Admission and Registration

Admission

Admission and readmission of undergraduate students to the University is the responsibility of the director of admissions. Information about admission to the University is given in General Information.

Students who are not admitted to the School of Architecture may not pursue any degree offered by the school. Information about admission is published by the school at http://soa.utexas.edu/.

The School of Architecture is one of the smallest academic units at The University of Texas at Austin. Our undergraduate student body exemplifies the diverse constitution of the communities we strive to serve. In support of unique perspectives and experiences, all applications are reviewed with an understanding that excellence may manifest itself in many areas and may be expressed in different forms, such as compelling essays, strong academic preparation, extracurricular activities, excellent test scores, life experiences, as well as other accomplishments.

Freshman Admission

The School of Architecture is unable to accommodate all qualified applicants, and preference is given to candidates considered to have best demonstrated the interest, aptitude, and dedication to pursuing a design education. All applicants are evaluated with emphasis on the following areas: SAT or ACT scores, class rank, essays, academic preparation, extracurricular activities, and other achievements. Texas-resident high school students have priority over nonresidents in admission decisions. All applicants must fulfill the high school unit requirements given in General Information.

To be considered for admission to the School of Architecture, applicants should select the appropriate degree program on the ApplyTexas application: architecture, interior design, the architecture/architectural engineering dual degree program, the architecture/Plan II dual degree program, architectural studies, or architectural studies with an emphasis on architectural history. All application materials must be submitted to the Office of Admissions by the deadline to apply for admission to the University for the fall semester; this date is given in General Information. Applicants to the dual degree program offered with the Plan II Honors Program must submit an additional application; more information about Plan II is provided within the Liberal Arts section of the Undergraduate Catalog.

Transfer

Internal Transfer

Students currently or formerly enrolled in other University degree programs who wish to enroll in a degree program in the School of Architecture must complete an online Internal Transfer Application by the spring semester deadline to be considered for admission for the following fall semester. To be eligible to apply for internal transfer, students must have completed a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit in residence (excluding credit-by-exam) by the end of a spring semester, with a University grade point average of at least 3.25. Emphasis is given to strong performance in University courses, especially courses relevant to the degree program to which the applicant is applying. Meeting these requirements is no guarantee for admission.

External Transfer

Transfer applicants from architecture and interior design programs in other universities will be evaluated with emphasis given to excellence in design (portfolio required), academic preparation, essays, and other achievements. Course credit and placement in studio sequence is determined upon acceptance. External transfer admission is offered to a few qualified applicants each year.

Students applying to transfer from another university to the School of Architecture should select the appropriate degree program on the ApplyTexas application. All application materials must be submitted to the Office of Admissions by the deadline to apply for admission to the University for the fall semester; this date is given in General Information. To be considered for transfer admission to the School of Architecture, the applicant must have completed at least 30 semester hours of transferable college coursework with a grade point average of at least 3.25, and must submit a portfolio which includes architecture or interior design studio work from another university; information about the portfolio is given on the University's transfer admission website. All admission decisions are made before the end of the spring semester; the Office of Admissions cannot consider spring coursework in progress.

Transfer Credit

External transfer students with credit from another school must submit samples of their design work and, if applicable, visual communication work, transcripts, course descriptions and/or syllabi for courses in their majors. On the basis of the information submitted, the undergraduate dean’s office determines the level at which students enter the design sequence and assigns credit toward the degree if appropriate.

Registration 

General Information gives information about registration, adding and dropping courses, transfer from one division of the University to another, and auditing a course. The online Course Schedule, published before registration each semester and summer session, includes registration instructions, advising locations, and the times, places, and instructors of classes. The Course Schedule and General Information are published on the registrar’s website.

Students should carefully verify that they have completed all course prerequisites, should consult the undergraduate dean’s office, and should be sure to include in each semester’s work the courses that are prerequisites for those to be taken in later semesters.

Minimum Number of Hours in the Long Session

Students must register each semester for at least 12 semester hours of coursework prescribed for the degree. Registration for fewer hours must be approved by the undergraduate dean’s office.

Third-Year Portfolio Review Requirement

Architecture:

At the end of the fall semester of the third year, all students pursuing architecture degrees are required to submit a portfolio that summarizes the work completed in all previous design and visual communication courses. Guidelines for submission of the portfolio, including deadline, are available from the undergraduate dean’s office.

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture must submit an updated portfolio at the end of the spring semester of the third year.

The successful completion of the four Intermediate Studios (Architecture 320D, 520E, 520F, and 520G) and a satisfactory Portfolio Review at the end of the spring semester of the third year or a subsequent semester are required for entry into Architecture 561R, Advanced Design or ARC 561C Comprehensive Studio. The portfolio provides critical information to the reviewing committee in evaluating the student’s progress toward the degree. The reviewing committee, at its discretion, may require the student to retake Architecture 520F, Intermediate Studio III and participate in an additional Portfolio Review at the end of the fall semester of the fourth year prior to registering for advanced studios.

Interior Design:

On the first day of class in the second semester of the third year, students entering Architectural Interior Design 530T, Design VI--Interiors are required to submit a portfolio that summarizes the work completed in all the previous design and visual communication courses. Guidelines for submission of the portfolio, including deadline, are available from the undergraduate dean’s office.

A successful completion of the Architectural Interior Design 530T, Design VI--Interiors studio and a satisfactory Third-Year Portfolio Review are required for entry into Architectural Interior Design 560R, Advanced Interior Design. The portfolio provides critical information to the reviewing committee in evaluating the student’s progress toward the degree. The reviewing committee, at its discretion, may require the student to complete additional work, including courses prior to or after registering for advanced studios.