Degree Programs

Professional and Graduate Studies

Master of Architecture I

First Professional Degree

Peggy Deamer, Director of Graduate Studies

The M.Arch. I curriculum is planned and structured to provide not only a disciplined approach to the mastery of the fundamentals of architecture, but also adequate flexibility and latitude to permit a progressively increasing degree of student options and initiatives as career goals take shape.

A three-year, full-time residency requirement applies. The School retains the Bachelor of Architecture degree solely to accommodate those few students who, in exceptional circumstances, may be admitted without the requisite underlying B.A. or B.S. degree. The School's Master of Architecture program is fully accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.

Entering students, with a sound liberal arts background assumed, are required to follow a curriculum in which their creative powers are stimulated through a sequence of problem-solving exercises involving basic and architectural design, building technology, and an introduction to design methodologies, as well as courses in architectural theory and the planning, design, and development of the urban landscape. Architectural design problems start at the scale of basic human functions and by the second term progress to building design. During the second term and until mid-June, a community building project is undertaken, which provides construction experience and the opportunity to carry a design through the building process. Third and fourth terms stress the development of design concepts in preparation for work in the advanced elective studios. During the fifth and sixth terms students are at liberty to choose one elective advanced design studio, through a lottery system, from a variety of advanced studios, many of which are led by the profession's leading practitioners and theoreticians. With faculty approval, students may undertake an independent design thesis in lieu of one elective advanced studio in their final term.

Within the limits of certain required credit distributions, students are encouraged to explore elective course options. Course areas (falling within the broad categories of building technologies; architectural practice and construction; architectural history and theory; visual studies; digital media design; and planning, design, and development of the urban landscape) support and augment the pivotal studio offerings. Courses offered by other schools and departments within the University may be taken for credit. Emphasis throughout the program is on architectural design and decision making.

Any courses taken for credit outside the normal fall or spring Yale schedule must have prior approval from the Rules Committee.

NAAB Accreditation
In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes two types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture and the Master of Architecture. A program may be granted a six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards.

Master's degree programs may consist of a preprofessional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

The four-year, preprofessional degree, where offered, is not accredited by the NAAB. The preprofessional degree is useful for those wishing a foundation in the field of architecture, as preparation for either continued education in a professional degree program or for employment options in fields related to architecture.

Yale's three-year M.Arch. I degree program is fully accredited by the NAAB.

Course of Study*

M.Arch. I:Total Requirement: 108 credits

*In course titles, a designates fall term, and b designates spring term. The School reserves the right to change the prescribed course of study as necessary.
†Two of the electives must be in History and Theory, and one in Urbanism and Landscape. These designated electives may be taken in any term(s), and may be selected from listings in the History and Theory and Urbanism and Landscape areas in this bulletin, or from other Yale University departments (with instructor’s permission). In order to satisfy the elective requirements, courses not listed in the Architecture Bulletin must be approved by the area coordinators. Students not on academic warning or probation may substitute independent elective course work. (See the Rules and Regulations of the School of Architecture for procedures and restrictions.)

A number of studios and support courses are required during the six-term curriculum. The studio program progresses from elements of design to complex design problems. Required courses in structures, materials, environmental systems, history and theory, urban, and visual studies support these studios. Electives in these and other areas of study complete the curriculum.

If an entering student can demonstrate competence and passing grades, from an accredited school, in the material covered in support courses required at any time during the three-year course of study, that student may be exempted from those classes. Permission must be obtained from the study area coordinators within one week of the start of the first term of the student's curriculum. A transcript, course syllabus, and a notebook or examples of work accomplished must be presented to the study area coordinator.

First Term (Fall)

501a, Architectural Design. 6 credits. First-term students bring to the School a wide range of experience and background. Exercises introduce the complexity of architectural design by engaging problems that are limited in scale but not in the issues they provoke. Experiential, social, and material concerns are introduced together with formal and conceptual issues. Problems focus upon the fundamentals of human activity. Keller Easterling, coordinator; Martin Finio, Gavin Hogben, John McMorrough, Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen.

601a, Structures I. 3 credits. An introduction to the analysis and design of building structural systems and the evolution and impact of these systems on architectural form. Lectures and homework assignments cover structural classifications, fundamental principles of mechanics, computational methods, and the behavior and case studies of truss, cable, arch, and simple framework systems. Discussion sections explore the applications of structural theory to the design of wood and steel systems for gravity loads through laboratory and computational exercises and design projects. Homework, design projects, and midterm and final examinations are required. James Axley.

