Department website: http://soa.utexas.edu/

School of Architecture

Heather Woofter, MArch, Dean
Kory Bieg, MArch, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Allan W. Shearer, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and Technology
Charlton N. Lewis, M Arch, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
 

Mission

The School of Architecture has a long and historic legacy in providing next-generation leadership for design and planning education. Always aware of our role as stewards for the built environment, we meld principle and practice to foster innovation while remaining always grounded in serving our communities. Our disciplines plan a key role in addressing complex location, regional, national, and global issues while advancing a better quality of life for all of society’s members. A diverse learning environment that welcomes a variety of perspectives and backgrounds is crucial to addressing these collective concerns.

The curriculum offers opportunities for a broad education in professional subjects and in the arts and the humanities. Through avenues that stress solving actual and theoretical problems, the school seeks to enhance the knowledge and skill necessary to link understanding to experience, theory to practice, and art to science in ways that respond to human needs, aspirations, and sensibilities. Through its consortium of architects, interior designers, planners, and educators and scholars in these fields, the school provides a service to society and to the architecture, interior design, and planning professions by advancing the state of the art in design and technology.

History

The University began offering professional degrees in architecture in 1910 within the Department of Engineering. The School of Architecture was established in 1948 as a division of the College of Engineering and became an autonomous school of the University in September 1951. Graduate study in architecture began at the University in 1912. More than five thousand undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture and planning have been conferred.

Education in community and regional planning was first offered as an undergraduate study option in the School of Architecture from 1948 to 1957. The Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning was formally approved in October 1959; the Doctor of Philosophy, in April 1995.

Education in interior design was first offered in 1939 within the degree of Bachelor of Science in Home Economics. In 1992 the College of Natural Sciences created the Bachelor of Science in Interior Design degree program; in the fall of 1998 this program was transferred to the School of Architecture. The first interior design degrees were conferred by the school in May 2001.

Financial Assistance Available through the School

Scholarship funds established by individuals, firms, foundations, and the University are available to current undergraduates in the School of Architecture. These include:

Scholarships
Yvette Atkinson Memorial Scholarship in Architecture
Marvin E. and Anne Price Beck Endowed Scholarship
Carl O. Bergquist Endowed Scholarship
Myron Geer Blalock Endowed Presidential Scholarship
Hal Box Endowed Scholarship in Architecture
Children of John and Christine Boylan Endowed Scholarship in Architecture
George W. Brackenridge Scholarship Fund
C. William Brubaker/Perkins+Will Endowed Presidential Scholarship
John Buck Company and First Chicago Investment Advisors for Fund F Endowed Scholarship in Architecture
Matt Casey Memorial Scholarship in Architecture
John S. Chase Endowed Presidential Scholarship
Dick Clark Student Travel Fund
Fred W. and Laura Weir Clarke Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Architecture honoring Carl Bergquist
Fred W. and Laura Weir Clarke Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Architecture honoring Alan Y. Taniguchi
Cogburn Family Foundation Architecture and Urbanism Prize
Peter O. Coltman Book Prize in Architecture and Planning
Fred Winfield Day, Jr. Endowed Scholarship in Architecture
Jorge Luis Divino Centennial Scholarship in Architecture
Amy Dryden Endowed Scholarship
Snøhetta Endowed Scholarship in Architecture established by Craig Dykers and Elaine Molinar
William H. Emis III Traveling Scholarship in Architecture
Ford, Powell and Carson Endowed Scholarship
Ted Freedman Endowed Scholarship
Suzie Friedkin Endowed Scholarship in Interior Design
Adam Conrad Grote Memorial Scholarship in Architecture
The HDR Architecture Endowed Scholarship
Humphreys & Partners Endowed Scholarship in Architecture
The Janet C. and Wolf E. Jessen Endowed Presidential Scholarship
Henrietta Chamberlain King Endowed Scholarship
Lake/Flato Endowed Scholarship
LPA Endowed Scholarship for Sustainable Design
Lynne Brundrett Maddox Scholarship in Interior Design
Harvey V. Marmon, Jr. FAIA/Marmon Mok Scholarship in Architecture
Mike and Maxine Mebane Endowed Traveling Scholarship in Architecture
Jack H. Morgan Endowed Scholarship
Charles M. Nettles Endowed Presidential Scholarship
Oglesby Prize Endowment
Overland Partners Endowed Presidential Scholarship
Barbara and Donald Pender Endowed Scholarship
Edward J. Perrault Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Interior Design
Alma Piner Scholarship in Architecture
Boone Powell Family Prize in Urban Design
Debbie Ann Rock Scholarship in Interior Design
School of Architecture Faculty Fund for Student Domestic Travel
School of Architecture Scholarship and Fellowship Award Endowment
Brandon Shaw Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Overton Shelmire Scholarship in Architecture
Louis F. Southerland Endowed Scholarship
Lance Tatum Endowed Scholarship
Jack Rice Turner Endowed Scholarship in Architecture
University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture’s Advisory Council Women’s Endowed Scholarship
Wilmont “Vic” Vickrey Endowed Scholarship
Lily Rush Walker and Coulter Hoppess Scholarship in Architecture
Robert Leon White Memorial Fund—Architecture
Roxanne Williamson Endowed Scholarship
Trisha Wilson Endowed Professorship Fund

