Bachelor of Architecture

Overview

A professional bachelor’s degree in architecture enables graduates to practice architecture in a wide range of environments, or to pursue graduate studies in a range of fields including architecture, urban design, urban planning, landscape design, construction management, or related fields.

The program begins with a common foundation year in which students are introduced to design as a general field, from which they proceed into their specialization. It also offers wide exposure to the current issues of both a theoretical and a practical nature, complemented by a number of activities such as international studios, workshops, visiting critics, and exchanges with architecture and design institutes worldwide.

The program may be completed over a minimum of five academic years after the freshman year, including summer terms.

Mission

The mission of the program is to give students a comprehensive education based on a humanistic approach to the discipline, in order to ultimately prepare them to pursue a professional career or graduate studies.

Program Objectives

The purpose of the Bachelor of Architecture is to:

offer students, who successfully complete their studies, the professional degree of Bachelor of Architecture,
provide a platform for graduate specialization in architecture, urban planning, urban design, landscape design, digital design, and other fields in design,
give students a broad base of theoretical knowledge and necessary practical skills,
assert the role of an architect as a synthesizer of the different factors that affect the built environment, and
expose students to the current issues in architectural theory and practice and to the latest technology in the field.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Architecture, students will acquire the following skills:

the ability to practice architecture in various contexts and cultures,
a capacity for critical thinking and the ability to engage in problem solving,
the ability to identify design issues, conduct research, and provide solutions,
an understanding of the urban dimension of architecture and the consequences of building activities on the environment,
the capacity to innovatively deal with projects of different types and scale,
the capacity to elaborate projects with innovative structural systems, detailing and material,
the capacity to operate in a multi-disciplinary environment, and
the capacity to serve the community in both public and private sector organizations.

Curriculum

A total of 176 credits are required to graduate, after Freshman Year [or the equivalent Lebanese Baccalaureate Part II], distributed as follows:

Foundation Requirements (25 credits)
Program Core Requirements (107 credits)
History and Theory Elective (2 credits)
Professional Electives (12 credits)
Art Elective (3 credits)
LAS Core Courses (12 credits)
LAS Electives (15 credits)

A senior project is required of all students in addition to successful completion of the course of study.

Foundation Requirements (25 credits)

Program Core Requirements (107 credits)

ARC240 Sketching (2 cr.)
ARC241 Technical Graphics (2 cr.)
ARC311 Building Systems I (3 cr.)
ARC312 Building Systems II (3 cr.)
ARC331 Design Studio III (6 cr.)
ARC332 Design Studio IV (6 cr.)
ARC341 Technical Graphics II (3 cr.)
ARC342 Technical Graphics III (3 cr.)
ARC351 Computer Graphics I (2 cr.)
ARC352 Computer Graphics II (2 cr.)
ARC361 Theory I (2 cr.)
ARC363 Theory II (2 cr.)
ARC371 History of Architecture I (3 cr.)
ARC372 History of Architecture II (2 cr.)
ARC411 Building Systems III (3 cr.)
ARC412 Building Systems IV (3 cr.)
ARC421 Building Technology I (2 cr.)
ARC422 Building Technology II (2 cr.)
ARC431 Design Studio V (6 cr.)
ARC432 Design Studio VI (6 cr.)
ARC481 Construction Documents (4 cr.)
ARC501 Design Workshop I (1 cr.)
ARC502 Design Workshop II (1 cr.)
ARC521 Building Technology III (2 cr.)
ARC522 Building Technology IV (2 cr.)
ARC523 Environmental Systems I (3 cr.)
ARC524 Environmental Systems II (3 cr.)
ARC531 Design Studio VII (5 cr.)
ARC532 Design Studio VIII (5 cr.)
ARC561 Seminar (2 cr.)
ARC581 Urban Planning I (3 cr.)
ARC583 Internship (1 cr.)
ARC584 Building Codes & Laws (1 cr.)
ARC601 Final Project Research (1 cr.)
ARC631 Design Studio IX (5 cr.)
ARC632 Design Studio X (5 cr.)

History and Theory Elective (2 credits)

ARC375 Introduction to Islamic Art (3 cr.)
ARC376 Introduction to Islamic Architecture (3 cr.)
ARC461 Topics in Architecture Theory (2 cr.)
ARC471 Contemporary Architecture (2 cr.)