661a/861a, 3-D Form and Materials. 3 credits. This course examines the ways in which the understanding and perception of objects and the spaces they define is conditioned by the materials from which they are fabricated. It is assumed that specific materials privilege specific forms and that the visual and material properties of objects are intimately connected. Technical notebooks, exercises, and a final project are required. Each student is required to study one material in the depth allowed by a term's work. Kent Bloomer, coordinator; Paul Brouard, Susan Farricielli, Christopher Mahoney, Edward Parker, Dean Sakamoto.

701a, Modern Architecture. 3 credits. Architecture and urbanism from about 1876 to the present, with emphasis on the work of the great modern architects, and the contemporary revival of vernacular and classical architecture and American planning traditions. Vincent Scully.

801a, Introduction to Visual Studies: Formal Analysis. 3 credits. This course studies the object of architecture-- canonical buildings in the history of architecture-- not through the lens of reaction and nostalgia but through a filter of contemporary thought. The emphasis is on learning how to see and to think architecture by a method that can be loosely called "formal analysis." Beginning with the Renaissance, the analyses move through history and conclude with examples of high modernism and postmodernism. Reading assignments and one formal analysis are assigned each week. Peter Eisenman.

Second Term (Spring)

502b, Architectural Design. 6 credits. The second-term studio is divided into two parts. Before spring recess, a specific building type and one or two brief design problems are the vehicles for developing basic skills in formal composition, program organization, and building construction. Considerations of typology, precedent, and their transformation inform the creative process. After spring recess, the class concentrates on the Building Project, the design of a structure for a nonprofit organization. Alan Organschi, coordinator; Turner Brooks, Brian Healy, Keith Krumwiede, Amy Lelyveld.

506b, Building Project. 3 credits. Weekly sessions develop the building and management skills needed for the Building Project. The experience focuses on the means of understanding the process, practice, and scope of the profession. The course involves client contact, programming, design, budgeting, working documentation, and actual construction. It integrates work with a nonprofit client, design of neighborhood infrastructure, and public service practice. The project extends beyond the normal end of spring term; all first-year students are required to work on the project from April 29 through June 21. For more information, see the section on the Building Project on the Web: www.architecture.yale.edu. Herbert Newman, Building Project coordinator; Paul Brouard, director; Adam Hopfner and faculty.

602b, Structures II. 3 credits. A continuation of an introduction to the analysis and design of building structural systems and the evolution and impact of these systems on architectural form. Lectures and homework assignments cover more advanced principles of mechanics, reinforced concrete beams and columns, and the behavior and case studies of continuous framework, plate and grid, membrane, and shell structural systems. Discussion sections explore the application of structural theory to the design of more ambitious systems for gravity and lateral loads through computational exercises and design projects. Homework, design projects, and midterm and final examinations are required. Prerequisite: 601a. Anne Gilbert.

802b, Freehand Drawing. 3 credits. This freehand drawing course emphasizes linear description of volumes. Perceptual analysis of interior and exterior spaces and three-dimensional visualization of architectural form are stressed. Philip Grausman, coordinator; William Butler, Catherine Teale.

851b, Introduction to Digital Media. 3 credits. Digital media as a design and communication tool have changed the way space is conceived, perceived, and visualized in the design process. This course introduces fundamentals of 2-D imagery and 3-D space visualization techniques using computer applications. Static and dynamic presentations, proportional and measured modeling, and representative narratives are examined. This course is taught from May 10 until June 25. John Eberhart.

902b, Introduction to Urban Design. 3 credits. An introduction to the history, analysis, and design of the urban landscape. Emphasis is placed on understanding the principles, processes, and contemporary theories of urban design, and the relations between individual buildings, groups of buildings, and the larger physical and cultural contexts in which they are created and with which they interact. Case studies are drawn from New Haven and other cities. Karla Britton.

Third Term (Fall)

503a, Architectural Design. 6 credits. The studio concentrates on a medium-scale institutional building, focusing on the integration of program, site, composition, form, structure, and other issues relevant to this size building. Interior spaces are studied as well as methods of construction. Large-scale models and drawings are developed to explore design issues. Alexander Purves, coordinator; Peter de Bretteville, Keith Krumwiede, M.J. Long, Alan Organschi.

