For the combined BS AREN/ M. Arch. program, students must have earned a BS in Architectural Engineering from WPI, and complete complementary courses to round out their backgrounds.* Students interested in the combined BS AREN/ M. Arch. program indicate this on their undergraduate application and formally apply to the program during A-term of their junior year. Admission to the program is decided by the program committee on a case-by-case basis. The following is required before a decision for admission can be made:
- Complete the online WPI application for graduate school
- Be in good standing towards earning a BS in Architectural Engineering from WPI
- Portfolio of creative work
- Resume
- Statement of goals
- Three letters of recommendations, with one from a relevant non-academic source.
The normal residency for the combined BS AREN/ M. Arch. Program track is one year. A decision on admittance to the M. Arch program is made by the program committee during the fall term of a student’s junior year, after which students are assigned a faculty graduate advisor.
*For the combined BS AREN/ M. Arch. program, students are required to take complementary courses during their 4 years of undergraduate studies to meet minimum total credit hour requirements (6 credit hours above the normal 135 credit hours needed for the BS AREN) and to round out their backgrounds in topics related to the history and theory of architecture and urban planning, design, and social and environmental justice - broadly defined. Students select at least 2 complimentary courses (6 credit hours total) from existing WPI offerings.
Curriculum:
The graduate curriculum is composed of 2 professional practice courses (6 credits), a thesis research seminar (3 credits), 3 concentration courses (9 credits), and a design thesis (12 credits):
Thesis Research Seminar (3 credits)
This seminar prepares students to conceive and develop a graduate thesis project proposal that is rooted in the originality and innovation of research and design practice. The course is structured with seminars of invited speakers, discussions of readings, workshops, student presentations, and thesis proposal development. The seminar may include a travel component. The topics vary each year with the focus on research methodologies and broad issues relevant to the discipline of architecture.
Professional Practice Courses (6 credits)
CE 501 is required.
Design Thesis (12 credits)
The graduate design thesis involves creating and advancing a comprehensive architectural project that exhibits adequate scope and intricacy. Thesis design topics are developed in close collaboration with a thesis committee, which is composed of a primary thesis advisor and an advisor in a focus area. A formal thesis rational and plan is developed during the thesis research seminar. The design thesis is required of all graduate students in the Master of Architecture program. Students register for 6 credits during the fall semester and 6 credits during the spring semester of their master’s year.
Focus Area (9 credits)
The design thesis is underpinned by elective courses that are thematically aligned with a focus area, allowing students to broaden their skills and develop a meaningful grasp of a thematic area of interest. To ensure this depth, students complete at least three courses of thematically related work. Different focus areas are possible and currently include a focus on (1) structures, and (2) climate adaptation. Other focus areas can be developed, and students can propose alternative thematically related coursework with sponsorship from a thesis advisor and approval of the M. Arch program committee. The focus area is seen as an important mechanism to connect the graduate program with faculty from other research domains and programs across campus. A list of recommended courses for two exemplary focus areas is included below: