What should I study to become an architect?

To work as an architect you must be licensed with a college degree. A common path is to earn a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture degree program.

Although many students desire architecture degrees, undergraduate admissions into architecture programs can be extremely competitive due to the popularity of the career. Moreover, an extra year of college education filled with additional architecture classes is required to graduate from an architecture undergraduate degree program.

To find employment at a large construction company sometimes requires a master's degree in architecture.

The five-year accredited Bachelor of Architecture and the Master of Architecture are the only two degrees recognized by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the organization that is responsible for granting licensure.

In some cases, you can substitute extensive work experience for the Master of Architecture degree when you're going through the licensure process, but that can require six to ten years of working at a firm or registered organization.

During the bachelor's degree program, an architecture student can expect to take courses in a variety of concentrations, including:

• Architectural Design History and Theory

• Building design with a focus on CADD, structures, construction methods professional practices

• Mathematics

• Physical Sciences

• Liberal Arts

• Graphic Design (various)

The master's degree architecture program will expose students to more in-depth knowledge of architecture and architecture courses, including:

• Architectural History

• Architectural Engineering

• Design Studio experience

• Design Theory

• And More