633a, Environmental Systems in Buildings. 3 credits. Introduction to fundamental principles of thermodynamics; heat transfer; fluid dynamics; environmental chemistry; toxicology; and thermal, aural, and visual comfort. These principles are applied to build an understanding of global, regional, community, site, and building-scale environmental problems that impact architectural design. Formulation of methods for the analysis and design of environmental technologies is used to resolve these problems. Topics include: the global, regional, and local environmental context; thermodynamics and heat transfer in global, community, and building systems; psychrometrics; bioclimatic design of building systems; airflow in and around buildings; ventilation and indoor air quality; passive and active heating, cooling, and ventilating systems; energy and material resource conservation for buildings and communities; lighting; and acoustics. The course is presented in a lecture, discussion section format. Homework, computational labs, design projects, short quizzes, and a final exam are required. Thomas Auer, Patrick Bellew, Paul Stoller.

704a, Case Studies in Architectural Theory, 1680-1980. 3 credits. History of Western architectural theory, 1680-1980, through the close reading of primary texts. Lectures place the readings in the context of architectural history; the texts are discussed in seminar sections. Topics include architecture of the Enlightenment, the picturesque, debates regarding style, historicism, and eclecticism, Gothic Revival, questions of ornament, architectural modernism, functionalism, new monumentality, critiques of modernism, and various currents of postmodernism. Lauren Kogod.

903a, Introduction to Planning and Development. 3 credits. This course demonstrates the ways in which financial and political feasibility determine the design of buildings and the character of the built environment. Students propose projects and then adjust them to the conflicting interests of financial institutions, real estate developers, civic organizations, community groups, public officials, and the widest variety of participants in the planning process. Subjects covered include housing, commercial development, zoning, historic preservation, parks and public open space, suburban subdivisions, planned communities, and comprehensive plans. Alexander Garvin.

Fourth Term (Spring)

504b, Architectural Design. 6 credits. The studio, an introduction to the planning and architecture of cities, concerns two distinct scales of operation: that of dwelling and that of the neighborhood. The dwelling necessarily addresses issues of domesticity and individual accommodation. The neighborhood addresses issues of community, group form, and the public realm, as well as the formation of public space, blocks, streets, and squares. The studio is organized to follow a distinct design methodology, which begins with the study of context and precedents. It postulates that new architecture can be made as a continuation and extension of normative urban structure and building typologies. Edward Mitchell, coordinator; Michael Haverland, Andrea Kahn, Leslie Lu.

648b, Systems Integration and Development in Design.3 credits. An integrated seminar and design studio in which students develop the technical systems that will transform preliminary design proposals from earlier studio work to built form. The development of structural form and detail, articulation of construction and construction methods, integration of mechanical systems, selection and detailing of materials, and the manipulation of surface, light, and air are approached systematically as elements of design-- elements used not only to achieve technical goals in a sustainable manner but also to reinforce and re-inform the formal origins of the work in a more poetic sense. The studio work is complemented by a seminar that surveys mechanical systems used in larger buildings, using both case studies and visits to buildings in use and under construction. Design project work, case study presentations, short quizzes, and homework are required. Martin Finio, coordinator; James Axley, Peter Chow, Glenn Gregg, Robert Haughney, John Jacobson, Craig Razza, Edward Stanley, Byron Stigge, Paul Stoller, Barry Svigals, and faculty.

703b, Contemporary Architectural Theory. 3 credits. A survey of theoretical and critical literature on contemporary architecture. The course explores the texts of Marxism and the Frankfurt School, post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, feminism, and urban geography with regard to architectural discourse. Peggy Deamer, John McMorrough, Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen.

Electives. 3 courses, 3 credits each.

Fifth Term (Fall)

511a-519a, Advanced Design Studio. 9 credits. (See descriptions under Study Areas and Course Descriptions.)

655a, Architectural Practice and Management. 3 credits. The process by which an architectural design becomes a building requires the designer to control many variables beyond those purely aesthetic. This course provides an understanding of the fundamentals of organizing and managing architectural projects and examines accompanying issues of practice and the profession. Using the project process as an armature, lectures explore the role and function of the architect, the legal environment, evolving types of practice, fees and compensation, building project teams, and planning and executing a project. Phillip Bernstein.

Electives. 2 courses, 3 credits each.

