Hi, I'm international applicant to M.Arch II programs.
Now I have got admitted to UVA, UCLA, UW-SEATTLE and UIUC. Yet I find it hard to choose one from them since all of them are great programs for me:
As an international candidate, before making the final decision, I would really like to know how these schools/programs are viewed in US and from more diversified perspectives.(location, career possibilities, program itself etc. )
I'm really looking forward to your advice. Thanks so much.
Median
Mar 14, 16 6:45 am
UCLA is the best program of the ones you mentioned. It is in a city with many relevant architects who also teach at the school, their faculty is superior, they are more design and theory focused and they have a much bigger and better professional network that will benefit you in finding employment at places you would want to work at. Plus just speaking ego wise, UCLA is a great name to have down on your resume. The problem with UVA is that it isn't in a relevant city with relevant architects... UIUC is in the middle of no where, you should study architecture in a major international city, and UW-SEATTLE isn't really known at all for their architecture program.
senjohnblutarsky
Mar 14, 16 10:29 am
You're basing your opinion of schools on the city in which they reside?
Blacksburg must be much more relevant than I thought.
Driko
Mar 14, 16 10:56 am
Who offered you the most aid?
I Agree with Median that UCLA is the best program that you have listed because its in L.A. and it has notable faculty. I dont know much about UVA but i hear its good and UW- Seattle i hear is a great program.
I am a little biased because i went to UIUC and think they have a strong program. They may not be in the spotlight of design or have any starchitects teaching but they will set you up with the knowledge you need to land a job and UIUC is a globally recognized school where you will be able to network with people in tech and business (not saying you cant do that at the other three you listed).
they have specializations you can focus on such as Structures which would allow you to become a structural engineer. They also offer a lot of joint degrees such as a Masters in Civil engineering / Architecture or and MBA/M.Arch.
Anyways, I would go to UCLA given that they are all the same price because the winters suck in the midwest and UCLA does stand out in the Architecture profession.
lacalr
Mar 14, 16 7:57 pm
I can only speak as a former undergraduate in the Architecture program at the UW. I enjoyed the program greatly, the UW pulls from a wide variety of faculty so you can focus your education in many different directions. Seattle also offers many different firms, both local and multinational, that you can pursue jobs at. I do however come with a large bias being from Seattle. I would be pursuing an MArch from UW if I hadn't already spent so much time in Seattle. All of my friends in the graduate program enjoyed their studies and had endless opportunities to shape their studios how they liked.
Cons of UW: In terms of how well it is known of outside of the Pacific Northwest I do not know, many of my fellow students have told me that is a great school but doesn't carry the significance of other top schools.
As for the other schools I cannot speak for those.
eiyola
Mar 17, 16 12:07 pm
@Median
Thanks for your advice.
I must admit that LA is a wonderful place. But I also have a lot of scruples. Since UCLA Suprastudio is a one-year program, I'm afraid that it is too short for me. As an international applicant, I must struggle with the language and new environment. Besides, UCLA provides a platform that mix with famous companies, which is great for students to know deep about their future career, but it is totally different from what I have studied during the past few years. I am worried that whether I can hold it. Hope you can give me more information about UCLA.
I agree with what you refereed about UVA. But UVA is in the east coast, I don't know if it is easier for a graduate to find a job in the east coast cities like NY.
I 'm really looking forward to your response. So much thanks.
eiyola
Mar 17, 16 12:26 pm
@Driko
Thank you for your response.
Only UVA offers me the aid.
I have been searching for the information about the Suprastudio, and I find that program in UCLA is another kind of design. It's more like a Installation art. I don't know if it's help to my Architecture career. What do you think of that？
eiyola
Mar 17, 16 12:47 pm
@lacalr
You really give a lot of useful information, thanks a lot.
Besides Architecture, I'm also interested in the Human–Computer Interaction. I know that UW is very good at this aspect. I wonder that is there any possibilities for me to change the major or to choose the class that is relevant to the HCI?
