If you have a passion for designing spaces and building environments, you should consider studying an architecture program. A career in architecture can be a rewarding one. Those who work in this field positively contribute to the way people function within their living and working spaces every day. If you’re an international student who plans to study architecture abroad, check out these programs in Canada and the United States.
Read last week’s blog to learn more about outstanding opportunities to study architecture in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Canada
Engineering Technology – First Year to Architectural Engineering Technology | College of the North Atlantic
3-Year College Diploma
Students enrolled in the College of the North Atlantic’s Engineering Technology – First Year to Architectural Engineering Technology program will complete their first year in Engineering Technology. In the final two years of their studies, students participate in their program’s Architectural Engineering Technology component. This portion of the program was developed in response to provincial needs related to the design and construction of buildings in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Graduates will:
- Thoroughly understand fundamental architectural principles in building design and detailing
- Complete sets of architectural drawings for residential and commercial construction/renovation projects
- Know the relationship between structural, electrical, mechanical, architectural, and environmental building systems
The projects offered in this program prepare graduates for the work they’ll encounter upon entering the workforce.
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture | University of Guelph
4-Year Bachelor’s Degree
The University of Guelph’s four-year Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree teaches students how to create and improve natural and built environments using technology, art, natural systems, and an understanding of human behaviour.
Students will learn how to design:
- Outdoor recreational areas
- Communities
- Play spaces
- Urban centres
- Neighbourhoods
This program’s design workshops and studio projects help students understand the professional techniques that ensure their future designs are successful.
Bonus: This program is accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Council (LAAC). It’s the only accredited program of its kind in Canada.
Architectural/Structural – Computer Aided and Drafting (Optional Co-op) | Kwantlen Polytechnic University
2-Year University Diploma
The Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) program offered at Kwantlen Polytechnic University is designed to enhance and develop a student’s practical skills. Students draft and design projects that are constructed in digital and physical models. Those enrolled in this program will become comfortable using AutoCAD and BIM software.
Specialization options include:
- Mechanical (typically offered to students who start in January)
- Architectural (typically offered to students who start in May)
- Structural (typically offered to students who start in September)
Graduates have gone on to work in engineering, manufacturing, architectural, or municipal offices.
Architectural Technologies | Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
2-Year College Diploma
Would you like to work as an architectural technologist for an architectural firm or as a residential builder? If so, consider studying Architectural Technologies at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. A key focus of this program is the merging of science with the practice of architectural engineering.
Students participate in projects that simplify and simulate work practices shaped around industry experience. Semesters focus on completing a major project.
Graduates of the Architectural Technologies program work for local authorities, government departments, and consulting engineers.
United States
Bachelor of Architecture | University of Tennessee Knoxville
5-Year Bachelor’s Degree
If you’d like to spend the core of your architecture undergrad in the studio, you should consider the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Bachelor of Architecture degree. This program allows students’ creativity to flourish in a studio setting, where they’re free to explore and generate design ideas.
A student’s first year will focus on design fundamentals. You can expect to move through abstract, experimental, and conceptual exercises to strip away preconceptions at this stage in the program.
University of Tennessee Knoxville graduates have gone on to work in top architecture firms across the US.
Bonus: A Bachelor of Architecture is an accredited professional degree that will prepare students to become licensed architects and jump into their careers upon graduating.
Architectural Studies | Florida A&M University
4-Year Bachelor’s Degree
Florida A&M University’s four-year Architectural Studies pre-professional program provides students with a wide-ranging education in the foundations of architecture. A student’s first and second years are dedicated to pre-architecture, and their third and fourth years are focused on architecture.
This program is a great stepping stone if you plan to further your studies in architecture. Graduates may be eligible for admission into other architecture programs offered at Florida A&M University, including the Master of Science in Facilities Management.
This program is also a solid option if you want to jump into your career right after graduation. Graduates of the Architectural Studies program have pursued work in real estate development, environmental law, and urban design.
Check out more architecture courses in Australia and the United Kingdom
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture | Iowa State University
5-Year Bachelor’s Degree
Do you want to actively shape the human environment by conceptualizing, mapping, and building ideas that transform landscapes? If so, check out Iowa State University’s five-year Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree. This program teaches students how to re-think and re-shape the landscape to enhance its:
- Ecological health
- Cultural significance
- Social relevance
- Aesthetic and functional dimensions
Through various foundational studio sessions, projects, and courses, students will graduate with an understanding of the social, ethical, and ecological issues involved with making changes in the landscape.
Interior Architecture and Design (Internship) | University of Kansas
4-Year Bachelor’s Degree
The University of Kansas’s four-year Interior Architecture and Design bachelor’s degree is unique among other architecture and interior design programs. It harnesses the strengths of the university’s visual communication, architecture, and industrial design programs.
Students will learn how to design a building’s interior to ensure that everything that influences the use and perception of the space is of a high quality. In this program, students will learn how to create:
- Signage and graphics
- Overall form
- Acoustics and lighting
Interior architects work on a variety of scales. After graduation, students may find themselves working on small residences, specialty boutiques, restaurants, hotels, museums, hospitals, and many other kinds of buildings.
Studying an architecture program gives you the power to shape and influence communities, positively impacting your life and the lives of those around you.
Discover your perfect architecture program in Canada or the United States on ApplyBoard!
