Architecture M. Arch.

Admission Requirements

Each Master of Architecture program applicant must hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university recognized by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 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 410 or higher in the verbal section and 430 or higher in the quantitative section. The combined GRE score of these two sections may be no less than 850. International students whose native language is not English must also submit a TOEFL score of 550 (written) or 213 (computerized) or better.

Interested applicants can find detailed information about the Master of Architecture program directly from the School of Architecture’s web site.

Because of differing levels of preparation among entering master’s degree applicants, different paths for admission have been established according to NAAB accreditation requirements; namely, the 4+2 and the 3+ paths.

1. The 4+2 path is intended for students holding the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in architecture or its equivalent in curriculum content to the UNLV undergraduate program. Qualified applicants holding a five year, NAAB accredited Bachelor of Architecture professional degree may be granted advanced placement.
2. The 3+ path is designed for qualified applicants holding undergraduate or graduate degrees in fields of study other than architecture. If admitted, students are required to complete both undergraduate- and graduatelevel preparatory work as specified by the program faculty before proceeding to the final four semesters of the Master of Architecture program.

Required Graduate Courses

Building Systems - Total Credits: 3

Design Management - Total Credits: 3

Concentration Electives - Total Credits: 12 or 18

Selected graduate-level courses as approved by the graduate coordinator (12 credits for students pursuing the Professional Project Option and 18 credits for students pursuing the Written Thesis Option).

Additional Required Courses for 3+ Path

Requirements for All Graduate Students

1. After admission, 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.
2. 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.
3. As specified in the Graduate Catalog, the student and the graduate coordinator will develop and file a program of study with the Graduate College. Before filing, the program must receive approval by the School of Architecture Graduate Committee.
4. 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.
5. As a final requirement for the M. Arch. professional degree, each student is required to present his/her Professional Project (Professional Project Option) to the School of Architecture Graduate Committee, or take a final oral examination in which the student will defend his/her master’s written thesis (Thesis Option).

Professional Project Option

Thesis Option

In lieu of the Professional Project, a student may elect, with the approval from the School of Architecture Graduate Committee, to write a research-based Master’s thesis. Once a student chooses to do the Thesis Option, he/she will have to select a four-member Thesis Advisory Committee that will be appointed with the approval of the graduate coordinator and the Graduate College. 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 to the AAE 790 course during the last year in the program.

The instructions outlined in the Graduate College Guide to Preparing and Submitting Your Thesis or Dissertation must be followed in the preparation and final submission of the thesis. In addition to the requirements of the Graduate College, a bound copy must be submitted 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.