The five-year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) program is structured with required courses and electives that provide thorough professional preparation and opportunities for study in the liberal arts and advanced study in architecture. This degree is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
First Year
First-year courses include required study in design, visual and digital media, architectural history and theory, technological systems, writing, and other electives in cultural knowledge and scientific inquiry. The emphasis in first-year design focuses on developing a fundamental understanding of formal, spatial and material principles in architecture, while obtaining a strong skill base in freehand drawing, descriptive geometry, material techniques, and visual and digital media. First-year electives allow students to supplement their background in physics or calculus, begin or advance foreign language study, broaden their skills in the arts, or choose any other subject area from among dozens offered by the university’s undergraduate divisions. In their first semester, students may also participate in one of the many TIDES (Tulane InterDisciplinary Experience) courses offered by the university to engage other students and faculty in an intimate, interactive environment.
Second and Third Years
Second and third-year courses cover the majority of the program requirements. Intensive studio work in architectural design is complemented by study in architectural history and theory, structures, technological systems, digital media and urban studies. In second-year, students are fully immersed in digital design techniques while learning to incorporate knowledge from historic, environmental, social, programmatic and technological studies into the design studio. This is followed by third-year, where, in the second semester, coordinated coursework allows students a truly synthetic experience in the integrated design of a complex architectural project.
Fourth Year
The fourth-year curriculum involves advanced architectural design in elective studio courses as well as graduate level seminars in architectural theory, technology, professional concerns, urban studies, and digital media. In the fourth year of study, emphasis is placed on the relationship of architecture to the urban environment, both locally and globally. Students may spend one semester studying in one of the school's many programs ranging from urban design, to housing, to design/build. In the fourth-year, students will also have the opportunity for international study through various programs and research studios. Upper level study is intended to be diverse and includes many electives intended to provide significant opportunities for study within architecture as well as in the liberal arts and sciences.
Fifth Year
In the fifth year of study, students will develop an advanced thesis through research, analysis and design in one of four topical areas. In the fifth year of study, students will develop an advanced thesis through research, analysis and design in one of four curricular streams.
Undergraduate Professional Degree Program
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| History/Theory Sequence | ||
| ARCH 1110 | Intro to Architecture 1 | 3 |
| ARCH 1111 | Topics in Architecture History/Theory 2 | 1.5 |
| ARCH 1112 | Topics in Architecture History/Theory 2 | 1.5 |
| ARCH 2113 | Topics in Architecture History/Theory 2 | 1.5 |
| ARCH 2114 | Topics in Architecture History/Theory 2 | 1.5 |
| ARCH 3130 | Architectural Research Methods | 3 |
| Studio Sequence | ||
| ARCH 1011 | Architecture Studio | 6 |
| ARCH 1012 | Architecture Studio | 6 |
| ARCH 2021 | Architecture Studio | 6 |
| ARCH 2022 & ARCH 2892 | Architecture Studio and Service Learning 3 | 6 |
| ARCH 3031 | Architecture Studio | 6 |
| ARCH 3032 | Architecture Studio | 6 |
| ARCH 4041 | Advanced Studio Elective / Research | 6 |
| ARCH 4042 | Advanced Studio Elective / Research | 6 |
| ARCH 5051 | Advanced Studio Elective / Research | 6 |
| Digital Media Sequence | ||
| ARCH 2311 | Digital Media | 3 |
| ARCH 3312 | Advanced Digital Media | 3 |
| Math and Physics Requirement 4 | ||
| MATH 1150 | Long Calculus I | 3 |
| or MATH 1210 | Calculus I | |
| or MATH 1310 | Consolidated Calculus | |
| PHYS 1050 | Physics for Architects | 3 |
| or PHYS 1210 | Introductory Physics I | |
| or PHYS 1310 | General Physics I | |
| Technology Sequence | ||
| ARCH 2211 | Site Strategies | 3 |
| ARCH 2212 | Materials and Methods | 3 |
| ARCH 2213 & ARCH 2223 | Building, Climate, Comfort and Building, Climate, Comfort Lab | 4 |
| ARCH 3214 | Structural Systems | 4 |
| ARCH 3215 | Integrated Building Systems | 4 |
| Professional Concerns Sequence | ||
| ARCH 3511 | Professional Concerns I | 3 |
| ARCH 4512 | Professional Concerns II | 3 |
| Thesis Sequence | ||
| ARCH 5980 | Thesis Preparation | 3 |
| ARCH 5990 | Thesis Studio | 6 |
| Architecture Electives 5 | ||
| General Architecture Electives (3) | 9 | |
| History/Theory Architecture Elective (1) | 3 | |
| Non-Architecture Courses (credit counts are approximate and vary by student) 6 | ||
| Additional Newcomb-Tulane core courses | 34 | |
| General University Electives (as needed to reach total credit count) | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 157 | |
- 1
ARCH 1110 Intro to Architecture (3 c.h.) satisfies the Aesthetic and Creative Arts core requirement.
- 2
ARCH 1111 Topics in Architecture History/Theory (1.5 c.h.) must be taken concurrently with ARCH 1112 Topics in Architecture History/Theory (1.5 c.h.) and ARCH 2113 Topics in Architecture History/Theory (1.5 c.h.) must be taken concurrently with ARCH 2114 Topics in Architecture History/Theory (1.5 c.h.)
- 3
ARCH 2892 Service Learning (1 c.h.) satisfies the Tier I Service Learning core requirement.
- 4
These are Architecture specific requirements for fulfilling the Formal Reasoning, and Math and Natural Sciences Core Curriculum requirements.
- 5
A minimum of 12 architecture elective credit hours, 3 history/theory credits and 9 general architecture credits, are required. These are usually earned with five courses, but may require additional electives if any of the courses carry fewer than 3 credit-hours.
- 6
Usually, in addition to the courses used to fulfill the Newcomb-Tulane Core Curriculum requirements, at least two or three 3-credit-hour unrestricted university electives are needed to reach the NAAB required minimum of 45 hours of non-architecture work. However, the total number of university electives may vary for students with advanced placement credit, transfer credit, or when students chose to take courses with higher or lower credit counts.
Notes on School of Architecture Curriculum
- NAAB requires 45 hours be taken in courses without architectural content.
- The B.Arch degree requires a minimum of 157 credit hours. Given the composition of the Newcomb-Tulane and Architecture School requirements, the typical student transcript will consist of a total of 117 architecture credits, and 40 non-architecture credits.
- Students are strongly encouraged to reinforce and expand their skills and knowledge through professional internship experiences, recognized in the form of academic credits. Undergraduate students may earn up to a total of six credit hours for internship over the course of their degree.
Notes on Newcomb Tulane College Core Curriculum
- Questions regarding these requirements should be directed to your NTC Academic Advisor.
- University Core and elective courses, with the exception of TIDES and English Composition, may be completed at any time during the student’s curriculum.
- To satisfy the Tier 2 Writing Intensive NTC Core Requirement students must take at least one Tier 2 designated course prior to beginning the of fifth year of study.
- Architecture specific requirements within the core curriculum are described in the footnotes to the course requirements (listed above).