The Design Foundation, Computer Requirements, Transfer Students, Bachelor of Architecture, Accreditation, Professional Program, Special Grading Standard, Student Work, Curriculum for the Bachelor of Architecture, Course Descriptions - Architecture, Design Foundation

Offering the Bachelor of Architecture

Architecture
The mission of the Architecture Program at Southern Polytechnic State University is to expand and extend the university mission into the realm of architecture.  The program prepares students for professional practice in the design, planning, development, and stewardship of the built environment.

The Design Foundation
The Design Foundation sequence is an introduction to the issues and processes used by professional designers of the built environment.  Students demonstrate their understanding of course material through exercises and simulated design projects.  A basic understanding of these factors is provided in the Design Foundation, which constitutes the first two years of the Bachelor of Architecture degree program.
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Computer Requirements
All students in the School of Architecture are required to have a lap top computer for their individual use by the beginning of the second year.  Published requirements for the computer and software are available in the reception office of the School of Architecture.
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Transfer Students
Transfer students may apply for admission to the program.  All transfer students coming from an NAAB accredited program may submit a portfolio for approval to the School of Architecture Admissions Committee no later than 5:00 PM on the second Friday of May for possible advanced standing in the Architecture program. Any transfer student who is accepted and chooses not to submit a portfolio will be placed in the first DFN studio. Transfer students must have a minimal transferring GPA.  They must also have current, formal acceptance to Southern Polytechnic State University and meet the University requirements regarding transfer status. Prospective transferring students may receive further specific information regarding the application process and applicable dates directly from the School of Architecture. All decisions regarding acceptance into the School of Architecture are final.
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Bachelor of Architecture
The Bachelor of Architecture program is a fully accredited program by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.  It is a 2 plus 3 program consisting of the Design Foundation, the first two years, and the Professional Program for the last three years. The study of architecture involves good detailing and translating abstract thought. The entire program is based on integration of foremost students into an enthusiastic, practical program of study. The professional program places emphasis on enhancing the understanding of the relationship of people and their physical environment, and the synthesis of this complex information into relevant design solutions.  The program is a combination of building and environmental technology, professional practice, architectural electives and a rigorous sequence of design studios geared to exceptional students.
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Accreditation
The following statement is required by the National Architectural Accrediting Board to be included in all catalogs and promotional materials of accredited programs.

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 five-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards.

Masters degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
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Professional Program
The Professional Program is comprehensive and rigorous. The Professional Program includes students who have successfully completed the two-year sequence of Design Foundation and who demonstrate exceptional professional promise.

To be admitted to the Professional Program from the Design Foundation, a student should have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 in all course work.
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Special Grading Standard
All Design Foundation and Architecture courses must be taken in sequence.  Students in the Architecture curriculum must achieve a minimum of 2.00 grade point average (GPA) in studio course sequence before proceeding into the next sequence of studios. Any student who fails to achieve a minimum GPA of 2.00 in a sequence must repeat all courses in which the student received a grade of "D" or "F" until his/her GPA is 2.00 or above.

Architecture students within the Professional sequence must maintain passing grades in all classes within any given semester in order to advance into the following semester.  This is in addition to maintaining a GPA of 2.00.
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Student Work
All student work executed in the School of Architecture becomes the property of the School and will be returned at the discretion of the faculty. The faculty also reserves the right to refuse credit for any work that was executed outside the precincts of the School or otherwise executed without coordination with the faculty.
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Curriculum for the Bachelor of Architecture
 

*In preparation for the Building and Environmental Technology courses, the School of Architecture recommends all architecture students take Physics for their laboratory science.

NOTE: For more information about Areas C, D, and E courses, see the "Core Curriculum" section under "Admission Information."
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