Sixth Term (Spring)

512b-524b, Advanced Design Studio2-13. 9 credits. (See descriptions under Study Areas and Course Descriptions.)

Electives. 2 courses, 3 credits each.

Portfolio Requirement

In addition to the 108 satisfactorily completed course credits, a student, in order to receive an M.Arch. degree, must complete the portfolio requirement described below, which is administered by the Design Committee. This requirement applies to all students entering the School.

Students are required to maintain an up-to-date portfolio of work from studio courses; this includes the best work of the student's choice and comprehensive coverage of work from each studio project for all terms the student is enrolled. The portfolio must be submitted for evaluation at the end of the third term and before graduation.

This portfolio should not exceed 15 by 20 inches and may not contain slides, tapes, or videos. The portfolio may not be submitted in digital format, on line, or on disk. Each project should be clearly labeled, stating the name of the project, term, date, and instructors.

Students are encouraged, but not required, to supplement their design studio work with projects from other courses. Such work may be accommodated in a separate section of the portfolio or in a second book.

M.Arch. I Course of Study Regulations

1. No more than one design studio may be taken in any one term.

2. A course load in the first two terms that exceeds the designated credit hours may be taken only in exceptional circumstances and as determined by the Rules Committee. A course load in the remaining terms that exceeds the designated credit hours by 3 credits per term may be carried with the approval of the Rules Committee.

3. Students may choose to continue their work in the School for a seventh term. The optional term may consist of an elective studio and/or elective courses.

Advanced Studies

The Advanced Studies Programs include two groups of students: (1) those holding professional degrees in architecture who seek a second, master's-level degree in this discipline (M.Arch. II, the post-professional program); (2) those holding degrees in architecture or undergraduate degrees in related disciplines who seek a nonprofessional research-based master's degree in the areas of architecture and urbanism (M.E.D.). These programs are intended to prepare students for careers in teaching, research, and (for those holding professional degrees) professional practice.

With a number of courses available in the area of history and theory, and with access to a wide variety of Yale courses outside the School of Architecture, advanced studies students are able to expand their understanding of the broader cultural context of architecture and to develop their research interests through interdisciplinary study. Advanced studies students are also given opportunities to organize symposia, exhibitions, publications, and seminars. Thus, to an exceptional degree, they are able to shape the curriculum to their own specific interests in collaboration with other students and faculty in the School.

Master of Architecture II

Post-Professional Degree

Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen, Director of Post-Professional Studies

The M.Arch. II program is for students holding a first professional degree in architecture who are interested in developing a stronger theoretical basis for their understanding of architecture as it relates to design processes. Because the program combines two years of studio-based activities with a variety of opportunities (both course-related and individually conceived) to extend their understanding of architectural design and its meaning within a broader cultural and social context, post-professional students are given considerable freedom and support to develop an increasingly reflexive, critical, and speculative relationship to their work.

Students in the M.Arch. II (post-professional) program take the post-professional required advanced studio (523a) in the first term and choose one elective advanced design studio, through a lottery system, from a variety of advanced studios, many of which are led by the profession's leading practitioners and theoreticians, in each of the remaining three terms. These studios are the same ones offered to M.Arch. I third-year students. In lieu of one announced advanced studio, in the final term, post-professional students are permitted, with the approval of the Design and Rules Committees, to design an appropriate independent studio thesis. This studio may combine written and studio material.

Course of Study*

This degree requires the successful completion of two academic years (four terms of 18 credits each) of study and an accumulation of no fewer than 72 credits in courses, studios, or workshops.

M.Arch. II: Total Requirement: 72 credits

*In course titles, a designates fall term, and b designates spring term. The School reserves the right to change the prescribed course of study as necessary.
† Students not on academic warning or probation may substitute independent elective course work and advanced studios. (See the Rules and Regulations of the School of Architecture for procedures and restrictions.)

First Term (Fall)

523a, Post-Professional Architectural Design Studio. 9 credits. This studio is specially designed for incoming post-professional students to introduce them to the School's educational program and faculty. Each student is given the opportunity to examine in depth a sequence of design problems. Fred Koetter, Edward Mitchell.

Electives. 3 courses, 3 credits each.

Second Term Curriculum (Spring)

512b-524b, Advanced Design Studio. 9 credits.

