Director:
Associate Professor Daniel M. Abramson, Art and Art History
Advisory committee:
Professor Rachel Bratt, Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning
Associate Professor Andrew McClellan, Art and Art History
Professor Masoud Sanayei, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Robyn Gittleman, Director, Experimental College
Tufts offers several curricular paths for students interested in the study of
architecture and the built environment. The various curricular paths in architectural
studies provide opportunities to study architecture as a liberal arts or engineering major
or minor and, if desired, help prepare for future graduate study and careers in
architecture and other allied disciplines, such as landscape architecture, urban planning,
and historic preservation. All the curricular paths emphasize architecture's
interdisciplinary character and take full advantage of course offerings in both the
College of Liberal Arts and the School of Engineering.
In addition to the courses of study outlined below, students interested in pursuing graduate studies in architecture should take one or two semesters of calculus (Mathematics 11-12) and physics (Physics 11-12), and are encouraged to take Drama 10 for public speaking.
For more information, contact Professor Daniel Abramson (Art and Art History) or Professor Masoud Sanayei (Civil and Environmental Engineering).
College of Liberal Arts
Major in Architectural Studies
The Department of Art and Art History offers an interdisciplinary major in architectural
studies for students in the College of Liberal Arts who are interested in the study of
architecture's history, theory, and social practice. The major's core curriculum provides
a foundation in art and architectural history and theory, in engineering and design, and
in the humanistic and social science aspects of architecture. Architectural studies majors
then design their own elective program of upper-level study from designated courses in
architectural history, studio art, civil engineering, the humanities, and the social
sciences. Many opportunities exist for study abroad. In spring of the senior year, all majors complete an integrative project, either
as individual or honors study or through an internship.
The architectural studies major totals twelve courses (equaling 11.5 credits). The major consists of seven required core courses (including one half-credit engineering course) and five multidisciplinary electives.
Required Core Curriculum
Art History 1 Art, Ritual, and Culture
Art History 8 Introduction to Architecture, 1400 to the present
Art History 98 Architectural Studies Senior Project Seminar
Art History 198 Seminar in Architectural History and Theory or an
approved 100-level art history class in architectural history (Area A below)
Engineering 2 (or an EN-CEE course)
FAM 22 Architectural Design
Humanities/social sciences core course (Area C below)
Multidisciplinary Electives
Five courses chosen from at least three of the following four disciplinary areas,
with at least three courses at the intermediate or advanced levels:
