School of Architecture
Mailing Address
School of Architecture
Tulane University
Richardson Memorial Hall
6823 St. Charles Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70118-5698
Administrative Office
Dean: Iñaki Alday
Associate Dean for Academics: Scott Bernhard
Associate Dean for Research: Richard Campanella
Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Edson Cabalfin
Phone: (504) 865-5389
Web Site: http://architecture.tulane.edu/
Mission, Vision, & Values
Mission
The Tulane School of Architecture generates and applies knowledge that addresses urgent challenges of humankind. We do this by educating committed professionals to creatively manage complexity and transform the world through the practices of architecture, urbanism, and preservation.
Vision
We aim to provide global leadership in New Orleans and around the world through excellence in design, research, and practice in the built environment. Our faculty and students will develop socially conscious and environmentally just models to inhabit the planet.
Values
1: We believe that architecture is a broad field that requires visionary skills to impact buildings and the spaces in between, new and historic buildings and sites, cities and rural communities, and sustainable development strategies.
2: We believe architecture should focus on pressing social, environmental, and economic issues.
3: We believe in the continuous examination of the role architecture plays in society.
4: We believe that architecture, planning, and design foster community empowerment.
5: We combine intellectual development and hands-on practice to educate professionals with the highest standards of excellence and ethics.
6: We address global issues through local activism.
7: We collaborate and learn with a multi-disciplinary perspective in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, including engineering, law, business, and public health.
8: We use advanced technology at the service of contemporary needs.
9: We equip our students with the agency to approach the design process with confidence and urgency.
10: We are committed to finding design solutions for the most vulnerable areas of the planet threatened by climate change, especially rivers and deltas.
11: We are committed to confronting historical inequities of the built environment and preserving architectural and cultural heritage.
Undergraduate Policies
Graduate Policies
Undergraduate Policies
Newcomb-Tulane College Policies
A full description of academic policies for all students in Newcomb-Tulane College can be found in the college's section of this catalog. Students should review these policies thoroughly.
School of Architecture Undergraduate Policies
The School of Architecture's undergraduate programs follow the policies maintained by NTC where applicable. Exceptions and additions to these policies are listed below. Further details on these policies, along with forms, procedures, and other student guidelines, are detailed on the School of Architecture's Student Handbook. Please note that in some instances, the School of Architecture's policies may require revision after publication of the Tulane University Catalog. Please refer to the School of Architecture's website for the most current information.
Studio Reviews
Studio reviews are a critical part of the architectural design studio curriculum and evaluation process.Attendance at these reviews is mandatory. Policies for mid-term and final studio reviews are equivalent to those for examinations in other courses.
Desktop Requirement for Architecture Students
TuSA requires desktop computers for all students in Architectural Studios. The 1st-year and Design studios are equipped with school owned computers. Second year students in the 5-Year Bachelor of Architecture and 4-year Bachelor of Science in Architecture are required to purchase their own desktops. The cost of the desktop is charged via a computer fee attached to the first term studio course, ARCH 2021 Architecture Studio (6 c.h.).These desktops are the property of the students, which they will take with them after graduation. Additional details about the desktop requirement can be found in the Computer Standardization and Procurement Policy on the TuSA website. The design software is provided by TuSA at no additional cost.
Commendation
Commendation is an honor given to TuSA students in any of the Thesis options who receive an A grade (4.0) in their final project and whose final projects are designated as exceptional by the thesis directors. A student who has received a commendation for their final project will receive a letter of commendation from the Dean and thesis directors upon graduation, as well as be recognized at the TuSA diploma ceremony.
Commencement
A student expecting to receive a degree in May must apply for graduation with their Newcomb-Tulane College (NTC) academic advisor by October 1 of the previous year. Students expecting to complete their degree requirements at any other time should consult their NTC academic advisor for appropriate information. The commencement ceremony is held only in May. Students completing degree requirements in August or December may, however, participate in the ceremony held the following May. All graduates who will not attend the commencement ceremony should request with their NTC academic advisor that their degree be awarded in absentia. All financial obligations to the University must be cleared before the Registrar will release a diploma or a transcript.
Graduate Policies
Graduate School Policies
A full description of academic policies for all students in Graduate Programs can be found in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies section of this catalog. Students should review these policies thoroughly.