Driko
Mar 18, 16 3:44 pm
ive looked in to HCI. If your going to go that route just drop architecture all together. You wont be able to compete with other professions and most firms/companies wont even look at your application if you are trying to land a position in UI/UX.
UW and CM i believe are both 1 year programs for a Ms in HCI. Its still expensive but it seems like the graduates out of these programs are landing spots at some top tech companies getting paid on the low end of 60-70k
designer_jawn
Mar 18, 16 5:24 pm
Currently, I am a M.ARCH 2.5 student at UVA. Even though we are not in a relevant city with many architecture firms. We do have the externship program every winter break, where they place you with firms like BIG, Snohetta, SHoP, SOM, Gensler, TWBTA, Thomas Phifer and Partners, and about 100 more firms. Also, there are a variety of locations: San Fransisco, Chicago, NYC, Boston, DC, Philadelphia, etc. A lot of people have received full time jobs and summer internships after their externship at those locations. Don't get me wrong, you would also have the option to go to smaller, local firms (I mean local as in locally well known in that city but not nationally known) if you are not interested in those firms. Also, they have a career fair every spring semester where 20-30 firms come to interview students.
The program itself has a lot of different options and many professors with different backgrounds. If you are interested in parametric design, you have options. If you are interested in details and construction, you have options. If you are unsure, then you can try all of them. There are studio projects that range from local problems and sites to international sites and urban issues.
Many different type of electives from casting concrete to more theoretical classes.
Many fellowships and tons of travel grants.
eiyola
Mar 29, 16 2:16 am
@cmvander
So many thanks that you can share your information.
I am impressed by the faculty of Aschool. And UVA may be my final decision.
But I wonder that is there any possibilities to apply dual degree? Besides architecture, I also want to apply for the STEM degree. So I really want to know more about the program.
I will be grateful if you can share more information.
designer_jawn
Mar 29, 16 11:05 am
@elyola
I am not sure about a dual degree in Architecture and STEM. Many people here just extend their time at the university to complete dual degrees, like architecture and landscape architecture. So you may be able to do it, but just know your time here would be much longer. I would contact Admissions or the director of the program (Anselmo Canfora)
Hi, I'm international applicant to M.Arch II programs.
Now I have got admitted to UVA, UCLA, UW-SEATTLE and UIUC. Yet I find it hard to choose one from them since all of them are great programs for me:
As an international candidate, before making the final decision, I would really like to know how these schools/programs are viewed in US and from more diversified perspectives.(location, career possibilities, program itself etc. )
I'm really looking forward to your advice. Thanks so much.
UCLA is the best program of the ones you mentioned. It is in a city with many relevant architects who also teach at the school, their faculty is superior, they are more design and theory focused and they have a much bigger and better professional network that will benefit you in finding employment at places you would want to work at. Plus just speaking ego wise, UCLA is a great name to have down on your resume. The problem with UVA is that it isn't in a relevant city with relevant architects... UIUC is in the middle of no where, you should study architecture in a major international city, and UW-SEATTLE isn't really known at all for their architecture program.
You're basing your opinion of schools on the city in which they reside?
Blacksburg must be much more relevant than I thought.
Who offered you the most aid?
I Agree with Median that UCLA is the best program that you have listed because its in L.A. and it has notable faculty. I dont know much about UVA but i hear its good and UW- Seattle i hear is a great program.
I am a little biased because i went to UIUC and think they have a strong program. They may not be in the spotlight of design or have any starchitects teaching but they will set you up with the knowledge you need to land a job and UIUC is a globally recognized school where you will be able to network with people in tech and business (not saying you cant do that at the other three you listed).
they have specializations you can focus on such as Structures which would allow you to become a structural engineer. They also offer a lot of joint degrees such as a Masters in Civil engineering / Architecture or and MBA/M.Arch.