Students are encouraged to contact Texas One Stop for scholarship information.

Additionally, there are scholarships provided by the American Architectural Foundation, the American Institute of Architects, the Texas Architectural Foundation, the Texas Society of Architects, and the Texas American Planning Association. Incoming students may wish to contact local chapters of the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Interior Designers, the International Interior Design Association, the University’s Texas Exes, and other civic organizations about scholarship opportunities.

Student Services

Academic Advising

In the School of Architecture, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs office, located in Goldsmith Hall 2.116, and the Undergraduate Office, located in Sutton Hall 2.126, are responsible for providing information and advice to undergraduate students. An important aspect of the advising system is the portfolio requirement described in the Portfolio Review Requirement section on the Architecture and Interior Design program pages. Students should also consult Degree Audit in the Graduation section.

Career Services

The Career Services office, located in Sutton Hall 3.128, serves the students and alumni of the School of Architecture by offering career development and job search resources, connecting them to employers and key professionals.

Student Organizations

The Undergraduate Architecture Student Council (UASC) represents all School of Architecture undergraduate students through the promotion and development of an awareness of the built environment and serves as a nucleus for student activities. The UASC serves as the official student voice and governing body for undergraduate students in the School of Architecture and acts as a liaison between students and faculty members as well as administrators.

Alpha Rho Chi (APX) is a professional and social co-ed fraternity for architecture and the allied arts that promotes the artistic, scientific, and practical proficiency of its members and the profession.

American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is a professional organization whose mission is to promote excellence, appreciation, and advancement of architecture, and to enrich communities in a spirit of collaboration. 

Ampersand (&) combines the student chapters of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and, provides students with networking opportunities, and promotes involvement within the interior design community.

The National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) is The University of Texas at Austin Student Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects. The organization strives to enhance education and professional networking as well as engage solutions to ensure a healthy living and working environment for the community at large.

The Society of Engineering and Architecture Students (SEAS) focuses on providing academic and social support to students in the Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering dual degree program.

Tau Sigma Delta is an honors society for advanced students pursuing architectural study and the allied arts. This organization recognizes the significant level of academic achievement present in The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture.

Study Abroad and Internship Opportunities

The School of Architecture encourages first-hand experiences of diverse places and cultures, nationally and internationally, so that we might better engage the world in which we live. Educational travel experiences can be integrated into degree plans in several ways, including, but not limited to, the following:

Studio Mexico offers students the opportunity to explore the rich cultural and built environment of Mexico. During a nine-day trip to Mexico, students visit a project site and other significant places, and enjoy rich interaction with Mexican students working on the same project. Students participating in the studio are encouraged to take the Mexican architecture class either concurrently with the studio or in the previous year.

The Professional Residency Program (PRP) provides upper-level architecture students with a unique opportunity to expand their education through work experience in the architectural profession. Participating PRP firms are located across the United States and around the world, allowing students to immerse themselves within the firm and in a new place. Over the past 25 years, students have been linked with over 300 firms in 30 countries. 

Requirements and Policy

Extension Courses

A student in residence may be allowed to take coursework by extension. Credit that the student in residence earned by extension will not be counted toward the degree unless it is approved in advance by the undergraduate dean’s office. No more than 30 percent of the semester hours required for any degree may be taken by extension.

