Architecture

If you want a career as a licensed architect, the six-year Master of Architecture (M. Arch) program at the University of Idaho is for you. With an M. Arch degree, accredited by the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB), you’ll have the credentials and knowledge required for the licensure exam, and the specialized training and real-world experience to launch a successful career as a professional architect.

As an M. 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 history and theory of architecture. You’ll graduate with strong design and technical skills – including the ability to use computer-aided design (CAD) software and other field technologies – and you'll have an in-depth understanding of how architecture affects everyday lifestyles.

The M. Arch 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.

During your final year in the program, you will also have the opportunity to study and practice urban design at the Idaho Urban Research and Design Center (IURDC) in Boise.

Prepare for Success

If you are creative and drawn to the arts, but also have an interest in science and engineering, a career in architecture is a perfect fit. Architecture requires imagination and 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 Master of Architecture (M. Arch) program includes courses in architectural design, history and theory of architecture, environmental control, structures, materials and methods of construction, urban theory and professional practice. Your first year of the six-year M. Arch 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

Current Students

What You Can Do

The Master of Architecture (M. Arch) is a professional, nationally-accredited degree that prepares you for a career as a licensed architect. But there is much more to the field of architecture than designing buildings. With an M. Arch, you can pursue a variety of career paths. You may become a:

• Site architect
• Corporate architect
• Architectural engineer
• Marine architect
• Urban planner
• Architecture designer
• Architectural journalist/critic
• Architectural historian
• Architecture firm manager
• Landscape architect
• Interior designer
• Draftsperson
• Building researcher
• Carpenter
• Surveyor
• Art director
• Real estate broker
• Building inspector
• Set designer

Opportunities

The University of Idaho has an excellent reputation for producing quality graduates who are 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 influence the daily lives of people around the world.

With a degree in architecture, you can pursue a successful career in a variety of settings, including community design and urban planning firms, public agencies, private community development corporations, construction firms, corporations and governmental agencies.

Current Research

As a student in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design, you will have opportunities to work alongside leading University of Idaho faculty members who are nationally and internationally recognized for research and expertise in:

• Sustainable Design
• Green Design
• Health and Wellness Issues
• Social Justice

University of Idaho students at the Idaho Urban Research and Design Center, located in Boise, are currently engaged in the following research projects:

• City Hall
• Pioneer Corridor
• Graduate Seminar, Toward a Thesis

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 studio work, research, international study, service-learning projects and other programs.

• International Programs: We offer our students many 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 pre-professional 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, 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 real-life design issues.

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) that you need in order 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 by matching funds from 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.
• Prichard Art Gallery : An outreach facility of the University of Idaho College of Art and Architecture. Located in downtown Moscow, the gallery exhibits the work of regional artisans and art and design students.