Well it depends...What is your background? What do you want to do with your degree? Which program have you been accepted to?

Hey subyellow. I have a BS in structural engineering and just completed my masters in architecture. I have been accepted to the masters in design studies at harvard with a focus on technology. What I would like to do is create a body of research so that I can some day teach (after I get a license). I am wondering if this may be a better way than getting a phd or trying to find a practice that has principals that teach. I'm not necessarily sure how these programs are regarded by professionals and academics....

Since you already have a master degree in architecture, I don't think it's necessary to pursue another master's degree or a phd if you want to teach and/or practice as a licensed architect. A master's degree is all that is required to teach in architecture. You can of course if you are really interested in more education. However, IMO, if I were to compare a phd vs. the Mdess program, I would value a phd more. Hope this helps.

unless you do a phd for which you have already a specific interest, you'd benefit much more from a good job.

I am in a similar situation. I have not been offered a job, after graduating in June w/ m.arch and getting turned down even for unpaid work. (I never did internships and have a b.a. in liberal arts)...I have, however, been awarded a daad (kind of like a german fulbright - open ended research) and been admitted into harvard's mdess program....

trying to fuse the gsd and the grant, but if it doesn't work out, wondering what the best thing to do is...

markuse, what is your area of study in the mdess program? do you plan on working as an architect or a designer?

thank you ck and subyellow for your comments... definitely considering doing a phd over mdess, but am concerned that w/o a body of research it will be difficult to get into a phd program as good as harvard

My concentration in mdess is Landscape, Urbanism and Ecology. I would like to work as an architect or a designer., but not necessarily in the architecture/design market, if that makes any sense. Having graduated last spring and still out of work, I'll take what I can get. My b.a. is in history so maybe I was always geared towards research. My m.arch is from an art school (saic) and I do have some video stuff in a show right now...but thats all non-paying and maybe the "art" world and "academia" are really the same thing...

I hear you on the phd thing... doing an MDEsS in some ways seems like its better to just cut straight to the chase and get a phd. Only thing is, I've been accepted into the MDesS NOW, and at harvard. Who knows if/where/when I would get a phd... also I'd hope that with an MDesS from Harvard one would get into a better PhD program and maybe get to place out of a year or two? (maybe this is naive?) Also, do you really need a phd to teach?

I see this is as a way to build a body of work, make connections, and refine my ideas. Being out of work sucks and is pretty unproductive.

I plan on going this fall, then taking a leave of absence to go to Berlin and do this independent research... the whole process would take almost 2.5 years, and after its done and I'd hope to have a more substantial body of work/connections/idp hours/portfolio to survive.

are you going to the open house in boston or nyc?

saic is a great school, i worked at som in chicago 2 years ago and would go check out the work on lunch breaks. it sounds like you have a pretty clear idea of what you want to do in the next few years. you certainly don't need a phd to teach, but you most likely need an accredited m.arch (is saic accredited?). i think your interests are pretty unique though, in that they really span across disciplines. a lot of my work in school has dealt with how technology allows for a greater synthesis within different fields. getting an engineering degree was pretty soul crushing, but it helped me to understand how design could be integrated with applied logics (sorry, dork rant).

regardless, i will be at the open house in boston and the dinner in new york. i have some interviews for jobs that week as well, which is why i'm having a hard time deciding whether to do the program. can't beat having orientation at oma, although i wonder if rem koolhaas talks like goldmember. you looking for work this summer?

cool - I'll be at the open house in boston and nyc as well...

I agree, whatever we decide to do its worth milking these events. I was just up at harvard earlier this week to discuss my situation and start composing a letter to try to defer my Berlin grant... I have to say, seems like a great place.

as far as work goes:

I just bought a plane ticket last night to go to copenhagen and do a 3 month internship with studio david garcia.

I would call it off if you have some leads, though...

I have ZERO arch. office experience and applied for hundreds of jobs in the past 7 months..when I got the berlin grant I was ready to pack it in and move to berln (from nyc) early to save on cost of living, then I met david garcia at his opening recently at storefront for art and architecture and it seemed like a good prelude to the berlin residency...then I got into the MDesS program. I'd love to stay in the US w/ friends, gf, and make $$ but its been 6+ months of nothing and I can't take it anymore.

kind of a long story, maybe we'll get the chance to talk about it in boston/oma... i'd also like to hear more about your work. I have a bunch of friends doing art/tech stuff..