School of Architecture Graduate Policies
The School of Architecture's graduate programs follow the policies maintained by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Exceptions and additions to these policies are listed below. Further details on these policies, along with forms, procedures, and other student guidelines, are detailed on the School of Architecture's Student Handbook. Please note that in some instances, the School of Architecture's policies may require revision after publication of the Tulane University Catalog. Please refer to the School of Architecture's website for the most current information.
Course Loads
For the School of Architecture, the normal course load for graduate students varies from 15 to 18 credits per semester. Students who complete the required courses and elective courses as outlined in their program of study will meet the graduation requirements in the customary timeframe. The Graduate Program Director must approve non-full-time status. Typically, 12 credit hours is considered the minimum for full-time status, and anything below that number may create issues for and jeopardize scholarships and other financial aid arrangements.
With the permission of the Graduate Program Director, students may register for additional credits.
Desktop Requirement for Architecture Students
TuSA publishes minimum standards for computers used for Architectural Studio work. Students in the 3.5-Year Master of Architecture program are required to purchase a desktop configured to these specifications. The cost of the desktop is charged via a computer fee attached to the first fall term studio course, ARCH 6021 Architecture Studio (6 c.h.). These desktops are the property of the students, which they will take with them after graduation. Students with advanced standing in the Master of Architecture program are encouraged to buy the same desktop or to consult with the Director of Fabrication to make sure their current computers meet the published standards. The design software is provided by TuSA at no additional cost. Additional details about the desktop requirement can be found in the Computer Standardization and Procurement Policy on the TuSA website.
Auditing Courses
Any full-time graduate student may audit one course per semester without credit in any school of the University, after completing formal registration and obtaining approval of the instructor for the course. Although credit is not granted for audited courses, such courses are considered part of the student’s semester course load and are recorded on the student’s permanent record. An audit enrollment that results in an overload is not permitted unless the student is qualified for such an overload. An auditor who is absent excessively will be dropped without record. Students who decide to audit a course after initially attending the course as a grade-seeking student must submit the appropriate change form to the Registrar following the approval of the Graduate Program Director.
Studio Reviews
Studio reviews are a critical part of the architectural design studio curriculum and evaluation process. Attendance at these reviews is mandatory. Policies for mid-term and final studio reviews are equivalent to those for examinations in other courses.
Partial Medical Withdrawal
To withdraw from a course for medical reasons after the last day to drop a class, or if the reduction in course load will result in part-time status; the student must petition the Graduate Program Director. Submission of this petition may result in referral to Case Management and Victim Support Services. If referral is recommended, approval of withdrawal will be pending of medical recommendation.
Quality of Work Requirement
The School of Architecture is not obligated to give individual warnings to graduate students in danger of probation or exclusion. Each student is responsible for their academic performance and its consequences.
Promotion
School of Architecture students are expected to follow the appropriate curriculum outlined in Programs of Study. A student may be excluded from the School of Architecture for lack of sufficient academic progress toward fulfilling degree requirements. Failure to meet stated degree requirements within a reasonable period of time may result in exclusion. Sufficient academic progress is also measured by minimum credit and grade point requirements. Graduate students in Architecture must maintain the academic standards of the School to meet their degree requirements.
Graduate students who meet the minimum semester requirement of 12 passed credits, maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and also earn the required number of credits to advance from one semester to the next are considered to be making progress toward their architectural degree. To qualify for admission into the next year of the program, a full-time graduate student must therefore pass a minimum of 30 credits of B average work in the previous calendar year (August to August, including a summer session, if necessary)
Probation and Exclusion
At the end of the academic year a graduate student must have a minimum of 12 hours of B average work. Students who do not meet these minimum requirements will be placed on probation, which will be communicated by the Graduate Program Director. B average work is defined as courses whose quality point average is at least 3.0. More information on this policy can be found here.
Student Work
Any work performed for credit by students may be retained by the School for record or other uses. Students may, as an alternative, provide suitable reproductions.
Thesis students are required to provide complete documentation of the thesis to the School for the Architecture Library. Although some student work may be retained for a period of time in order to document it, the School is not responsible for any student work (or equipment) left in School of Architecture facilities after the end of the term in which it is executed.
The instructor may retain all examinations and assigned written work for academic and record keeping purposes.
Commencement
A candidate for graduation must complete the total number of credits and all courses required for their program of study, must have a cumulative grade point average in all academic courses of at least 3.0 and must receive certification for graduation. A graduate student expecting to receive a degree in May must apply to graduate by October 1 of the previous year.