Anyways, I would go to UCLA given that they are all the same price because the winters suck in the midwest and UCLA does stand out in the Architecture profession.
I can only speak as a former undergraduate in the Architecture program at the UW. I enjoyed the program greatly, the UW pulls from a wide variety of faculty so you can focus your education in many different directions. Seattle also offers many different firms, both local and multinational, that you can pursue jobs at. I do however come with a large bias being from Seattle. I would be pursuing an MArch from UW if I hadn't already spent so much time in Seattle. All of my friends in the graduate program enjoyed their studies and had endless opportunities to shape their studios how they liked.
Cons of UW: In terms of how well it is known of outside of the Pacific Northwest I do not know, many of my fellow students have told me that is a great school but doesn't carry the significance of other top schools.
As for the other schools I cannot speak for those.
@Median
Thanks for your advice.
I must admit that LA is a wonderful place. But I also have a lot of scruples. Since UCLA Suprastudio is a one-year program, I'm afraid that it is too short for me. As an international applicant, I must struggle with the language and new environment. Besides, UCLA provides a platform that mix with famous companies, which is great for students to know deep about their future career, but it is totally different from what I have studied during the past few years. I am worried that whether I can hold it. Hope you can give me more information about UCLA.
I agree with what you refereed about UVA. But UVA is in the east coast, I don't know if it is easier for a graduate to find a job in the east coast cities like NY.
I 'm really looking forward to your response. So much thanks.
@Driko
Thank you for your response.
Only UVA offers me the aid.
I have been searching for the information about the Suprastudio, and I find that program in UCLA is another kind of design. It's more like a Installation art. I don't know if it's help to my Architecture career. What do you think of that？
@lacalr
You really give a lot of useful information, thanks a lot.
Besides Architecture, I'm also interested in the Human–Computer Interaction. I know that UW is very good at this aspect. I wonder that is there any possibilities for me to change the major or to choose the class that is relevant to the HCI?
ive looked in to HCI. If your going to go that route just drop architecture all together. You wont be able to compete with other professions and most firms/companies wont even look at your application if you are trying to land a position in UI/UX.
UW and CM i believe are both 1 year programs for a Ms in HCI. Its still expensive but it seems like the graduates out of these programs are landing spots at some top tech companies getting paid on the low end of 60-70k
Currently, I am a M.ARCH 2.5 student at UVA. Even though we are not in a relevant city with many architecture firms. We do have the externship program every winter break, where they place you with firms like BIG, Snohetta, SHoP, SOM, Gensler, TWBTA, Thomas Phifer and Partners, and about 100 more firms. Also, there are a variety of locations: San Fransisco, Chicago, NYC, Boston, DC, Philadelphia, etc. A lot of people have received full time jobs and summer internships after their externship at those locations. Don't get me wrong, you would also have the option to go to smaller, local firms (I mean local as in locally well known in that city but not nationally known) if you are not interested in those firms. Also, they have a career fair every spring semester where 20-30 firms come to interview students.
The program itself has a lot of different options and many professors with different backgrounds. If you are interested in parametric design, you have options. If you are interested in details and construction, you have options. If you are unsure, then you can try all of them. There are studio projects that range from local problems and sites to international sites and urban issues.
Many different type of electives from casting concrete to more theoretical classes.
Many fellowships and tons of travel grants.
@cmvander
So many thanks that you can share your information.
I am impressed by the faculty of Aschool. And UVA may be my final decision.
But I wonder that is there any possibilities to apply dual degree? Besides architecture, I also want to apply for the STEM degree. So I really want to know more about the program.
I will be grateful if you can share more information.
@elyola
I am not sure about a dual degree in Architecture and STEM. Many people here just extend their time at the university to complete dual degrees, like architecture and landscape architecture. So you may be able to do it, but just know your time here would be much longer. I would contact Admissions or the director of the program (Anselmo Canfora)
@cmvander
Soooo many thanks！