Professional Electives (12 credits)

ARC373 History of Landscape Design (2 cr.)
ARC375 Introduction to Islamic Art (3 cr.)
ARC376 Introduction to Islamic Architecture (3 cr.)
ARC381 Architectural Photography (2 cr.)
ARC404 Landscape Design Workshop (2 cr.)
ARC451 Digital Modeling (3 cr.)
ARC452 Computer Animation (3 cr.)
ARC454 Dynamic 3D Modeling (3 cr.)
ARC461 Topics in Architecture Theory (2 cr.)
ARC471 Contemporary Architecture (2 cr.)
ARC482 Regional Architecture I (2 cr.)
ARC483 Regional Architecture II (3 cr.)
ARC484 Regional Urbanism (3 cr.)
ARC551 Computer Graphics Studio (4 cr.)
ARC582 Urban Planning II (2 cr.)
ARC585 Professional Practice (2 cr.)
ARC591 International Studio (3 cr.)
ARC592 International Workshop (2 cr.)
DES403 Furniture Design Workshop (2 cr.)
DES484 Furniture Design (2 cr.)
GRA301 Intermediate Computer Graphics (3 cr.)
GRA302 Advanced Computer Graphics (3 cr.)
GRA484 Web Design (3 cr.)
GRA487 3D Animation Techniques (3 cr.)

Art Elective (3 credits)

ART211 Ceramics I (3 cr.)
ART222 Figure Drawing (3 cr.)
ART334 Printmaking (3 cr.)
ART341 Painting I (3 cr.)
ART351 Sculpture I (3 cr.)
GRA345 Silkscreen & Binding (3 cr.)
PFA210 Western Music Appreciation (3 cr.)
PFA244 Stage Production & Design (3 cr.)
PFA310 Theater in Performance (3 cr.)
PHO212 Photography II (3 cr.)
PHO221 Digital Photography I (3 cr.)
TVF222 Introduction to Audiovisual Media (3 cr.)

Recommended Study Plan

Year One

Fall (16 credits)

Foundation Studies

Spring (15 credits)

Foundation Studies

Summer (10 credits)

ARC240 Sketching (2 cr.)
ARC241 Technical Graphics (2 cr.)
LAS (3 cr.)
Art Elective (3 cr.)

Year Two

Fall (16 credits)

ARC331 Design Studio III (6 cr.)
ARC341 Technical Graphics II (3 cr.)
ARC351 Computer Graphics I (2 cr.)
ARC361 Theory I (2 cr.)
ARC371 History of Architecture I (3 cr.)

Spring (15 credits)

ARC332 Design Studio IV (6 cr.)
ARC342 Technical Graphics III (3 cr.)
ARC352 Computer Graphics II (2 cr.)
ARC363 Theory II (2 cr.)
ARC372 History of Architecture II (2 cr.)

Summer (11 credits)

ARC311 Building Systems I (3 cr.)
Professional Elective (2 cr.)
LAS (6 cr.)

Year Three

Fall (15 credits)

ARC312 Building Systems II (3 cr.)
ARC421 Building Technology I (2 cr.)
ARC431 Design Studio V (6 cr.)
LAS (4 cr.)

Spring (15 credits)

ARC411 Building Systems III (3 cr.)
ARC422 Building Technology II (2 cr.)
ARC432 Design Studio VI (6 cr.)
Professional Elective (3 cr.)
LAS (1 cr.)

Summer (11 credits)

ARC481 Construction Documents (4 cr.)
LAS (7 cr.)

Year Four

Fall (16 credits)

ARC501 Design Workshop I (1 cr.)
ARC521 Building Technology III (2 cr.)
ARC523 Environmental Systems I (3 cr.)
ARC531 Design Studio VII (5 cr.)
ARC581 Urban Planning I (3 cr.)
History and Theory Elective (2 cr.)

Spring (16 credits)

ARC502 Design Workshop II (1 cr.)
ARC522 Building Technology IV (2 cr.)
ARC524 Environmental Systems II (3 cr.)
ARC532 Design Studio VIII (5 cr.)
ARC561 Seminar (2 cr.)
ARC412 Building Systems IV (3 cr.)

Summer (7 credits)

ARC583 Internship (1 cr.)
Professional Elective (3 cr.)
LAS (3 cr.)

Year Five

Fall (9 credits)

ARC584 Building Codes & Laws (1 cr.)
ARC601 Final Project Research (1 cr.)
ARC631 Design Studio IX (5 cr.)
Professional Elective (2 cr.)

Spring (10 credits)

ARC632 Design Studio X (5 cr.)
Professional Elective (2 cr.)
LAS (3 cr.)