New here and looking for advice. So I am in grade 12 and my HS average is in the mid 90s and art is my best subject - though I do very well in the maths as well, I enjoy the arts much more and consider myself a creative person. Would an artistic school like Carleton be the best fit for me? Or am I better off doing an undergrad at Queens which is in my hometown and then building up my portfolio and applying to a three year Masters in Arch?
I am applying to Waterloo as well, but like the idea of Ottawa being a bit closer to my hometown. Not too keen about living in Galt for several years but would if I felt it would make a huge difference to my career.
Also, just curious if Architecture is a male dominated field still? I have heard it was, but wondering if that’s still the case.
Thank you in advance :)
Non Sequitur
Oct 11, 23 5:03 pm
Search the forums for canadian school discussions and you'll see my comments on specific schools. They have not changed.
But, to your points, Carleton was always one of the more artsy pie-in-the-sky schools but that's not really the case anymore unfortunately. There are still remnants of it's past but the faculty that was responsible for the great reputation of the 80s and 90s is almost all gone. I graduated just as the school was fracturing and loosing it's old art image. It's still a good school but you need to pick the right degree path. (3 options: design, tech, conservation... design is the correct one).
Waterloo on the other hand is the best school in canada and will rival any other top school out-there when it comes to preparing students for the real world. It's tough to get it and the program is more demanding than the already demanding undergrad, but the students are well prepared. Downside is a 5y undergrad and living in cambridge, on. I survived it tho even though there are times walking home I probably should not.
Anyways, male-dominated work place remains a thing as is the obligatory glass ceiling but the industry is changing. Arch being on the left side of the political/social meter is typically ahead of most. School cohorts are still 50/50 as is the teaching staff so it bodes well for the future. The gender-issue I see these days is with the old school construction guys but that's expected.
What you need to ask yourself is why architecture? Do you love spatial design? What about construction? Can you express ideas in clear and interesting ways? Do you know how long a arch degree takes and what is involved outside of "arts and maths"? What about the path to license and the day to day that awaits you outside of academia? What do you have for portfolio?
I recommend you reach out to carleton, Loo, ryerson and attend their open houses. Staff will be there to guide you as make your applications. Just avoid UofT. its undergrad is garbage and its M.arch is mediocre despite the appeal of the university's reputation.
Almosthip
Oct 11, 23 5:45 pm
Its still a male dominated field but things are changing.
bowling_ball
Oct 11, 23 11:15 pm
I had to think about this. We are 4M/3F architects, the latter of which includes an owner. Our staff is exactly 50/50, which I didn't know until this moment. Things are definitely changing.
Non Sequitur
Oct 12, 23 12:38 am
Our arch staff is 5m (2 owner) and 3f (1 owner).
Chad Miller
Oct 13, 23 12:34 pm
Our firm is 8m and 4f. After the ownership change all managing partners are male. Before that the owner was female, she retired though.
Non managing partners are 2 male and 2 female.
will galloway
Oct 13, 23 12:14 pm
what NS said.
Only addition is that Ryerson now called Toronto Metropolitan University (Dept of Architectural Science).
Talking to grads from waterloo i have the impression it trains for theoretical thinking in a nice way. TMU DAS is more technical, though that is changing slightly as a new cohort of instructors are hired (incl me, though my practice is still based in Japan).
U of T is not a professional degree but has great instructors. I am less negative on the school than Non. The campus and arch school in particular is very nice. TMU is less nice. Both are embedded in Toronto, TMU more so than U of T. If you like urban life it is nice. If you prefer suburbs the other schools will be more comfortable.
New here and looking for advice.
So I am in grade 12 and my HS average is in the mid 90s and art is my best subject - though I do very well in the maths as well, I enjoy the arts much more and consider myself a creative person.
Would an artistic school like Carleton be the best fit for me?
Or am I better off doing an undergrad at Queens which is in my hometown and then building up my portfolio and applying to a three year Masters in Arch?
I am applying to Waterloo as well, but like the idea of Ottawa being a bit closer to my hometown. Not too keen about living in Galt for several years but would if I felt it would make a huge difference to my career.
Also, just curious if Architecture is a male dominated field still? I have heard it was, but wondering if that’s still the case.
Thank you in advance :)
Search the forums for canadian school discussions and you'll see my comments on specific schools. They have not changed.
But, to your points, Carleton was always one of the more artsy pie-in-the-sky schools but that's not really the case anymore unfortunately. There are still remnants of it's past but the faculty that was responsible for the great reputation of the 80s and 90s is almost all gone. I graduated just as the school was fracturing and loosing it's old art image. It's still a good school but you need to pick the right degree path. (3 options: design, tech, conservation... design is the correct one).
Waterloo on the other hand is the best school in canada and will rival any other top school out-there when it comes to preparing students for the real world. It's tough to get it and the program is more demanding than the already demanding undergrad, but the students are well prepared. Downside is a 5y undergrad and living in cambridge, on. I survived it tho even though there are times walking home I probably should not.
Anyways, male-dominated work place remains a thing as is the obligatory glass ceiling but the industry is changing. Arch being on the left side of the political/social meter is typically ahead of most. School cohorts are still 50/50 as is the teaching staff so it bodes well for the future. The gender-issue I see these days is with the old school construction guys but that's expected.
What you need to ask yourself is why architecture? Do you love spatial design? What about construction? Can you express ideas in clear and interesting ways? Do you know how long a arch degree takes and what is involved outside of "arts and maths"? What about the path to license and the day to day that awaits you outside of academia? What do you have for portfolio?
I recommend you reach out to carleton, Loo, ryerson and attend their open houses. Staff will be there to guide you as make your applications. Just avoid UofT. its undergrad is garbage and its M.arch is mediocre despite the appeal of the university's reputation.
Its still a male dominated field but things are changing.
I had to think about this. We are 4M/3F architects, the latter of which includes an owner. Our staff is exactly 50/50, which I didn't know until this moment. Things are definitely changing.
Our arch staff is 5m (2 owner) and 3f (1 owner).
Our firm is 8m and 4f. After the ownership change all managing partners are male. Before that the owner was female, she retired though.
Non managing partners are 2 male and 2 female.
what NS said.
Only addition is that Ryerson now called Toronto Metropolitan University (Dept of Architectural Science).
Talking to grads from waterloo i have the impression it trains for theoretical thinking in a nice way. TMU DAS is more technical, though that is changing slightly as a new cohort of instructors are hired (incl me, though my practice is still based in Japan).
U of T is not a professional degree but has great instructors. I am less negative on the school than Non. The campus and arch school in particular is very nice. TMU is less nice. Both are embedded in Toronto, TMU more so than U of T. If you like urban life it is nice. If you prefer suburbs the other schools will be more comfortable.