703b, Contemporary Architectural Theory. 3 credits. A survey of theoretical and critical literature on contemporary architecture. The course explores the texts of Marxism and the Frankfurt School, post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, feminism, and urban geography with regard to architectural discourse. Peggy Deamer, John McMorrough, Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen.

Electives. 2 courses, 3 credits each.

Third and Fourth Terms (Fall and Spring)

717a, Issues in Architecture and Urbanism. 3 credits. Current issues in architecture and urbanism, explored through seminars and case studies introducing methods and theories of architectural research. Fred Koetter.

Electives. 2 courses fall term and 3 courses spring term, 3 credits per course.

Portfolio Requirement

In addition to the 72 satisfactorily completed course credits, a student, in order to receive an M.Arch. degree, must complete the portfolio requirement described below, which is administered by the Design Committee. This requirement applies to all students entering the School.

Students are required to maintain an up-to-date portfolio of work from studio courses; this includes the best work of the student's choice and comprehensive coverage of work from each studio project for all terms the student is enrolled. The portfolio must be submitted for evaluation at the end of the second term and before graduation.

This portfolio should not exceed 15 by 20 inches, and may not contain slides, tapes, or videos. The portfolio may not be submitted in digital format, on line, or on disk. Each project should be clearly labeled, stating the name of the project, term, date, and instructors.

Students are encouraged, but not required, to supplement their design studio work with projects from other courses and extracurricular work. Such work may be accommodated in a separate section of the portfolio or in a second book.

M.Arch. II Course of Study Regulations

1. No more than one design studio may be taken in any one term.

2. Only in exceptional circumstances, as determined by the Rules Committee, may more than 18 credits be taken during either of the first two terms. A 21-credit load may be carried during either of the remaining two terms, with the approval of the Rules Committee.

3. The post-professional student entering the School with a B.Arch. or equivalent degree is required to be in residence for a minimum of two years. Eighteen credit hours of study, which must include one studio, are required each term. Each student is permitted to substitute no more than one independent studio for scheduled elective studios, during the final terms. (See Rules and Regulations of the School of Architecture for procedures and restrictions.)

Two-Year History/Theory Program

Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen, Director of M.E.D. Studies

The M.E.D. program is a two-year research-based program of advanced architectural studies culminating in a written thesis/independent project. This full-residency program leads to a degree of Master of Environmental Design. The M.E.D.is a nonprofessional degree, which does not fulfill requirements toward the professional licensing examination.

The program is intended for students, including postgraduate and mid-career professionals, who seek an academic setting to improve scholarship and research skills, to explore a professional or academic specialization, and to sharpen critical and literary expertise. The program provides the foundation for a career in writing, teaching, curatorial work, or critically informed professional practice, or may provide a foundation for Ph.D. studies. The alumni of this thirty-year-old program include Steven Izenour, a partner at Venturi and Scott-Brown Architects; Blair Kamin, the architectural critic of the Chicago Tribune; and William Mitchell, dean of the MIT School of Architecture.

The M.E.D. program is aimed at qualified applicants with a graduate or undergraduate degree in architecture or a related discipline who exhibit a strong capability for independent research. The main criterion for admission to the program is a well-defined proposal for independent study which should engage one or more of the study areas listed below. The proposal should outline a study plan that the candidate can accomplish in four academic terms and that can be supported by faculty expertise available to students in the M.E.D. program.

Applicants interested in the M.E.D. program are encouraged to contact the program director and/or other committee members to discuss their educational goals and proposed study topic area well in advance of the application deadline. An interview is not required, but is strongly recommended for informational purposes on both sides.

Areas of Study

Environmental Design is broadly defined as the study and research of the aggregate of objects, conditions, and influences that constitute the constructed surroundings. Those studying in the M.E.D. program are encouraged to understand the larger cultural and intellectual factors-- social, political, economic, technical, and aesthetic-- that shape the environment. The M.E.D.program fosters an interdisciplinary approach to architectural research, which takes advantage of the extensive array of resources at Yale University.

The program supports research at the intersection of theory and practice. The three areas listed below indicate recent research topics as well as the scholarly expertise of students and faculty in the M.E.D. program. Students are encouraged to engage in a wide array of methodologies, tools, and topics.

History, Theory, and Criticism of Architecture and Urbanism:History and theory of architecture and urbanity; architectural criticism; history of building types; study of design methods; contemporary architectural culture.

