I am a recent graduate from the University of Virginia with my B.S. in Architecture. I currently work at an A/E firm. I would like to go back to school to get my Masters in Architecture. I also am interested in getting my MBA. What are some thoughts on getting a dual degree, or an MArch and MBA at the same time? UMich has a 3 year program, but most others are 4+ years. What are the benefits of doing the degrees at the same time? What are the benefits of doing them separately?
In addition, I would love to have access to study healthcare architecture and the design and planning of healthcare facilities and healing spaces. Thoughts on any schools that offer such programs/courses?
Peter Normand
Mar 29, 18 12:36 pm
Consider University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign. they have a dual program that is less than 3 years if you take classes over the summer.
The bigger the school of architecture and the university the more likely you can get faculty to offer an independent study, but healthcare architecture and design is complex, has lots of codes and statutes driving design decisions, and is some of the most intensive programming in the profession. Going to a school with ties to a hospital system can give you access to the facilities would be helpful but unless there is a tenured proff offering healthcare specific courses or studios it is not likely to be taught in architecture schools because it is very hard to get a design studio project done in a semester and it is hard to pry experienced people out of practice to teach it. Also healthcare design and codes changes fundamentally with each new advancement in treatment and regulations. The shape and size and capability of imaging equipment changes so fast that when we design hospitals and clinics we have to get the client to put the specifications into the contract to avoid being on the hook for a constant series of design changes if the project is going to take more than a year to complete.
If you want to be best prepared for healthcare design I would consider a dual masters in nursing or a BS in radiology instead of an MBA.
I am a recent graduate from the University of Virginia with my B.S. in Architecture. I currently work at an A/E firm. I would like to go back to school to get my Masters in Architecture. I also am interested in getting my MBA. What are some thoughts on getting a dual degree, or an MArch and MBA at the same time? UMich has a 3 year program, but most others are 4+ years. What are the benefits of doing the degrees at the same time? What are the benefits of doing them separately?
In addition, I would love to have access to study healthcare architecture and the design and planning of healthcare facilities and healing spaces. Thoughts on any schools that offer such programs/courses?
Consider University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign. they have a dual program that is less than 3 years if you take classes over the summer.
The bigger the school of architecture and the university the more likely you can get faculty to offer an independent study, but healthcare architecture and design is complex, has lots of codes and statutes driving design decisions, and is some of the most intensive programming in the profession. Going to a school with ties to a hospital system can give you access to the facilities would be helpful but unless there is a tenured proff offering healthcare specific courses or studios it is not likely to be taught in architecture schools because it is very hard to get a design studio project done in a semester and it is hard to pry experienced people out of practice to teach it. Also healthcare design and codes changes fundamentally with each new advancement in treatment and regulations. The shape and size and capability of imaging equipment changes so fast that when we design hospitals and clinics we have to get the client to put the specifications into the contract to avoid being on the hook for a constant series of design changes if the project is going to take more than a year to complete.
If you want to be best prepared for healthcare design I would consider a dual masters in nursing or a BS in radiology instead of an MBA.
Hope this helps
Over and OUT
Peter N
Clemson has a specific program focused on healthcare architecture: http://www.clemson.edu/caah/de...
And Michigan has a Master of Science in Design and Health: https://taubmancollege.umich.e...