Architecture

As a B.S. Arch student, you will study the built environment in a variety of contexts and explore topics such as urban and community planning, sustainable design, environmental control, construction methods and the history and theory of architecture. Students graduate with strong design and technical skills and an in-depth understanding of how architecture affects everyday lifestyles.

The program’s intensive design studios give you a chance to practice what you learn and create solutions for real design problems. You’ll collaborate with students and expert faculty from all art and design disciplines in the College of Art and Architecture. This experience gives you a solid creative foundation in both art and architecture – something you won’t get from most other architecture programs.

Prepare for Success

If you are creative and drawn to the arts, but you also have an interest in science and engineering, a career in architecture is a perfect fit. Architecture requires imagination, creativity, and the ability to visualize, conceptualize and apply highly technical information. You should also have solid verbal and written communication skills. To prepare for the program, build your skills in math, drawing, design, technology and engineering.

Your First Year

The architecture program includes courses in architectural design, the history and theory of architecture, environmental control, structures, materials and methods of construction, urban theory and professional practice. Your first year of the four-year Bachelor of Science in Architecture program is devoted to introductory courses and general university requirements. During your first year, you may take:

• Arch 151 – Introduction to the Built Environment
• Arch 154 – Introduction to Architectural Graphics
• Art 100 – World Art and Culture
• Art 110 – Visual Communication
• Art 111 – Drawing 
• Art 121 – Design Process 
• Math 143 – Pre-calculus Algebra and Analytic Geometry
• Physics 111 – General Physics
  

What You Can Do

The four-year, preprofessional Bachelor of Science in Architecture (B.S. Arch) prepares you for many career options. You may become a:

• Site architect
• Architecture firm manager
• Specification writer
• Architecture designer
• Architectural journalist/critic
• Architectural historian
• Architecture firm manager
• Draftsperson
• Building researcher
• Carpenter
• Surveyor
• Urban planner
• Art director
• Real estate broker
• Building inspector
• Set designer
• Professor (with a Master of Science in Architecture)

The B.S. Arch is designed for seamless entry into the Master of Architecture, the accredited professional degree required for practice as a licensed architect. It is also excellent preparation for the Master of Science in Architecture, the research-focused degree for those wanting a career in academia.

Opportunities

The University of Idaho has an excellent reputation for producing quality graduates who are well prepared to succeed in the field of architecture. From designing new homes and conceptualizing high-tech skyscrapers to restoring historical buildings and planning sustainable communities, a career in architecture gives you the ability to positively affect the daily lives of people around the world.

Current Research

Activities

American Institute of Architecture Students

Hands-On Experience

The Department of Architecture and Interior Design offers many quality opportunities for hands-on learning through programs such as the following:

• International Programs: We offer exciting international study programs. You’ll gain a global perspective by learning and exploring in historically and culturally rich architectural environments, such as Thailand and Rome.
• Idaho Urban Research and Design Center (IURDC): The IURDC provides a unique opportunity for architecture students to reside in Boise for educational and preprofessional experiences. In addition to course work in urban design and architecture, students may participate in collaborative projects and research with project participants from government, the arts, and cultural, business and residential communities.
• Service-Learning Design Studios: The department's community partnerships allow you to work with professionals and community members to develop solutions to actual design problems.
  

Facilities

Technical Laboratory and Workshops: Tools and materials in our advanced technical labs and workshops will give you the resources (and expertise from the laboratory manager) you need to create. 

Online & Outreach

Integrated Design Laboratory (IDL): The IDL, located in Boise, is operated by the University of Idaho and sustained by grants from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance's (NEEA) BetterBricks program, Idaho Power, The Idaho Energy Division, as well as matching funds by the University of Idaho and project clients. The IDL provides project-based education services to designers in the disciplines of daylighting, electric lighting, HVAC, and other high-performance, sustainable practices.