A. Architectural and Art History
B. Studio Art
C. Humanities and Social Sciences
D. Civil Engineering
A. ARCHITECTURAL AND ART HISTORY
Art History 2 Art, Politics, and Culture
Art History 6 Royal Arts of Africa
Art History 15 Japanese Architecture
Art History 18 Archaeology of Palestine
Art History 19 Classical Archaeology
Art History 21 Early Islamic Art
Art History 23 Art and Politics of the Middle Ages
Art History 25/125A The Dome of Heaven
Art History 25/125B Medieval Architecture
Art History 34/134 Renaissance Venice
Art History 46/146 British Architecture
Art History 53 Origins of Modern Art
Art History 54 Twentieth-Century Art
Art History 56 History of Photography
Art History 105 Japanese Architecture
Art History 112 Aegean Archaeology
Art History 113 Greek Art and Archaeology
Art History 115 Roman Art and Archaeology
Art History 120 Armenian Art, Architecture, and Politics
Art History 126 Monasteries and the Arts
Art History 127 Cathedrals and the Arts
Art History 145 Renaissance Architecture
Art History 175 Boston: Architecture and Urbanism
Art History 176 Museum Architecture
Art History 192A Armenian Architecture and Sculpture
Art History 198 Seminar in Architectural History and Theory
B. STUDIO ART
FAM 15 Computer Art
FAM 20 Design: Foundation
FAM 21 Design: Intermediate to Advanced
FAM 22 Architectural Design
FAM 26 Beginning through Intermediate Drawing
FAMB 32 3-D Computer Animation
FAM 39 Graphic Design
FAM 63 Perspective Drawing
FAM 64 Photography: Foundation
FAM 77 Sculpture
FAM 93 Watercolor
Drama 19 Principles of Theatrical Design
Drama 21 3-D Computer-Assisted Design
Drama 29 Scene Painting
Drama 125 Scene Design
C. HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(Courses with asterisk count toward core requirement.)
Anthropology 30 Prehistoric Archaeology
Anthropology 162 Anthropological Approaches to Art and Aesthetics
Anthropology 183 Urban Borderlands
*Child Development 174 Designing Educational and Therapeutic Environments
Economics 30 Environmental Economics and Policy
Economics 124 State and Local Public Finance
*Economics 127 Urban Economics
English 92D Architecture and the Imagination
*History 164 The City in American History
History 290 Historical Interpretation of Material Culture
Philosophy 52 Aesthetics
*Political Science 54 Politics, Environment, and Development
Political Science 90PC Politics in the City
Political Science 104 Public Administration
Political Science 142 Interest Groups and Democratic Theory (sophomore
standing)
*Political Science 185 Politics of Sustainable Communities
Psychology 25 Physiological Psychology
Psychology 27 Perception
Psychology 28 Cognitive Psychology
Psychology 53 Engineering Psychology
*Sociology 113 Urban Sociology
*UEP 181 Homelessness in America (sophomore
standing)
UEP 201 Land Use Planning
*UEP 205 Urban and Environmental Planning and Design (junior
standing)
*UEP 213 Housing and Community Development (junior
standing)
*UEP 261 Strategies for Community Development
UEP 271 Community Economic Development
UEP 272 Real Estate Development and Finance
D. CIVIL ENGINEERING
Civil and Environmental Engineering 2 Civil Engineering Materials
Civil and Environmental Engineering 22 Structural Analysis
Civil and Environmental Engineering 24 Steel Design
Civil and Environmental Engineering 25 Reinforced Concrete Design
Civil and Environmental Engineering 42 Geotechnical Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering 53 Engineering Economy
Civil and Environmental Engineering 185 Legal Issues of Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering 188 Engineering Design with CAD
Engineering 1 Introduction to Computers in Engineering (half credit)
Engineering 2 Engineering Graphics (half credit)
Engineering 5-CEE Skyscrapers (half credit)
Engineering 23-CEE Infrastructure Engineering (half credit)
Engineering 24-CEE Earthquake Engineering (half credit)
Engineering 39-CEE Bridge Design (half-credit)
Engineering Psychology 61 Human Factors and Ergonomics
Engineering Psychology 161 Human Factors in Product Design
Engineering Science 5 Applied Mechanics (Statics)
Engineering Science 9 Applied Mechanics (Strength of Materials)
Engineering Science 25 Environment and Technology
Engineering Science 27 Environmental Health and Safety
Engineering Science 52 Engineering Management
Engineering Science 88 CAD for Engineers
School of Engineering
BSE 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 adviser for this program is Professor Masoud Sanayei.
Degree Requirements
A minimum of thirty-eight courses is required, to be distributed in the following
categories:
1) Eleven introductory courses as required for the professional degrees in engineering
(see School of Engineering Information);
2) Engineering science: Engineering Science 5, 9, 88, and an
engineering science elective;
3) Civil engineering: Civil and Environmental Environmental Engineering 2, 22,
42; plus three from Civil and Environmental Engineering 24, 25, 81, 123, 124,
125, 146, 149, and 188;
4) Architectural studies: Art History 1, 8, 98, 198; two
studio courses, including architectural design (FAM 22) and either FAM 20, 26, or 63;
one elective (selected from disciplinary areas A, B, C above);
5) Humanities and social sciences: five courses;
6) Free electives: five courses.
Undergraduate Minor Programs
Architectural Studies
The Department of Art and Art History offers a minor in architectural studies for
both liberal arts and engineering students consisting of five courses:
Art History 1 Art, Ritual, and Culture
Art History 8 Introduction to Architecture, 1400-2000
Engineering 2 (or an EN-CEE course)
Studio Art (FAM 20, 26, 63, or 22)
An approved 100-level art history class in architectural history (Area A above)
Note: Engineering students minoring in architectural studies replace the engineering requirement with an approved course from the major's disciplinary areas A, B, or C (see above).
Architectural Engineering
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers a minor in architectural
engineering for students in the College of Liberal Arts. The faculty adviser for
this minor is Professor Masoud Sanayei.
Of the five course credits that are required for this minor, three are designated:
Engineering Science 5 Applied Mechanics (Statics)
Engineering Science 9 Applied Mechanics (Strength of Materials)
Engineering Science 88 CAD for Engineers
Two additional course credits must be selected from the following:
Engineering 1 Introduction to Computers in Engineering (half credit)
Engineering 2 Engineering Graphics (half credit)
Engineering 5-CEE Skyscrapers (half credit)
Engineering 23-CEE Infrastructure Engineering (half credit)
Engineering 24-CEE Earthquake Engineering (half credit)
Engineering 39-CEE Bridge Design (half credit)
Civil and Environmental Engineering 2 Civil Engineering Materials and Measurements
Civil and Environmental Engineering 22 Structural Analysis
Civil and Environmental Engineering 24 Design of Steel Structures
Civil and Environmental Engineering 25 Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures
Civil and Environmental Engineering 42 Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering 188 Engineering Design with CAD
Prerequisites for the above course work are Mathematics 11 and Art History 8, in
addition to one studio course in architectural design (FAM 22).