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Master of Architecture [Administered by A.A.P] M.Arch (Ithaca)

Field of Study

Architecture

Program Description

Architecture (M.Arch. professional) is a three-and-a-half-year professional Master of Architecture program (M.Arch.) administered by the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. For more information, consult the College’s webpages.

Note on Professional Accreditation
In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: bachelor of architecture, master of architecture, and doctor of architecture. A program may be granted an eight-year, three-year or two-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.

Doctor of architecture and master of architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

In order to meet the education requirement set forth by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, an applicant for an NCARB certificate must hold a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the NAAB; the degree must have been awarded not more than two years prior to initial accreditation.

AAP's M.Arch. (professional) program was formally granted an eight-year term accreditation effective 2021-2029.

Contact Information

Website: https://aap.cornell.edu/academics/architecture/graduate/march
Email: aap-grad-admissions@cornell.edu
Phone: 607 255-4376

Sibley Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY  14853

Concentrations by Subject

  • architecture

Tuition

Visit the Graduate School's Tuition Rates page.

Application Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadlines:

Fall, Jan. 3; no spring admission

Requirements Summary:

  • All Graduate School Requirements, including the  English Language Proficiency Requirement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts: Submit completed and official transcripts from each college or university previously attended to the field to which you are applying. If it is against an institution's policy to send transcripts to the applicant, the transcripts can be mailed by the school directly to the field to which you are applying.
  • Portfolio of creative work
    • The portfolio should consist of high-quality visual material showcasing several projects (max 20 pages/spreads and no larger than 20MB). The selection of projects and the represented media is at the applicant’s discretion and may include drawing, drafting, digital media, painting, photography, print media, models, sculptures, installations and more. Applicants should choose those media that best reflect their highest level of conceptual and technical development. If any project, drawing, or model has been produced by several designers, or if the design was produced in a professional setting, each drawing must be labeled, clearly stating the number of designers, which drawings were produced by the applicant, and a list of the names of all members of the group project. If the project was produced in an office, an office setting, or as an assistant to an author, the office name, supervisor, and all members of the team must be identified. Please note: The portfolio must be uploaded at the same time as the application (deadline January 3).
  • Statement of purpose
    • One page academic statement of purpose or statement of research intents for graduate study in the M.Arch. program. This statement should describe a critical topic you wish to investigate at Cornell, including any past work in this area.
  • GRE test scores are no longer required nor accepted

The Master of Architecture (professional degree) is administered by the College of Art, Architecture, and Planning.  For additional insight into M.Arch. requirements please see https://aap.cornell.edu/admissions/graduate/architecture

Learning Outcomes

The following Student Performance Criteria (SPC), based on NAAB requirements, define the expectations for graduating M.Arch students:

Realm A

  • Critical Thinking and Representation: Architects must have the ability to build abstract relationships and understand the impact of ideas based on research and analysis of multiple theoretical, social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental contexts. This ability includes facility with the wider range of media used to think about architecture including writing, investigative skills, speaking, drawing and model making. Students’ learning aspirations include:
  • Being broadly educated
  • Valuing lifelong inquisitiveness
  • Communicating graphically in a range of media
  • Recognizing the assessment of evidence
  • Comprehending people, place, and context
  • Recognizing the disparate needs of client, community, and society

Realm B

Integrated Building Practices, Technical Skills, and Knowledge: Architects are called upon to comprehend the technical aspects of design, systems, and materials and be able to apply that comprehension to their services. Additionally, they must appreciate their role in the implementation of design decisions and the impact of such decisions on the environment. Students learning aspirations include:

  • Creating building designs with well-integrated systems
  • Comprehending constructability
  • Incorporating life safety systems
  • Integrating accessibility
  • Applying principles of sustainable design

Realm C

Leadership and Practice: Architects need to manage, advocate, and act legally, ethically, and critically for the good of the client, society, and the public. This includes collaboration, business, and leadership skills. Student learning aspirations include:

  • Knowing societal and professional responsibilities
  • Comprehending the business of building
  • Collaborating and negotiating with clients and consultants in the design process
  • Discerning the diverse roles of architects and those in related disciplines
  • Integrating community service into the practice of architecture

Realm D

Integrated Architectural Solutions: Graduates from NAAB-accredited programs must be able to synthesize a wide range of variables into an integrated design solution. This realm demonstrates the integrative thinking that shapes complex design and technical solutions.

Student learning aspirations include:

  • Synthesizing variables from diverse and complex systems into an integrated architectural solution
  • Rationalizing environmental stewardship goals across multiple systems for an integrated solution
  • Evaluating options and reconciling the implications of design decisions across systems and scales