Undergraduate
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Newcomb-Tulane College Requirements
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Bachelor of Architecture, B.Arch
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Bachelor of Science in Architecture, BSA
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Bachelor of Science in Real Estate, BS
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Bachelor of Arts in Design, BA
Graduate
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General Graduate School Requirements
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Master of Architecture, M.Arch
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Master of Science in Architectural Research and Design, M.S.Arc
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Master of Science in Historic Preservation, MS
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Master of Sustainable Real Estate Development, MSR
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Joint Degree in Public Administration/Sustainable Real Estate Development, MPA/MSR
Undergraduate
Newcomb-Tulane College Requirements
Newcomb-Tulane College General Education Curriculum
The Newcomb-Tulane College Core Curriculum allows students to explore a wide-range of disciplines and embodies the mission and values of the College by allowing students to have flexibility in their core curriculum courses while exploring a full-range of courses.
The core curriculum—which is composed of a minimum of 30 credits—is divided into three parts: proficiency requirements, distribution of knowledge requirements, and additional requirements. To ensure that students experience the breadth of knowledge at the collegiate level, AP, IB, and Cambridge A-Level courses can be used to satisfy proficiency requirements only in Formal Reasoning and Foreign Language.
Courses will be designated as satisfying the distribution requirements according to the content and methodology rather than the departmental affiliation of the course.
The new core curriculum general education requirements went into effect with the entering class of 2018.
Courses proposed to satisfy core requirements will be ratified by the Newcomb-Tulane Curriculum Committee.
Proficiency Requirements
Writing Skills (2 courses and 6 credits)
- Tier 1: Freshman writing (ENGL 1010 Writing or ENGL 1011 Writing for Academic Purposes) unless the student is exempt because of their score on the A.P/I.B./Cambridge-A level exams.
- Students receiving exemption from ENGL 1010 Writing/ENGL 1011 Writing for Academic Purposes are required to take an approved writing class during their freshman year. Approved courses will have at least 1/3rd of the grade based upon writing (excluding in class exams), but no revision is required.
- Tier 2: One additional writing course at the 2000 level or above taken from an approved list. Approved courses will have at least 1/3rd of the grade based upon writing (excluding in class exams), to include revision and re-evaluation by the instructor.
- Students are encouraged to take the Tier-1 writing course prior to taking the Tier-2 writing course; however, students are not prohibited from taking the Tier-1 and Tier-2 courses simultaneously.
Note: creative writing courses cannot be used to satisfy the writing proficiency requirement.
Formal Reasoning (1 course and 3 credits)
- One course in mathematics or symbolic logic from an approved list.
Foreign Language (0-3 courses)
The foreign language proficiency requirement is achieved in any of the following ways:
- A passing grade in a course at the 2030 level (3rd semester of Tulane 4-credit hour Foreign Language or ASLS coursework) or higher in accordance with assigned placement level.
- A passing grade on a Tulane-administered proficiency exam for students with assigned placements above the 2030 level. Students who do not successfully pass the proficiency exam will be automatically placed and must successfully complete a course at the 2030 level.
- A passing grade in a course at the level of placement above 2030.
- Advanced Placement score of 4 or 5 in a foreign language test as noted in the AP/IB chart
- Higher-Level IB score of 5 or higher in a foreign language test as noted in the AP/IB chart
- Cambridge A-Level score decided by the appropriate language department.
- SAT II achievement test of 640 or higher in a foreign language.
Note: This requirement is waived for students in B.S.E. programs.
Distribution Requirements
(A course can satisfy only one of the distribution areas.)
Mathematics and the Natural Sciences (2 courses including 1 lab science course and 7 credits)
(Those completing the B.F.A. degree need only complete 1 course with lab)
Social and Behavioral Sciences (2 courses and 6 credits)
Textual and Historical Perspectives (2 courses and 6 credits)
Aesthetics and the Creative Arts (3 credits), which can be fulfilled in 1-3 courses.
Additional Core Requirements
The First Year Seminar (1 course, 1-3 credits)
This requirement can be satisfied by a Tulane Interdisciplinary Seminar (TIDES) course or Colloquium course (COLQ 1010 Freshmen Colloquium Seminar (1-3 c.h.) or COLQ 1020 Freshman Colloquium (1-3 c.h.))