Courses Taken on the Pass/Fail Basis

An undergraduate may count toward the degree up to 15 hours of coursework in electives completed on the pass/fail basis; credit earned by examination is not counted toward the 15 hours. If a student chooses to major in a subject in which he or she has taken a course pass/fail, the major department decides whether the course may be counted toward the student’s major requirements. Complete rules on registration on the pass/fail basis are given in the General Information Catalog.

Physical Activity Courses

Physical activity (PED) courses and KIN 106C are offered by the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. They may not be counted toward the number of hours required for a degree in the School of Architecture. However, they are counted among courses for which the student is enrolled, and the grades are included in the grade point average.

ROTC Courses

No more than six semester hours of air force science, military science, or naval science coursework may be counted toward any degree in the School of Architecture. These courses may be used only as lower-division electives (in degree programs that have such electives) and only by students who complete the third and fourth years of the ROTC program.

Admission Deficiencies

Students admitted to the University with deficiencies in high school units must remove them as specified in the General Information Catalog. Course credit used to remove deficiencies may not be counted toward the student’s degree.

Equipment and Supplies 

Students are responsible for their own tools and supplies, which include, but are not limited to, laptop computer and software, hand drawing and modeling equipment, and materials. More information on the Student Computer Policy is available at http://soa.utexas.edu/.

Accreditation

The School of Architecture is a member of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

In the United States, most 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, an eight-year term with conditions, or a three-year term of initial accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established institutional standards.

Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may require a non-accredited undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the non-accredited degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture offers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs:

• B. Arch. (161 undergraduate credits)
• M. Arch (preprofessional degree + 60 credits)
• M. Arch. (non-preprofessional degree + 96 credits)

Most recent accreditation visit for all programs: 2018. Next accreditation visit for all programs: 2026.

The Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture satisfy the registration requirements of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners.

The Bachelor of Science in Interior Design satisfies the interior design registration requirements of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, and is also accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

The Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning is accredited by the American Planning Association.

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 the General Information Catalog.

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/.

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 the General Information Catalog.

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 Catalog. Applicants to the dual degree program offered with the Plan II Honors Program must submit an additional application; more information about Plan II can be found on the Plan II Honors program page.

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 Common App 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 the General Information Catalog. 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 Program Director for Architecture or Interior Design determines the level at which students enter the design sequence and assigns credit toward the degree if appropriate.

Registration 

The General Information Catalog 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, includes registration instructions, advising locations, and the times, rooms, and instructors. The Course Schedule and General Information Catalog are published on the registrar’s website.

Students should carefully verify that they have completed all course prerequisites, consult the academic advisors in the Undergraduate Office, and take courses each semester in the suggested sequence to fulfill prerequisites in following semesters.

Minimum Number of Hours in the Fall and Spring Semesters

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 Office.

Honors

University Honors

The designation University Honors, awarded at the end of each fall/spring semester, gives official recognition and commendation to students whose grades for the semester indicate distinguished academic accomplishment. Both the quality and the quantity of work done are considered. Criteria for University Honors are given in the General Information Catalog.

Graduation with University Honors

Students who, upon graduation, have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement are eligible to graduate with University Honors. Criteria for graduation with University Honors are given in the General Information Catalog.

School of Architecture Recognition Awards

Award: Alpha Rho Chi Medal
Donor: Alpha Rho Chi, professional architectural fraternity
Eligibility: Graduating student who has shown an ability for leadership, has performed willing service to the school, and gives promise of professional merit through attitude and personality.
    
Award: AIA Medal for Academic Excellence
Donor: American Institute of Architects
Eligibility: Graduating student, in recognition of scholastic achievement, character, and promise of professional ability.
    
Award: Boone Powell Family Prize in Urban Design
Donor: Boone Powell, Leilah Powell, and the Catherine H. Powell Family Trust
Eligibility: Non-graduating undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a degree in architecture or planning from The University of Texas at Austin; based on merit in urban design.
    
Award: The Oglesby Prize
Donor: Oglesby Family
Eligibility: Students graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with either a Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture; based on merit in architectural design.

Facilities

The School of Architecture is housed in four adjacent buildings at the heart of the campus: Battle Hall (1911) and Sutton Hall (1918, renovated in 1982), designed by the American architect Cass Gilbert; Goldsmith Hall (1933, expanded and renovated in 1988), designed by the French architect Paul Philippe Cret; and the West Mall Office Building (1961) by the Texas firm Jessen, Jessen, Millhouse, and Greeven.

