Admission is offered to a limited number of transfer applicants who have either:
- completed a portion of their architecture studies at other schools
or
- have developed a strong, well thought-out interest in architecture but have no formal education in the discipline
Each applicant's case is considered individually.
Even if you previously have attended college, you will probably be considered for admission to the first-year design studio. This means you would need to complete the entire ten-term design sequence, taking 5 years, or 4 years and 2 summers. If you have an extensive background in architecture, you may be admitted to an upper-level studio. Placement is determined by the faculty admissions committee based on your portfolio and amount of architecture coursework completed.
Because architecture schools vary in their methods of teaching design, you may be asked to repeat a term or two upon entering Cornell's program. All transfers must complete any portion of the Bachelor of Architecture curriculum not covered elsewhere.
Credit for many courses can be transferred, but you must complete a minimum of 70 credits and four terms in residence. Thirty-five of the 70 credits (including credits for four terms of architectural design) must be taken in the Cornell architecture department.
Transfer students interested in the Bachelor of Science in History of Architecture program do not need to submit a portfolio or complete an interview, but should make an appointment to discuss the program with a faculty member in the architectural history field by calling the Department of Architecture Office at (607) 255-5236. Specific requirements for admission include two years of undergraduate study and a two-semester survey course in the history of architecture.
