Unlike four-year undergraduate architectural programs, the UA's five-year B.Arch degree allows the graduate to pursue professional registration without further academic study. The five-year program that culminates in the accredited, professional bachelor of architecture degree comprises: A Foundation year devoted to basic design and representational skills, introductory history and theory of the built environment, fundamentals in physics, and both hand drawing and digital software skills. A 2.5-year professional core emphasizing basic skills and knowledge in five major areas: Studio, History + Theory, Design Communications, Technology, and Practice. A 1.5-year applications phase in which students choose a concentration, develop a research trajectory, take options studios that involve collaboration and complex design problems, and ultimately demonstrate their individual vision in a year-long Capstone Project. Architectural studies at UA are balanced by a robust general education. The University requires three areas of general knowledge: individuals and societies, traditions and cultures, and natural sciences. These are enriched by open and architectural electives. Because the school has a strong commitment to general education and breadth of study outside architecture, the curriculum allows for the pursuit of a minor in another discipline. The UA’s Bachelor of Architecture is a credential respected by design professionals throughout the region. Nationally, our B.Arch program is ranked 24th by hiring professionals responding to polling by DesignIntelligence and it has been in the Top 25 for the last four years (and for six of the last eight).

Career in related fields