ART MAJOR: ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES
The art major in Architectural Studies is certainly unique in its kind and is of high demand nowadays. The course gives basic knowledge about various buildings and spaces, built environment, and teaches understanding this environment from multiple perspectives. The Architectural Studies program provides students with an interdisciplinary introduction to the history, theory of architecture, symbolism, and various methods.
The students are mastered in architecture, sustainable design, interior design, urban planning, landscape architecture, architectural history, theory, criticism, historic preservation and so on. They acquire basic skills in understanding, analyzing, interpreting, engineering and designing the built environment. The major is especially suitable for students who want to specialize in architecture, architectural history or historical preservation, students considering graduate study leading to careers in design. Blending science with art is an exclusive way to create practical and aesthetically pleasant buildings and landscapes.
The Architectural Studies is intended for those students who have decided to pursue a professional graduate degree in architecture. Students successfully use this program to prepare for graduate study in architecture and related areas. Various institutions give opportunities for dual majors or major/minor combinations. Students who have chosen Architectural Studies are always encouraged and enabled to take courses in related areas such as archaeology, classics, philosophy, history, religion, and literature.
The theory and history courses of this discipline provide full understanding of architecture, its history and culture, while the studio courses provide students with experience in design. The Architectural Studies program enables students to think historically, creatively, critically and broadly about the built environment, understand and feel this environment, think of the ways of creating something new and unique, changing, giving a new life to the built environment, go back in time and experience the architectural history.
Requirements
The Architecture major usually requires the following main courses: Math/Physics, History/Theory, Design/Graphics, Basic Studio/Drawing, Drawing Composition, Two Dimensional Design, Three Dimensional Design.
In Architectural Studies it’s crucial to pay attention not only to the techniques of architecture, but also the ideas behind them. The courses in this major are designed to make professionals who are fully experienced in the history, theory, philosophy, design and science of the built environment.
There are such interesting courses and disciplines as Introduction to Architectural History, Romanesque & Gothic Art, Early Modern Architecture, Contemporary Architecture, Woodworking, Sculpture, Memorials, Housing and much more. Many institutions offer internship opportunities to students giving them a chance to truly specialize in this field, to start a professional collaboration with leading companies, industry associations, some of them even offer taking numerous courses abroad.
Career Opportunities for Professionals in Architectural Studies
It’s not a secret that Architectural jobs require extensive education, as well as a good portfolio. Architectural studies degrees can lead to a successful career as an architect, a landscape architect, an urban planner, a regional planner, an architectural drafter, a restoration architect, a research architect, an industrial designer, etc. Architects and industrial designers generally make designs for buildings and structures, while landscape architects mainly focus on designing outdoor areas, urban and regional planners determine the place of industrial areas, buildings, roads, landscapes and so on.
