of whatever cities he would like to work in and ask them what he needs? He might be good to go for an entry level position already.

^  That makes too much sense.

Go for M.Arch, and add Urban Design units to specialize

I agree with DeTwan. Professional architecture degrees - especially the 4+3.5-year programs - are too long of an investment of time with little reward.  You go to school the same amount of time and accumulate the same debt as a doctor, but come out to a fluctuating job market that only pays about 1/3 of doctor...and unless you go to U.Hawaii, you can't even call yourself doctor.  I would stick with the sciences or engineering...we are living in the information age...there is no need for a "master designer" anymore. (not that there really ever was.)  

Cosmo: Why are you posting essentially the same response in every thread regarding education? Got an axe to grind?