Architecture Schools in New England

New England colleges offer professional bachelor's and master's degrees as well as non-professional degrees at both undergrad and graduate levels. Prerequisite coursework, such as a foreign language or pre-professional architecture, are required prior to enrolling. Students have the option to select from programs that offer architectural concentrations, study abroad opportunities, dual-degree options, apprenticeships, licensure tracks and specialized minors.

Career Requirements

To work as an architect, students must earn a professional architecture degree, complete an internship and become licensed in their state. The requirements for licensure typically include a professional architecture degree, internship experience and a passing grade on the Architect Registration Exam. The licensing authorities in most states only accept architecture degrees from programs that have been accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), but state requirements vary. Of the schools featured in this article, the architecture programs at the following schools are NAAB-approved:

• Harvard
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Northeastern, the University of Hartford
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Yale

Overviews of the ten largest schools in New England offering architecture programs are provided below, and a table that shows tuition and school info follows.

Brown University

Students who want to study architecture at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, can choose to earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in architectural studies. The architectural studies program allows students to design a customized curriculum to meet their interests, and many students choose to concentrate on a specific historical period or a particular style of architecture. Two years of a foreign language are required, and students are given the opportunity to study abroad.

• Programs Offered: Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies,
  Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies
• Tuition & Fees (2012): $43, 758*
• School Type & Setting: 4-year, private not-for-profit; midsize city

Harvard University

Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and offers an undergraduate concentration in architecture studies. Students who select this concentration may choose a design studies emphasis or a history and theory emphasis. Required courses include world architecture landmarks and studio courses. Harvard offers two Master in Architecture programs that are accredited by the NAAB. One is designed for students who have earned a pre-professional degree in architecture and requires 75 credits for graduation, and the other is designed for students with an undergraduate degree in another discipline; 105 credits are required for this degree. Harvard also provides a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Architecture program that requires students to pass a general exam and write a dissertation.

• Programs Offered: Undergraduate Concentration in Architecture Studies,
  Master in Architecture,
  PhD in Architecture
• Tuition & Fees (2012): $39, 966*