Public Service (2 courses)
Students develop their commitment to civic engagement through the completion of service learning courses experiences. All students will complete their public service through service-learning courses, an approved public service internship, or an approved public service research experience. These courses can also be used to satisfy other areas of general education.
- To meet this requirement for graduation, all students must complete two semesters of service. One of these semesters must be at the 2000 level or above. The first experience should be completed by the 2nd semester of the sophomore year.
- Service Learning courses require a minimum of 20 hours of service per semester. Those service-learning courses designated as requiring a minimum of 40 hours of service carry one additional credit hour. No course may carry more than 4 credits.
Race and Inclusion (1 course, 3 credits)
One course and 3 credits. Courses that fulfill this requirement will focus on the intersections of race with power, privilege, equity, justice, and/or inclusion and will focus at least 60% their content on these issues in the United States. These courses may also be used to satisfy proficiency or distribution core curriculum requirements.
Global Perspectives (1 course, 3 credits)
One course and 3 credits. Courses that fulfill this requirement will focus at least 60% content with stated objectives to develop historical, cultural, and societal knowledge of an area beyond the United States. These courses may also be used to satisfy proficiency or distribution core curriculum requirements.
For more information please visit the Core Curriculum website.
Bachelor of Architecture, B.Arch
The five-year Bachelor of Architecture program is a professional degree structured with required courses and electives that provide thorough professional preparation as well as opportunities for study in the liberal arts and advanced study in architecture. The Tulane School of Architecture is committed to design excellence and social responsibility and the B.Arch curriculum developed by the faculty provides a strong core foundation in design, history/theory, and building technologies with opportunities for research and travel in the upper years. This degree is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
Bachelor of Science in Architecture, BSA
The Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree is a 4-year-long undergraduate course of study. This program offers an integrated curriculum in the liberal arts and architecture designed to promote an understanding of design as a cultural expression while providing a strong preparation for graduate professional study in architecture or an array of other potential career paths.
Bachelor of Science in Real Estate, BS
The Bachelor of Science in Real Estate (BS) degree is a 4-year-long undergraduate course of study. It is a comprehensive program that teaches the traditional core concepts of real estate including real estate finance and project management, while integrating unique offerings including design and related environmental concerns.
Bachelor of Arts in Design, BA
The Bachelor of Arts in Design undergraduate major explores design as mechanism for positive change. Design students learn to integrate multiple aspects of a problem and respond with interdisciplinary solutions to address challenges of an evolving world. Our program centers design as a state of mind for building empathy, humility, and self-awareness — the first steps toward collaborating with other disciplines when solving complex problems. Rather than focusing on one specific aspect of design, our curriculum touches upon all facets within the design discipline (e.g. graphic, fashion, industrial, interior) building relationships between design innovation and engagement with society, culture, and the built environment.
Graduate
General Graduate School Requirements
A full description of Master's Degree requirements for all students can be found in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies section of this catalog. Students should review these policies thoroughly.
Master of Architecture, M.Arch
The professional Master of Architecture degree program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and is open to students with a baccalaureate degree in any field from an accredited college or university.
Master of Science in Architectural Research and Design, M.S.Arc
Our post-professional Master of Science in Architectural Research and Design degree is a one-year program intended for individuals with an accredited professional architecture degree interested in teaching and research as a career in the field of architecture.
Master of Science in Historic Preservation, MS
A comprehensive four-semester program providing students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in this dynamic and interdisciplinary field, the Master of Science in Historic Preservation exposes students to the breadth of historic preservation in the US and International contexts.
Master of Sustainable Real Estate Development, MSR
The Master of Sustainable Real Estate Development degree is an interdisciplinary one-year graduate program that prepares students from diverse backgrounds to become effective and influential participants in the fields of real estate finance, design, and development.
Joint Degree in Public Administration / Sustainable Real Estate Development, MPA/MSR
The School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) and the School of School of Architecture (TuSA) offer a 64 credit MPA / MSRED dual degree. Joint MPA / MSR degree candidates complete a minimum of 30 credit hours from the MPA and 34 credit hours from the MSRED. Through this joint program, a student would be able to pursue both the MPA and MSR simultaneously and earn both degrees with a lower overall credit requirement than if enrolled in each program separately. Upon completion of joint degree requirements, students will be awarded two separate degrees: an MPA degree awarded by SoPA and an MSR degree awarded by the TuSA. The dual degree option eliminates up to 12 credit hours / 5 classes required to complete each degree separately.
