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School of Architecture

Architecture Degrees &
Programs

The School of Architecture at NewSchool is rich in diversity and creativity. With international faculty prominent in the field, our students are exposed to many different approaches to design and innovation and master the same industry standard technology in the classroom that is used in the workplace. From their first day at NewSchool, our students learn to tackle hands-on, community-based projects that provide them the foundation and tools necessary to grow and succeed as an architect.

Our Offerings in Architecture Degrees

Bachelor of Architecture

The Bachelor of Architecture (First-Professional) degree program is the gateway to becoming a socially conscious designer. From teaching time-honored building traditions to sustainable and innovative technologies, the curriculum of this program gives students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

Bachelor of Arts in Architecture

The Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree is designed to allow career-focused students to enter the workforce as quickly as possible or to continue with their education by earning a Master of Architecture (First-Professional) degree. With a curriculum focused on familiarizing students with innovations, products, and building forms, this bachelor’s degree program gives students a strong foundation of architectural design from a technical and aesthetic perspective and prepares them for their professional future.

Master of Architecture

The Master of Architecture I (First-Professional) degree gives students with an undergraduate degree in architecture or a related field the opportunity to earn a professional master’s degree in architecture. Our program is recognized by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) as part of the requirements for eventual architectural licensure.

Master of Architectural Studies

The Master of Architectural Studies (5+1) degree is designed for students with a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture (First-Professional) degree who want to advance their knowledge of architecture through focused study and design-studio work. This one-year program builds on foundational knowledge in art and design and integrates thesis-based learning and coursework to explore architecture in the context of history and theory, tectonics, urban studies, and professional practice.

Master of Science in Architecture

The Master of Architectural Studies (5+1) degree is designed for students with a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture (First-Professional) degree who want to advance their knowledge of architecture through focused study and design-studio work. This one-year program builds on foundational knowledge in art and design and integrates thesis-based learning and coursework to explore architecture in the context of history and theory, tectonics, urban studies, and professional practice.

Minor in Architecture

To provide students with additional opportunities to broaden and enrich their educations, a minor is a program of study that is distinct from or supplements a student’s major.

Meet our Chair

Daniela Deutsch

Daniela Deutsch’s teaching experience is as diverse as her professional efforts. Her architecture and teaching careers have flourished both in Germany and the United States. She is the co-founder of the award-winning firm, exitecture architekten, in Frankfurt, Germany, and Principal of exitecture archLab Inc. in San Diego, California. Daniela’s successful teaching career spans over 20 years, and her methodology for teaching design is informed by her natural affinity to architectural practice as well as health, and environmental considerations.

NAAB Accreditation

In the United States, most 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 professional degree programs in architecture offered by institutions with U.S. regional accreditation, recognizes three types of degrees: The Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the 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 require a preprofessional undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

NewSchool of Architecture & Design offers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs:

Bachelor of Architecture (225 undergraduate credits)

 

Master of Architecture

  • 4+2 Option – architecture undergraduate degree + 90 graduate credits
  • 4+3 Option – non-architecture undergraduate degree + 150 credits

 

Next accreditation visit for all programs: 2024

Architecture Advisory Board

NewSchool’s Architecture Advisory Board includes leading professionals from the design community who provide advice and counsel to the administration and faculty on employment trends, market conditions, professional practice, curriculum opportunities, and other critical information to advance the school’s mission.

Elevate Your Architectural
Journey

Members of the Architecture Advisory Board include:

  • Doug Austin, FAIA | CEO, AVRP Studios, Past President, AIASD
  • Kennon W. Baldwin, AIA | President, Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects
  • Jack Carpenter, FAIA | Architects Mosher Drew
  • Ben Dalton | Associate, The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP
  • Eric Davy, NCARB | Principal, Davy Architecture
  • Laura DuCharme-Conboy, AIA | Architect, DuCharme Architecture
  • James T. Frost, AIA | Emeritus, Consultant
  • Jeffrey Gill, AIA | Executive Director, AIA/Orange County
  • Kevin Heinly, AIA | Managing Director, Gensler
  • Lesley Henegar | Senior Planner, City of San Diego Planning Department, Alumna
  • Kurt Hunker, FAIA, NCARB | Acting Dean, School of Architecture and Construction Management
  • Kathy Lord, AIA | Partner, Lord Architecture
  • Michael Stepner, FAIA, FAICP | Acting Chair, Architecture Programs
  • Ralph Roesling, FAIA | Principal, Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects
  • Alison Whitelaw, FAIA | Principal, Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc.
  • Len Zegarski | Special Assistant to the President for Enrollment & Assessment
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