School of Architecture College of Design
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School of Architecture programs

Programs

M.S. in Architecture - Research Practices


Last June, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) released data on a wide variety of topics across several decades related to internship, examination and licensure for architects. “NCARB by the Numbers” revealed that the mean time from graduation to completion of the Intern Development Program (IDP) is 6.4 years with an additional two years to complete the exam and achieve licensure. In real numbers that means the total amount of time from high school to licensure for architects in America is 14.5 years.

The Masters of Science in Architecture with a concentration in Research Practices (MS-RP)* addresses two goals: providing a structured path to licensure totaling seven years and integrating research with practice. The proposal takes advantage of many of NCARB’s recent changes to IDP and ARE® as well as leveraging the historically strong connection between practice and academy in our Minneapolis/St. Paul community.

Most critically, we believe that by offering this model, we nudge the profession towards true culture change, one that expects all our students can be licensed upon graduation, regardless of their final career choices. This change extends to architectural firms and the building industry, transforming the culture to one of sharing knowledge in the effort to collaboratively tackle the serious “wicked problems” affecting the built environment.

*program under development by UMN Faculty, expected entering class Fall 2013

Pending NCARB program review and approval expected in Fall 2013, students who successfully complete the MS-RP degree are eligible to receive 930 hours of IDP credit -- that is 17% of the 5,600 hours of mandatory internship for registration as an architect.


To receive the IDP credit, the MS-SD degree must be earned after receiving the M. Arch degree.