Master of Architecture

The Master of Architecture at Texas A&M University prepares students to become licensed architects. Through this program, you will develop a specialty within the built environment through the lens of practice.

Our program will challenge you to think creatively and critically as you address design problems on various scales. You will synthesize ecological, technological, social, behavioral, and aesthetic contexts and constraints into healthy, sustainable human and natural environments.

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About the Program

The Master of Architecture is an accredited degree that prepares students to practice architecture on a professional level.

The field of Architecture synthesizes ecological, technological, social, behavioral, and aesthetic contexts and constraints into healthy sustainable human and natural environments. The graduate program provides an opportunity to examine the past, equip for the present, and prepare for future challenges in Architecture. 

Our Master of Architecture program lets students explore a range of professional directions related to faculty expertise. Our faculty’s breadth and depth of knowledge allows students to engage with the discipline of architecture at an impactful level.

Faculty members encourage students to develop their own individual course of study, blending architectural design; history, theory, and criticism; design computation; and interior architecture. You will complete your education by creating a final study design project with a strong scholarly basis. Your final study project will exhibit a clear understanding of the integration of both the discipline and practice of architecture.

Areas of Emphasis

• Housing and Urban Development
• Health Systems and Design
• Heritage Conservation and Historic Preservation
• Sustainability and Circular Economy
• Digital Fabrication, Robotics, and Computation
• Leadership and Management in the Design & Construction Industry

Recent Graduate’s Final Study Projects

El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua are border cities that share many living condition qualities. Both cities are divided by a highly protected border that consists of physical and natural barriers such as the Rio Grande River and the current wall.

Karla Padilla ’22

View Karla’s Final Project

Reintroducing the public bath house to the American Society focuses on the important historical role of this typology in addressing public health and well being.

Uran Sokoli ’21

View Uran’s Final Project

The world of art and creative expressions is where my passion in life resides. Art of all different forms and mediums inspire wonder and admiration within me. However, there is one particular form of art that intrigues and fascinates me nearly to the point of obsession: the art of tattoo.

Brittany Flowers ’20

View Brittany’s Final Project

View All Past Students’ Final Study Projects

Careers

The Master of Architecture program provides graduates with the required educational background to enter the professional practice of architecture. Students who wish to become a licensed architect must gain professional experience and pass a licensing examination.

Other career directions include:

• Design and fabrication
• Development, real-estate and construction
• Community planning and city planning
• Government and social work
• Teaching, research and scholarly pursuits

Curriculum

The Master of Architecture degree program requires 55 credit hours, typically completed over the course of two years. A total of 25 credit hours of specialization courses, including 12 elective credit hours, allows you to structure a program of study related to your area of emphasis. During your second semester of study, you will develop a degree plan tailored to your career aspirations.

The Master of Architecture curriculum produces conceptual comprehension and technical competency in the design of buildings and environments by weaving together five constituent trajectories: 

• Design
• Representation
• History, theory and criticism 
• Technology
• Engagement

Integral within these woven trajectories is the:

• Focus on the principles and practice of design synthesis as the confluence of processes and workflows
• Systems of construction
• Relationships to environmental, social, historical, and geographical contexts
• In-depth understanding of topics ranging from aesthetics and symbolism to the complex relationships between human behavior and design

First Year – Fall Semester (15)

ARCH 605 – Architectural Design I (6)
ARCH 631 – Applied Architectural Structures (3)
ARCH 633 – Applied Architectural Systems (3)
ARCH 658 – Building Materials and Assemblies (3)

First Year – Spring Semester (15)

ARCH 606 – Architectural Design II (6)
ARCH 644 – Seminar in Art and Architectural History (3)
ARCH 645 – Seminar in Architectural Theory (3)
Elective (3)

First Year – Summer Semester (3)

(Optional/Approval Required-will count as an elective, AXP credit will not apply)

ARCH 684 (3) Professional Internship

Second Year – Fall Semester (15)

ARCH 607 – Architectural Design III (6)
ARCH 657 – Advanced Professional Practice and Ethics (3)
Elective (3)
Elective (3)

Second Year – Spring Semester (10)

ARCH 608 – Architectural Design IV (6)
ARCH 685 – Directed Studies (1) (Final Study Publication- Chair of Committee)
Elective (3)

Specialization

A total of 25 credit hours for the Master of Architecture program are dedicated to developing a specialization, including 12 elective credit hours.

During your second semester, you will, with advice from the faculty, select an advisory committee and develop a degree plan using one of the patterns of study as a guide.

Through our customizable curriculum, students can structure their program of study to include:

• Studying within an established departmental emphasis area
• International opportunities
• Pursuing a graduate certificate
• Exploring a unique topic with faculty support
• Taking complementary courses throughout the college in construction science, landscape architecture, land development, or urban and regional planning
• Taking courses from any other discipline at the university and relating to that knowledge through the lens of architecture and design
• Participating in research supported by college research centers
• Engaging in interdisciplinary experiences in engineering, business, management, and leadership

FAQ about the M.Arch program

Admissions

Admission to our Master of Architecture program is offered to students with a pre-professional bachelor’s degree in architecture.

Learn more about the M.Arch admissions requirements

FAQ about the admission process

Support from the Start

You’ll be assigned an academic advisor upon admission to the program. The advisor will help choose your first-year courses. With guidance from the program coordinator, you will be responsible for locating a faculty member to chair your advisory committee who has expertise in your chosen focus area. Once your committee is in place, they will guide and assist with graduate degree planning, research methods, and final project work.

Our Commitment to Our Students

We are committed to delivering a 21st-century, student-centered education to all of our students. We weave diversity, inclusivity and critical thinking throughout all of our courses. We view design, both as a process and a product, as the unifying force within our program.

Studio Culture Procedures

NAAB Statement on Accreditation

University Accreditation: Texas A&M University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Texas A&M University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website. See the 2023-2032 reaffirmation letter from SACSCOC here.

Program Accreditation: In the United States, 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 pre-professional undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

The Texas A&M University Department of Architecture offers the following NAAB-accredited degree program(s): 

• Master of Architecture (pre-professional degree + 55 graduate credits)

Next accreditation visit for all programs: 2031

General Disclosure

Notice to students pursuing programs that may lead to a professional license or certification required for employment.

The following programs may lead to a professional license or certification that is required for employment. Professional licensure/certification requirements vary from state to state, which may affect a student’s ability to apply for a professional license/certification upon the completion of the program. The U.S. Department of Education regulation, 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v), requires an institution to disclose whether the program will fulfill educational requirements for licensure or certification for each state. The administrative departments that offer the programs have made the following determination regarding their curriculum.

Please note that American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau (represented by the abbreviations AS, MH, FM, and PW) are not incorporated territories and do not have any licensing or certification educational requirements for the practice of Architecture. We recommend students contact the appropriate state licensing agency in their state or the state where they intend to work to seek the most up-to-date information about state licensure/certification requirements before beginning the program.

Pertinent information related to the importance of licensure in architecture can be found at https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/basics

Additional information for architectural licensure by state and territory can be found at https://www.ncarb.org/get-licensed/licensing-requirements-tool