The John S. Chase Architecture and Planning Library, a branch of The University of Texas Libraries, supports the School of Architecture by directly enhancing the value, relevance, and effectiveness of its teaching, research, and public service goals. The library, located in historic Battle Hall, also serves the public with ongoing exhibitions displayed in the grand reading room.

All students, faculty, and staff have convenient access to literature, information, and visual and digital resources that support education and research. While the library is located in close proximity to the school, its catalog, instructional guides, and digital content are web-based, allowing virtual discovery and access online. Staff provide expert information services that teach and develop research, as well as evaluative and critical thinking skills necessary for professional practice and lifelong learning. The John S. Chase Architecture and Planning Library is home to a large circulating collection, subject-specific journals, special collections of rare or unique publications, and the Alexander Architectural Archives, one of the largest such repositories in the country. Materials currently collected by the library and archive meet the curricular needs of the school’s programs and enable faculty and students to undertake original research projects.

The Center for Sustainable Development, located in West Mall Building, supports sponsored research undertaken by the School of Architecture. The center is unique in its integration of diverse interests to develop creative, balanced, and achievable solutions to the physical and social challenges facing the planning, construction, and preservation of buildings, neighborhoods, landscapes, and regions. Its offices include space for Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) to work on projects.

The Center for American Architecture and Design, located in Battle Hall, provides a platform for collaborative, critical, and thought-provoking scholarship that engages the disciplines within, and beyond, the School of Architecture—for a better built environment. To this end, the center produces symposia, exhibitions, publications, and forums; and provides resources to help faculty and students articulate and disseminate their research and expand their impact.

The Technology Lab, located in Sutton Hall, houses several critical production and research facilities for the school. These include the Technology Service Desk, the Digital Fabrication lab and the Robotics Lab. In addition, the Technology Lab offers students self-service access to tabloid scanners, large format scanners, a lighting studio, and tools for digital fabrication, including laser cutters, a CNC knife, and 3D printers. The computer classrooms in the West Mall Building provide 56 dedicated workstations that serve as open computer lab space when not in use for classroom instruction.

The Build Lab, located in Goldsmith Hall, plays an integral role in the creation of design—ranging from models to full-scale applications. The Build Lab includes areas for casting concrete and plaster, a metal working shop, an extensive wood shop, a 25-station classroom work area, and a finish room. In addition to the equipment, Build Lab staff provide training and host workshops.

The Materials Lab, located in West Mall Building, is dedicated to material investigation in design and maintains a circulating library of more than 29,000 material samples. The collection consists of traditional building construction materials as well as emerging, innovative, and sustainable materials and technologies. Material education is further supported through exhibitions, workshops, field trips, and in-house research.

The Architectural Conservation Lab, located in West Mall Building, is home to the Materials Conservation course series. Additionally, the space allows the Historic Preservation Program to establish affiliations with related facilities on the University campus, including the School of Information Book and Paper Conservation Labs and the Conservation Department at the Harry Ransom Center. 

A variety of other facilities support students in their coursework and professional development. The school’s Career Services Office, located in Sutton Hall, assists students with finding internships, identifying employment prospects, and preparing for interviews and negotiations with potential employers. The Professional Residency Program (PRP) offers upper-level architecture students a unique opportunity to expand their education through work experience in the architectural profession. PRP has provided internship opportunities to honors students in the School since 1974 and, over the past 25 years, our students have been linked with 300 firms in 30 countries.

The study of architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design draws upon the collections of the nearby Harry Ransom Center, which include china, clothing, decorative arts, furniture, silver, and textiles that contribute to the study of the interior; as well as original maps, texts, and drawings that supplement the teaching of landscape history. Other collections on campus include the 15,000 pieces of art, furniture, and accessories in the Elton and Martha Hyder collection and the collection of approximately forty chairs dating from the seventeenth through twentieth centuries that are housed in the Blanton Museum of Art.

The resources of the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies and the Benson Latin American Collection, and the proximity of Austin to Latin America, provide exceptional opportunities for the study of Latin American architecture and planning. School of Architecture faculty and students also collaborate with the Environmental Science Institute, the School of Social Work, the Center for Transportation Research, the Population Research Center, the Center for Research in Water Resources, the Bureau of Economic Geology, the Energy Institute, and other allied institutes.