Academic Programs: Architectural Studies

Academics

Major in Architectural Studies
Minor in Architectural Studies
Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Architectural Studies

Major In Architectural Studies
The Department of Art and Art History's architectural studies major consists of a multi-disciplinary roster of twelve courses in architectural history and design, engineering and the humanities and social sciences. Seven are core courses whose subject matter is exclusively or predominantly related to the built environment. Five are electives with subject matters or methodologies highly relevant to study of the built environment. A course cannot fulfill both the core and elective requirement.

Core Requirements:

1. Art History (FAH) 1 Art, Ritual, and Culture
2. Art History (FAH) 8 Introduction to Architecture, 1400 to the present
3. Studio Art (FAM) 22 Design: Architectural
4. Engineering core class (* courses in Area D)
5. Humanities/Social Science core class (* courses in Area B)
6. Architectural History core class (* courses in Area A)
7. Art History (FAH) 98

Multidisciplinary Electives - 5 courses chosen from at least 3 of the following 4 disciplinary areas:

1. Architectural and Art History (Area A)
2. Studio Art (Area B)
3. Humanities/Social Sciences (Area C)
4. Engineering (Area D)

Recommended Sequence:

• Freshman-Sophomore years: FAH 8, FAH 1
• Freshman-Junior years: engineering core class; humanities/social science core class; studio art elective (FAM 20, 26)
• Sophomore-Senior years: FAM 22; Architectural History core class; multidisciplinary electives
• Senior year: FAH 98

Minor In Architectural Studies
The Department of Art and Art History offers an architectural studies minor for both liberal arts and engineering students. The minor provides grounding in the range of multidisciplinary approaches for studying architecture and can help prepare students considering graduate studies in the field. The minor consists of five courses reflective of the major's core requirements. 
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1. Art History (FAH) 1 Art, Ritual, and Culture
2. Art History (FAH) 8 Introduction to Architecture, 1400 to the present
3. Studio Art (FAM 22; or 20, 23, 26)
4. Engineering core class (* courses in Area D)
5. Architectural History core class (* courses in Area A)

Advisors:

• Liberal Arts Students contact Daniel Abramson, Associate Professor, Art and Art History, 617.627.2015
• Engineering students contact Masoud Sanayei, Professor and Department Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 617.627.4116

Note: Engineering students minoring in architectural studies replace the engineering requirement with another studio art or upper-level architectural history class or a core class (*) from the major's Area C.

B.S.E. Degree Program in Architectural Studies

A bachelor of science in engineering with a program in architectural studies is available for students interested in a professional career in architecture or in the historical, aesthetic, and engineering aspects of buildings and other structures. This program, offered jointly by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Art and Art History, provides a solid foundation in both the technical aspects of structural systems and the aesthetic and functional characteristics of buildings from an architectural and art history point of view. The flexibility of the BSE degree allows greater concentrations in both art history and studio courses than would otherwise be possible, while providing a coherent basis for graduate work in architecture or design. The faculty advisor for this program is Professor Masoud Sanayei.
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