Rochester Institute of Technology
Department of Architecture, Golisano Institute for Sustainability
Our accredited architecture program offers an immersive program focused on investigating the complexity of designing buildings with people, space, and the environment in mind. Whether you have a background in the building design sector or are new to the field, the program will prepare you for a path to positively contribute to the design of tomorrow’s buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. As a student here, you’ll learn how to design with context and substance in areas such as positive energy, performance building, climate-responsive designs, passive resiliency, and more.
https://www.rit.edu/study/architecture-march
Setting
RIT's master of architecture program is available in a traditional on-campus setting or through a fully online format. The program also provides advanced standing or standard admission tracks for both the on-campus and online settings.
Campus: Designed as a full-time in-person program, courses are offered on campus in the fall and spring semesters, primarily during the day, and often include open days to allow time for students to gain work experience with an architectural firm part-time while they complete their degree.
Online: Designed as a flexible and remote program, courses are offered through 100% online instruction during the fall, spring, and summer semesters using both synchronous and asynchronous instruction. This flexible format allows time for students to gain work experience with an architectural firm while they complete their degree from any location.
School Philosophy
In RIT's M.Arch. degree, you will engage in a comprehensive curriculum that covers a range of courses in areas as diverse as:
Sustainability: With a global need for a more sustainable world, including buildings and their impact on energy consumption and carbon footprints, the focus of many courses reflect the conditions of sustainable design and practice.
Technology: Design exploration is enhanced through the understanding of the implication of technology on both design process and product. The program enables students to focus and collaborate in many specialized areas of technology, including engineering, computer science, imaging science, materials and construction, and products and remanufacturing.
Urbanism: The complexity of the urban environment requires an interdisciplinary approach to architecture education—one that references economics, public policy, sociology, and regional culture. With this in mind, the program also focuses on the practices and principles of preservation and adaptive reuse.
Integrated Learning/Practice: From the outset, students often approach design problems within teams, learning to value and leverage collective and collaborative participation. Through integrated learning and evidenced-based models, we prepare students for the increasingly integrated practice of architecture, where architects are orchestrating teams of professionals from a variety of fields, including engineering, management, science, and computer science.
Programs
Our program is a 90-credit degree (3-yr) degree program, with advanced standing students completing as few as 60-credit hours over 2 years. Beyond the architectural fundamentals, the program curriculum is unique in how it ties studio courses with with integrative building systems courses, while also engaging sustainability and a culminating design research project. Students are also required to complete a co-op and a global experience as part of their degree requirements.
of Focus
1. Materials and Construction
2. Building Technologies
3. Community Design
4. Cross-Cultural Contexts | Human Experiences
5. Industry Collaborations
6. Urbanism
7. Interior Design
8. Sustainability & High-Performance Built Environments
Opportunities
Co-Op / Work Placement
Cross-disciplinary experience
Teaching / Research assistantships
Online Courses
Summer Program
Study Abroad
Facilities
24 Hour Workshop
Large-format Printer
Laser Cutter
Woodshop
3D Printing
Metalshop
CNC Milling
Fabrication Lab
Policies
Transfer Policies
Students may receive waivers for up to 30 credit hours relative to the 90 credit hour M.Arch degree requirements.