Research and Learning Through Engagement
The Tulane School of Architecture has a long history of leadership in the built environment. As architects, preservationists, real estate developers, and designers educated to lead complex teams to deal with complex issues, our work is fundamentally interdisciplinary and innovative.
Research and innovation at the Tulane School of Architecture is focused in two main areas: 1) Empowerment of communities through the built environment and 2) River and Delta Urbanism, which are accomplished through professional design excellence and leadership in design education.
The school’s Albert and Tina Small Center for Collaborative Design and URBANbuild are two nationally and internationally recognized programs that provide students and faculty the opportunity to work on local community-based projects through internships, studio and class projects, and design-build opportunities. The Yamuna River Project is an interdisciplinary research program whose objective is to revitalize the ecology of the Yamuna River in New Delhi, thus reconnecting India’s capital city back to the water.
Albert and Tina Small Center for Collaborative Design
The Albert and Tina Small Center for Collaborative Design is the community design center of the Tulane School of Architecture. Small Center works with community-based organizations to provide design services for constituencies who are underserved by the architecture and design professions. Staff, students, and faculty collaborate with the leadership and constituents of partnering nonprofit organizations throughout New Orleans. Partner organizations bring their project ideas to Small Center, and Small Center brings its design expertise to bear in collaboration, supporting New Orleans residents in imagining and pursuing projects that strengthen neighborhoods and contribute to a city shaped by its citizens.
The center's design work, whether a visual narrative or a built structure, is often a small, but critical contribution to advancing the ongoing efforts of partner organizations. Small Center develops projects in collaboration with faculty designers and professional consultants to create designs that strive for beauty, social justice and true sustainability, while working with other experts to build capacity in partner organizations. This work focuses on equitable process, meaningful outcomes, design excellence, and inclusion as critical parts of the design process.
Follow Small Center's projects, events, and news on our website: small.tulane.edu
URBANbuild
URBANbuild is a design/build program in which teams of students take on the design and construction of prototypical homes for New Orleans’ neighborhoods. URBANbuild’s partners in the development of these homes have been a number of non-profit community partners such as Neighborhood Housing Services of New Orleans (NHS), the Make It Right Organization of New Orleans (MIR), and Harmony Neighborhood development. Work with these organizations has exposed the School to the needs of the city’s underprivileged families as well as to what is required for the revitalization of New Orleans’ urban fabric and neighborhoods.
The program is an educational collaboration of individuals, organizations, and businesses committed to revitalizing New Orleans’ rich cultural and architectural heritage. Neighborhoods are strengthened by the rebuilding of homes; allied professionals and educators come together for a common cause, and students develop as designers with a deep understanding and commitment to the urban environment.
More information about the design-build program can be found at www.URBANbuild.tulane.edu.
Travel Fellowship
The Tulane School of Architecture annually offers over $50,000 to support student travel and research. This research travel typically takes place during the summer break and allows students to expand their education by funding location-based independent research projects. Recent fellowship recipients have traveled around the world to cities such as Sao Paulo, Amsterdam, Havana, Jerusalem, Paris, and more. They have studied topics such as the use of vernacular building materials and methodologies in communities in Rwanda, the influence of wabi-sabi in architecture and urban design across Japan, and the interaction of architecture and music in Vienna. Although most of the fellowships are not constrained to specific topics, some do have specific requirements.
TuSA Lecture Series
It is highly recommended that all architecture students attend all lectures in the TuSA series. Lecture response assignments may be coordinated per lecture in studio courses. Please note that scheduling conflicts due to evening classes or employment must be brought to the attention of your studio professor in advance. The robust lecture series is considered an integral part of architecture education as well as a forum for the prescient issues of current architectural thought.
Career Explorations (Pre-College)
Career Explorations offers high school students a short, intensive and engaging introduction to architecture and design in two, two-week sessions held during the summer. As high schoolers consider careers, they may not yet have been exposed to the unique blend of visual orientation, creative process, academic investigation, and professional training that forms an design education. Students can participate in one or both sessions exploring the ideas, methods, and issues of architecture and design with Tulane professors and local practicing professionals. Lectures, studio time, digital workshops, field trips, discussions, and critiques will be supplemented by regular design exercises to be completed outside class time.
More information about the Career Explorations summer program can be found here.