School of Architecture

For information regarding the GRADUATE PROGRAM, click here.  

CURRICULUM:

• Architecture

The School of Architecture, a member of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, offers professional degree programs at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels. Preparation for the profession of architecture requires both formal education and practical experience followed by a professional examination and registration.

In the United States, most state 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 U. S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted an 8-year, 3-year, or 2-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 Louisiana State University School of Architecture offers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs:

• B. Arch. (162 undergraduate credits)
• M. Arch. (non-preprofessional degree + 78 credits)

Next accreditation visit for all programs: 2021

Undergraduate Admission Requirements

Admission to the beginning design course in the NAAB accredited Bachelor of Architecture program (ARCH 1001 ) is selective and is based on high school academic GPA and ACT or SAT scores. Individuals who believe there are additional factors that should be considered in evaluating their applications are encouraged to contact the School of Architecture in writing and/or schedule an on-campus interview. High school students are strongly encouraged to apply prior to February 15 for admission into the following fall semester.

Students who have been approved for admission will be notified in writing. Students not admitted to the beginning design course will not be allowed to register for architecture courses other than those listed as general education courses.

Transfer students will be considered for admission to the architecture program and the beginning design course on a space-available basis. Admission is competitive. Transfer students are expected to have earned a minimum 2.75 GPA (on a 4-point scale, based on 30 hours or more). The review of transfer students will include a select number of students already enrolled at LSU who have applied to transfer into the architecture program. Transfer students are strongly encouraged to apply prior to February 15 for admission into the following fall semester.

Transfer credit for architecture courses as substitutions for required courses in the school’s curriculum will be considered only if these courses have been taken as part of an architecture program accredited by the NAAB. Transfer students desiring credit for design studio courses will also be required to submit a portfolio for faculty evaluation.

Admission Requirements to the Second Year

Following the successful completion of the first year in the program, there will be a review of the student’s academic performance, including a portfolio review, prior to admission to the second year of study. The School of Architecture reserves the right to deny admission to any student to the second year of study based on this review.

Graduate Program

Information on the Master of Architecture program, including admissions requirements, is available by contacting the school directly.

Personal Computer Requirement

Students are required to have their own personal computer upon entering the first year studio course. Contact the School of Architecture for information regarding type, specifications, and software.

“C” Grades and Repetition of Courses

Majors must pass all required courses, all approved electives, ENGL 2000  and MATH 1022  with a grade of “C-” or better. A student who earns less than a “C-” in one of these courses must repeat the course in the next regular semester in which the student is enrolled and the course is offered. 

In the architecture curriculum, normal course progress is imperative. A student failing to complete any required course more than one year later than the time designated in the curriculum is prohibited from advancement in the design studio sequence until the deficiency is corrected. All required courses listed through the senior year must be completed before a student is allowed to enroll in the designated fifth-year courses. Courses listed in the curriculum are to be scheduled in the sequence in which they are listed.

Programs

• Architecture, B.Arch.

• Architectural History Minor
• Community Design Minor
• Heritage Conservation Minor