Plan Description
The School of Architecture offers an NAAB accredited Master of Architecture professional degree (M. Arch). The M. Arch. program has the goals of developing students’ abilities to conceive and accurately represent environmentally sound and aesthetically fitting spaces at different scales and to provide a basis for understanding the consequences that these spaces have for their inhabitants, for society, and for the environment.
Learning Outcomes
www.unlv.edu/degree/maarch
Plan Admission Requirements
Each Master of Architecture program applicant must hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or international equivalent. Applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher. Applicants are also required to submit a design portfolio for review, a statement of intent, two letters of reference, and GRE scores of 146 or higher in the verbal section and 148 or higher in the quantitative section. The combined GRE score of these two sections may be no less than 294. All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.
The Master of Architecture program offers prospective students two paths:
- For applicants holding a Bachelor of Science in Architecture (BS Arch), or its equivalent, the program offers a two-year degree path in the 4+2 program.
- For applicants with academic backgrounds outside of architecture or holding a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, the program offers an alternative path through the 3 year plus degree program. The duration of the 3+ path varies based on an individual student’s academic background and preparation. Each student applying for admission will be individually assessed and provided a course of study.
Interested applicants can find detailed information about the Master of Architecture program directly from the School of Architecture’s web site.
Subplan 1 Requirements: 4+2 Hospitality & Entertainment Design Track
Total Credits Required: 48
Course Requirements
Required Courses – Credits: 30
AAE 660 - Issues in Contemporary Urbanism
AAE 756 - Design Practice Management
AAE 770 - Research Methods in Environmental Design
AAE 771L - Architectural Design V
AAE 772L - Architectural Design VI
AAE 789 - Architecture Research Studio
ABS 741 - Integrated Building Systems
Elective Courses – Credits: 12
Complete 12 credits of advisor-approved course work.
Professional Project – Credits: 6
AAE 790 - Professional Project Design
Degree Requirements
- Students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale. Any student whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be placed on probation and will have one semester to raise his/her GPA to 3.00 or higher. Failure to meet the requirements of academic probation may result in separation.
- Only those courses in which a student receives a grade of B- or better may be used for graduate credit. Students must comply with all UNLV and Graduate College policies.
- Students are required to declare a subplan by the end of their first year.
- In order to assess the student’s progress in the program, the School of Architecture Graduate Committee will meet once a year with the student to determine whether or not he/she may advance to the next graduate year.
- The student must successfully complete a Professional Project developed as part of the Professional Project Design course. The Professional Project should address a significant architectural problem and demonstrate a comprehensive design solution. The requirements and evaluation of this project will be determined by the instructor of the course.
- The student is required to present his/her Professional Project to the School of Architecture Graduate Committee.
Graduation Requirements
- The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
- The student must successfully complete a Professional Project.
Subplan 3 Requirements: 4+2 Urban Sustainability Design Track
Total Credits Required: 48
Course Requirements
Required Courses – Credits: 30
AAE 660 - Issues in Contemporary Urbanism
AAE 756 - Design Practice Management
AAE 770 - Research Methods in Environmental Design
AAE 771L - Architectural Design V
AAE 772L - Architectural Design VI
AAE 789 - Architecture Research Studio
ABS 741 - Integrated Building Systems
Elective Courses – Credits: 12
Complete 12 credits of advisor-approved elective coursework.
Professional Project – Credits: 6
AAE 790 - Professional Project Design
Degree Requirements
- Students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale. Any student whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be placed on probation and will have one semester to raise his/her GPA to 3.00 or higher. Failure to meet the requirements of academic probation may result in separation.
- Only those courses in which a student receives a grade of B- or better may be used for graduate credit. Students must comply with all UNLV and Graduate College policies.
- Students are required to declare a subplan by the end of their first year.
- In order to assess the student’s progress in the program, the School of Architecture Graduate Committee will meet once a year with the student to determine whether or not he/she may advance to the next graduate year.
- The student must successfully complete a Professional Project developed as part of the Professional Project Design course. The Professional Project should address a significant architectural problem and demonstrate a comprehensive design solution. The requirements and evaluation of this project will be determined by the instructor of the course.
- The student is required to present his/her Professional Project to the School of Architecture Graduate Committee.
Graduation Requirements
- The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
- The student must successfully complete a Professional Project.
Subplan 4 Requirements: 4+2 Building Systems & Sustainability Track
Total Credits Required: 48
Course Requirements
Required Courses – Credits: 27
AAE 660 - Issues in Contemporary Urbanism
AAE 756 - Design Practice Management
AAE 770 - Research Methods in Environmental Design
AAE 771L - Architectural Design V
AAE 772L - Architectural Design VI
AAE 789 - Architecture Research Studio
ABS 741 - Integrated Building Systems
Elective Courses – Credits: 18
Complete 18 credits of advisor-approved elective coursework.
Thesis – Credits: 6
AAE 791 - Thesis Writing
Degree Requirements
- Students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale. Any student whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be placed on probation and will have one semester to raise his/her GPA to 3.00 or higher. Failure to meet the requirements of academic probation may result in separation.
- Only those courses in which a student receives a grade of B- or better may be used for graduate credit. Students must comply with all UNLV and Graduate College policies.
- Students are required to declare a subplan by the end of their first year.
- In order to assess the student’s progress in the program, the School of Architecture Graduate Committee will meet once a year with the student to determine whether or not he/she may advance to the next graduate year.
- In consultation with his/her advisor, a student will organize a thesis committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
- The master’s thesis will have to focus on an area of concentration approved by the student’s Thesis Advisory Committee and supported by elective course work related to the selected concentration subject. The student should register for thesis credits during the last year in the program.
Graduation Requirements
- The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
- The student must submit and successfully defend his/her thesis by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
- The student must submit a bound copy of his/her thesis to the student’s Thesis Advisory Committee chair and to the Architecture Studies Library. The school reserves the right to retain any or all student projects for the program’s future use and exhibition.
- The student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted hard-copy thesis to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.