Ecologies and Economies of the Built Environment:Study of the ecological, economic, and cultural forces that shape the environment; globalization and its effect on built landscapes; infrastructures and settlement patterns; urban geography; notation and mapping techniques.

Multimedia Research:Digital media as a tool for research, design, and visualization; motion picture documentation; use of digital tools in fabricating building components; study of network geography.

Course of Study*

* In course titles, a designates fall term, and b designates spring term. The School reserves the right to change the prescribed course of study as necessary.

The program of study is a combination of required classes, electives, and independent research. A total of 72 credits is required for completion of the M.E.D. program, allocated as 18 credits each term. A minimum of 21 credits is assigned to electives and 6 to the required M.E.D. courses. A maximum of 45 credits is assigned to independent research (M.E.D. 103a and b). The electives and course distribution is determined in consultation with the student's primary adviser and the director of the program.

Course Requirements for the M.E.D. Program

M.E.D. students are required to take Case Studies in Architecture and Urbanism (102a) in their first term. Contemporary Architectural Theory (101b) is required in their second term. All other course work is distributed among electives chosen from School of Architecture and other Yale University courses. (See descriptions of courses in the M.Arch. curriculum as well as in the bulletins of other schools of Yale University.) All M.E.D. students are required to take M.E.D. 103a or b each term to develop their independent project.

Note: Design studios offered in the M.Arch. program are closed to M.E.D. students. Exceptions are considered only if the design studio is directly related to a student's research, and are subject to approval by the M.E.D. chair, the dean, and the studio instructor.

M.E.D.: Total Requirement: 72 credits

First Term (Fall)

M.E.D. 102a, Case Studies in Architecture and Urbanism. 3 credits. Application of the concepts and methods of various approaches to architectural scholarship and research, using existing works of architecture as case studies. Methods include archival search, behavioral/institutional evaluation, and visual documentation and interpretive analysis. The specific focus of the seminar is on the skills of architectural analysis and writing a publication-quality research paper. Karla Britton.

M.E.D. 103a, Independent Research. 3-6 credits first term; variable credits remaining terms.[Variable credits are determined in consultation with the director of M.E.D. studies.] In course titles, a designates fall term, and b designates spring term. The School reserves the right to change the prescribed course of study as necessary. The proposal submitted with the admissions application is the basis of each student's study plan, which is developed in consultation with faculty advisers. Independent research is undertaken for credit each term, under the direction of a principal adviser, for preparation and completion of a written thesis. The thesis, which details and summarizes the independent research, is to be completed for approval by the M.E.D. committee by the end of the fourth term. M.E.D. faculty.

Electives. Variable courses, 3 credits each.

Second Term (Spring)

M.E.D. 101b, Contemporary Architectural Theory. 3 credits. A survey of theoretical and critical literature on contemporary architecture. The course explores the texts of Marxism and the Frankfurt School, post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, feminism, and urban geography with regard to architectural discourse. Peggy Deamer, John McMorrough, Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen.

M.E.D. 103b, Independent Research. 3-15 credits. M.E.D. faculty.

Electives. Variable courses, 3 credits each.

Third and Fourth Terms (Fall and Spring)

18 credits each term.

M.E.D. 103a and b, Independent Research. Credits determined each term. M.E.D. faculty.

Advisers and M.E.D. Program Committee

Students work closely with one or two advisers on their independent project. Advisers are primarily drawn from the School of Architecture faculty; additional advisers are drawn from other departments at the University as appropriate to the field of study. The following faculty members serve on the M.E.D. committee, which reviews all independent work each term.

Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen, Chair
Diana Balmori
Peggy Deamer
Keller Easterling
Karsten Harries (Department of Philosophy)
Dolores Hayden
Alan Plattus

M.E.D. Course of Study Regulations

Residence Requirement

Four terms must be spent in residence. Under exceptional circumstances, and with permission of the dean and the School's Rules Committee, students may apply for half-time status (9 credits per term), after successful completion of the first term (18 credits).

Combined Degree Programs

School of Architecture/School of Management

The Yale School of Architecture and the School of Management offer a joint-degree program in Architecture and Management. This program is especially oriented to individuals who wish to integrate the design, urban development, and management professions in pursuing careers in government or the private sector.

