Master of Architecture (Track II, 2-year)

The Master of Architecture (Track II, 2-year) degree is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). The NAAB, which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted varying terms of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformity with established educational standards.

Students who have completed previous coursework in an approved NAAB architecture curriculum or a pre-professional architectural degree program may achieve advanced standing. All requests for advanced standing are evaluated using the minimum qualifications for graduate study at KU, the student performance criteria established by NAAB, and procedures approved by the architecture graduate studies committee. This degree requires a sequence of architectural design studio/synthesis experiences, each of which is accompanied by associated professional support courses and graduate electives. The program has a required study abroad component, planned to occur during a student's summer or winter semester. The M.Arch (Track II) degree is constituted by a total of 69 credit hours. Courses and credits may vary by applicant's background. There is a minimum of 60 credit hours to be taken at KU for M.Arch II degree.

Students who have completed or are completing a bachelor's degree in architectural studies (non-accredited, pre-professional degree, or degree in an accredited allied discipline) or non-architectural subject area who wish to pursue professional careers as licensed architects may apply for admission to this program. Students, without an architecture or affiliated undergraduate degree, may be required to take additional preparatory coursework beyond the two year curriculum (including summer studios). The timing of course offerings is subject to change. In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. Master's degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education.

M.Arch (Track II, 2-Year) Degree

1.  Students with a pre-professional degree in architecture, such as a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies, are normally asked to complete four or five studios (synthesis experiences), a study abroad experience, and architecture support courses whose number and content are determined on a case-by-case basis. The total number of credit hours required for graduation depends on the student's previous preparation, but is likely to be approximately 69 hours.

2.  Students who already possess an accredited professional Bachelor of Architecture degree generally enter a four-semester program that requires a study abroad experience during a summer or winter session as well as the final year of the curriculum. The total number of credit hours required for graduation depends on the student's previous preparation and is variable. While a student is likely to take 69 credit hours, there is a minimum of 60 hours required.

3. Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture at KU with 3.5 GPA and above will be admitted to M.Arch (Track II, 2-year) upon a successful portfolio review. Students interested in this option should consult with their advisor.

4. Students, without an architecture or affiliated undergraduate degree, may be required to take additional preparatory coursework beyond the two year curriculum (including summer studios). Certain curricular requirements may be waived after careful vetting of the student's educational background. The timing of course offerings is subject to change. The total number of credit hours will vary due to the student's background, but is likely to exceed 69 credit hours.

Graduate Admission

Regardless of background or career goals, a person whose previous records indicate the ability to succeed with advanced work may be admitted to one of the graduate programs. Admission requires a bachelor’s degree and a grade-point average of 3.0 from KU or another accredited institution or foreign university with substantially equivalent requirements for the bachelor’s degree.  A complete application for admission consists of the following materials:

1. Graduate application.
2. A portfolio of work demonstrating the candidate’s strengths. Examples may include design or creative work and writing samples. The portfolio is limited to 10 megabytes (not zipped) in PDF format. Upload under other documents.
3. Official transcript from your highest earned degree is required
4. Due to NAAB Accreditation Standards the Masters of Architecture program minimum GPA is a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, any applicant with a GPA lower than the required minimum will not be considered. 
5. Resume is required.
6. A supplemental architecture/interior architecture essay is required. It should be a statement of interest indicating the applicant’s career goals and the relationship of these goals to KU’s M.ARCH program (Those seeking advanced placement in the M.Arch. program should make this clear in this statement).
7. Three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on the applicant’s intellectual abilities and probable success in graduate study
8. For international students, a financial statement showing minimum financial support for the first year of study (see the admissions page on the school’s website).

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

Applicant must also meet KU’s International Admissions’ requirements here

For international applicants whose native language is not English, you are required to submit English Proficiency Proof. Please see the detailed requirement for English Proficiency Proof here

• Students who are admitted in the Full Proficiency band are not required to complete Applied English Center (AEC) testing.
• All other non-native speakers of English who gain admission to campus-based programs are required to complete AEC testing prior to enrollment.

Admission with Advanced Standing

Applicants to the Master of Architecture with Advanced Standing must have a Bachelor's degree in architecture or its equivalent. Advanced standing is awarded at the discretion of the admissions committee during the time of application review. The admissions committee will determine advanced standing individually for each student during the admissions review. Each student’s undergraduate curriculum will be compared against the basic curriculum of the Master of Architecture program at KU. Students might be granted waiver of some required courses if they have completed equivalent courses in their undergraduate program. Any course deficiencies must be fulfilled in addition to the regular credit hours of the advanced standing curriculum.

Evaluation of Preparatory Education and Admission 

The M.Arch Admissions Committee utilizes a systematized process for evaluating academic history to ensure the preparatory education alignment with NAAB accreditation standards.