I also just received a grant to complete independent research in Berlin this upcoming academic term and was considering applying to the MDes program for the following academic year, though not exclusively of course. I'm more inclined to get an international mphil/research degree (i'm american), develop my language skills, and apply for a phd stateside. From what I hear, funding is scarce for the MDes program. But, when you're in Berlin, you should check out PROGRAM (www.programonline.de) - it's spearheaded by an MDes grad.

Plate36- did u get a fulbright or daad or what?

In a perfect world I would parlay my daad into an international degree, and maybe I still will, but applying to the mdess at the same time was just too easy w/ my letters, statements, portfolio, all ready inline...

I "know" carson chan of PROGRAM on the internet (fb) via a friend I know who used to be over there I turned to when I was looking for contacts at the early stage of my grant...

i'd love to hear more about your work and potentially link up over there....

I'm still waiting about hearing back from daad regarding defering until after a semester at harvard so I can enroll and take a leave instead of re-applying.....hoping its just a formality though...not sure what ill do if they make me chose...

also- I got pretty good funding for mdess, but I alsp haven't slept in the same place for more than 10 consecutive days in 2010 yet and have very little tp my name...will still have to take out 10 gs in loans a year though...

I recently graduated with a B.Arch and was fortunate enough to land a job. Things are obviously slow, so as a safety net I applied to grad schools last fall to attempt my M. Arch II

Now that I am receiving the acceptances in the mail, I am really tempted to go back to school and see if I can bounce out with a better job and degree once things pick up in a year or two (i hope).

I am currently weighing the decision between work or more school as well. My advice is if you are really seeking a degree anyway, I'd go while things are slow and not much money to be made.

markuse: 10k in loans. that great funding.

If you can go for free or are planning on being tenured college prof, you should go.

Otherwise I'd suggest work, of any kind.

markuse - No daad or fulbright, but it is a government funded program sponsored by the city of Berlin– the application process is in German, so it’s a bit more obscure. Since you already have pretty good funding for the MDes, I’d cross my fingers for the deferral process to pull through – congrats! Send me an email when you're in Berlin – would be great to catch up w/ another researcher! I don't know of anyone who's ever deferred a daad grant, just extensions - but since it's one of the most selective funding programs, at least for research grants, you could always accept harvard's admission and have a good chance of receiving a daad/other grant in the following year. I've found that there's a lot of funding organizations/programs for independent research in DE.

plate36 - Yes I'll drop you a line when I get there, hopefully January. In a word, what sort of themes/issues are you working on over there?

My research deals with conditions of hyperdensity/urban history & is in collaboration w/ the Center for Metropolitan Studies (www.metropolitanstudies.de) - good luck on the deferral!

oh man cms looks cool i was looking to get placed with them but ended up at udk.

I actually originally inquired for a recommendation @ udk, but it was over a period of two months before they got in touch w/ me. I did check out their graduate exhibition - was really impressed by Studio Sobejano & now that they have the Institut für Raumexperimente, it seems as if the uni is forging more links w/ locals. A third institute I contacted was a42.org (Nürnberg), but I had funding for Berlin... however the uni hosts a really great monthly lecture series offsite @ Temporäre Kunsthalle Berlin http://a42.org/258.0.html

i'll have to keep my eye out for institute fur raumexperimente...I've been so busy applying for jobs since I submitted materials back in the fall I haven't had time to even think about the reality of being there..also my german is a work in progress....I'm going to copenhagen for the spring/summer in two weeks though, hopefully I'll get a chance to visit, meet some people, make some plans.....

Hi all!
I am also admitted to the MDESS; hope to exchange experiences! It is definitely worth the experience for a better future professional career I believe.

Wishes,
H.

Yes. More loans. It'll work itself out later.

Zid,

What will getting another degree in architecture do for you that your current architecture degree can't?

you could always get a non-arch degree (business, real estate). you already have an engineering degree... it would be the perfect trifecta!

Architect
Engineer
Businessman

Who wouldn't hire you? You'd be useful in every possible facet of the profession.

Or you could get an education degree since you want to teach someday. Although its not exactly a credential you need to be a professor, it make you a better professor just as another arch degree would make you a better architect. (don't take my word for it though, i know nothing about education/schools... just throwing it out there)