Bachelor of Architecture
For undergraduates, AAP's Department of Architecture offers a five-year professional program leading to a bachelor of architecture (B.Arch.) degree. Consistently ranked one of the top programs in the country, the bachelor of architecture program is accredited by NAAB and is designated as a STEM program making international graduates eligible to extend their F-1 visas for up to three years in order to work in the United States.
B.Arch. Professional Degree Details
The B.Arch. program balances the intensity of a professional education with opportunities to use the resources of a world-class university. The faculty of the department of architecture have developed a highly structured and intensive curriculum, one that emphasizes design, as well as theory, history, technology, representation, and structures. Basic conceptual skills are emphasized early on, along with introducing the fundamental skills of architecture. Students learn to communicate ideas through models and drawings, working fluidly and seamlessly between all modes of both analog and digital representation. All students spend their first three years following a core curriculum designed to lay a strong foundation for architectural education and beyond. During the final four semesters, students are encouraged to work across disciplines focusing on an intellectually rigorous and speculative course of study. Concentrations in architecture are offered in Architecture, Culture, and Society; Architectural Science and Technology; History of Architecture; Architectural Analysis; and Visual Representation in Architecture.
Although most classes are directly concerned with architecture, students will take about one-quarter of the total program in other colleges at Cornell and in other departments within AAP. B.Arch. students spend one semester of their third year in Rome and also have the opportunity to study at AAP's New York City program.
Architecture Design Studios
Design studios at each level immerse students in design culture, helping them develop the skills and intellectual tools to solve problems. Ten semesters of design studios are required, and it is the focal point of every semester. Studio exercises vary significantly during the five years. Basic conceptual skills are emphasized early on, along with introducing the elements of architecture. Students learn to communicate ideas through models and graphics. Additional classes in history and drawing history, representation, theory, and technology help lay the foundation for the rest of the program.