Review Committee

The Admissions Committee is composed of the Chair of the Department of Architecture, Assistant Chair of Architecture, Fourth-Year Coordinator, and the Director of Recruitment and Enrollment.

Review Process

The M.Arch Admissions Committee members each independently review all applications from the applicant pool, ranking them based on the portfolio (e.g., creativity, design skills, spatial sensibility, effectiveness of visual communication, and technical skills), academic record, statement and cover letters (dedication to design, passion, ability to communicate effectively, teamwork, potential to leadership), and recommendation letters. The Admission Committee members make a recommendation to either admit/ leaning admit/ leaning deny/deny. Each Admission Committee member will develop a ranked list of applicants with recommendations and written comments to share with the rest of the Admissions Committee. The applicants who have received “deny” recommendations from all members will not be forwarded to the next round of discussion.

In late February, a meeting will be held for all members of the Admissions Committee to discuss the recommendations for each applicant. A final ranked list will be developed to inform the final admission decisions. The Admissions Committee will also determine the Advanced Standing of the applicant and recommend studio placement based on portfolio and transcript.

For admitted applicants, the Director of Enrollment and Admission Management will further review the transcript, course catalog descriptions and syllabi and crosscheck with our M.Arch. II curriculum and course requirements. The evaluation will use the KU Architecture Preparatory Education Evaluation form.

The final decision on curriculum, studio placement, and recommended degree plan is communicated to the applicants in their offer letters at the time of admission. 

Master of Arts (MA)

Master of Arts (MA) in Architecture degree is a 36-credit academic/research track for students with an undergraduate degree in architecture or a related discipline. It is awarded as part of a student’s progress towards the Ph.D.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Architecture degree is a 49-credit terminal degree involving rigorous coursework, independent research, culminating in a dissertation.

Graduate Certificates

Graduate Certificates in Architectural Acoustics, Architecture of Health & Wellness, Design-Build, Historic Preservation, and Urban Design all require 12 credit hours. Anyone admitted to KU can pursue a graduate certificate in these subject areas. 

Submit your graduate application and upload all application materials online. Please contact the Director of Recruitment & Enrollment if you have any questions:

The University of Kansas
Department of Architecture
Marvin Hall
1465 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 206
Lawrence, KS 66045

Be sure to check the school’s website for updates to the admission process or requirements.

Above courses and credits may vary by applicant's background. There is a minimum of 60 credit hours to be taken at KU for M.Arch II degree.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Expected Preparatory Course Work
Degree plan may require additional course work listed below (varies by applicant's background).
ARCH 103	Introduction to Architecture and Interior Architecture *
ARCH 108	Architectural Foundations I *
ARCH 109	Architectural Foundations II *
ARCH 110	Introduction to Computing *
ARCH 208	Form and Function ***
ARCH 209	Sustainability, Site, and Context ***
ARCH 340	Global History of Architecture I: Origins to Industrial Revolution (3500 BCE-1700 CE) *
ARCH 508	Material and Tectonics ***
ARCH 509	Designbuild ***
ARCH 524	Structures I **
ARCH 530	Environmental Systems I *
ARCH 531	Environmental Systems II **
ARCH 541	Global History of Architecture II: From Industrial Revolution to Present (1700 CE-Present) *
ARCH 552	Ethics and Leadership in Professional Practice *
ARCH 624	Structures II **
ARCH 626	Building Technology I: Construction Systems and Assemblies **

NOTE:  Students admitted to the Master of Architecture degree prior to 2025 will follow the curriculum in place at the time of their admission (see the KU Archived Academic Catalogs). 

* Courses required as part of KU Interior Architecture undergraduate degree.

** Courses recommended to be taken by KU Interior Architecture students during undergraduate degree, if they plan to pursue M.Arch. II.

*** For KU Interior Architecture students, these studio courses are waived; KU Interior Architecture undergraduate studios satisfy these requirements.

At the completion of this program, students will be able to: 

• Understand the impact of the built environment on human health, safety, and welfare at multiple scales, from buildings to cities. 
• Understand professional ethics, the regulatory requirements, the fundamental business processes relevant to architecture practice in the United States, and the forces influencing change in these subjects.
• Develop the ability to make design decisions within architectural projects while demonstrating the synthesis of user requirements, regulatory requirements, site conditions, accessible design, and consideration of the measurable environmental impacts of their design decisions. 
• Develop the ability to make design decisions within architectural projects while demonstrating the integration of building envelope systems and assemblies, structural systems, environmental control systems, life safety systems, and the measurable outcomes of building performance.
• Understand the diverse cultural and social contexts and be able to translate that understanding into built environments that equitably support and include people of different backgrounds, resources, and abilities.