Joint-degree students in the three-year first professional M.Arch. program must complete all requirements for the degree, including six terms of design studio, with the first four terms taken consecutively. This is an accredited, professional degree and specific requirements may not be bypassed, except when waivers are granted for course work previously completed at other institutions. Students in this program will have their overall number of course credits required for the M.Arch. degree reduced from the normal 108 credits to 90 credits. This means they will take 18 fewer elective credits (six elective courses). Normally this adjustment will allow the student to divide the final (fourth) year schedule between the two required advanced studios at the School of Architecture and courses at the School of Management.

Joint-degree students in the two-year post-professional M.Arch. program must complete 54 credits in the School of Architecture, including four advanced studios. They will complete the joint-degree program in three years, normally consisting of one full year in each school and a final year divided between the two schools.

At the conclusion of the required studies, the joint-degree program awards both a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) and a Master of Architecture. Withdrawal or dismissal from the School of Management will automatically obligate a student to complete all normal requirements for the M.Arch. degree (108 credits for first professional degree; 72 credits for post-professional degree option). The M.Arch. degree will not be awarded to joint-degree candidates until they have completed all requirements for both degrees.

Admissions are determined independently by the two schools. Students may apply to both schools at the same time and, if accepted, will begin their studies at the School of Architecture, since admission to the School cannot be deferred; or they may apply to the School of Management prior to their final year at the School of Architecture. Students enrolled at the School of Management may apply to the School of Architecture during their first year. Those who apply simultaneously should so indicate on both applications. Applications to the School of Architecture must be approved by the committee of the joint-degree program. Inquiries may be directed to the Registrar, School of Architecture, and to the Director of Student Services, Office of Student Services, School of Management.

M.Arch./M.E.D.

Yale School of Architecture students who are enrolled in the M.Arch. program and who are interested in continued advanced study in an area of specialization in architecture, environmental design, or planning/development, may apply for admission to the M.E.D. program. Students may take courses supporting areas of advanced study during the M.Arch. curriculum and, after receipt of the M.Arch. degree, may qualify for up to one term's advanced standing in the M.E.D. degree program.

Undergraduate Studies

The School offers an undergraduate major in architecture exclusively to students enrolled in Yale College. Students who desire this major must apply directly to Yale College.

Bachelor of Arts

Sophia Gruzdys, Director of Undergraduate Studies

Preliminary Registration for Prospective Majors

Students who intend to declare architecture as their major must register with the director of undergraduate studies during the spring term of their sophomore year. The standard major, which is limited, provides a nonprofessional introduction to the visual, spatial, and intellectual basis of architecture.

Application to the Architecture Major

Yale College students, who may apply to enter the major during the fall term of their junior year, go through a review process for acceptance into the major.

Introduction to Architecture

The introductory courses to the study of architecture are open to all Yale College sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and are required prior to applying for the architecture major. With permission of the director of undergraduate studies, the prerequisite may be waived for students with sufficient experience in architecture or in relevant subjects; they may enter directly into the major.

The Standard Major

The purpose of the undergraduate standard major in architecture at Yale is to include the study of architecture within the broader context of a liberal arts education. While the core requirements focus on architectural design, the overall curriculum includes theory and history of architecture, leading to a bachelor of arts degree. In this manner students are prepared for advanced study in architecture, art, history of art, city planning and development, the social sciences, or public affairs.

Requirements of the Major

To graduate as a Yale College major in architecture, a student must complete a core of six courses (including three prerequisites). Nine additional courses are required for majors. A student must base his or her study in one of three areas of concentration, which are:

1. Architectural Design, which investigates the ways in which cultural ideas, information, actions, and locations may be visually communicated in the material fabric of architecture. Exercises in this concentration are predominantly studio-based.

2. Theory, Criticism, and History of Architecture, which examines written texts about architecture from classical antiquity to current debates. The students are expected to analyze rigorously and write theoretical and critical papers about the past, present, and future potential of architecture.

3. Architecture and Urban Studies, which examines written texts about architecture from classical antiquity to current debates. The students are expected to analyze rigorously and write theoretical and critical papers about the past, present, and future potential of architecture.

For full course descriptions, see Yale College Programs of Study.

The Intensive Major

An intensive major may be offered to Yale College students under special circumstances. Interested students must apply by mid-January of their junior year for admission to the intensive major; application should be made to the registrar of the School of Architecture. During their senior year in Yale College, students with intensive majors take courses in the first-year professional degree program in the School of Architecture. Successful completion of the first-year program and receipt of a bachelor's degree qualify students to advance to the second year of the School's graduate program.

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