Architecture (M.Arch.)

Program Coordinator/Contact

Sean Ervin, Professor of Practice and Program Coordinator
School of Design
Chicoine Architecture, Mathematics and Engineering Hall 378, Box 2225
605-688-4103

Program Information

The Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) program prepares professional leaders with specialized knowledge and skills to meet the nation’s needs in design, build, and education.  The aim of the program is to prepare architecture majors to practice in a full range of contexts and settings. 

The Master of Architecture degree is comprised of a 48-credit hour, four semester graduate curriculum which rounds out the department’s seven semester NAAB accreditation candidate professional program. (See department website (www.sdstate.edu/arch/) for NAAB Professional Program details.) 

Student Learning Outcomes

• Research: Understand the theoretical and applied research methodologies and practices used during the design process.
• Project Implementation: Demonstrate the skills associated with making integrated decisions across multiple systems and variables in the completion of a design project. This demonstration includes problem identification, setting evaluative criteria, analyzing solutions, and predicting the effectiveness of implementation.
• Integrative Decision-Making: Be able to make design decisions within a complex architectural project while demonstrating broad integration and consideration of environmental stewardship, technical documentation, accessibility, site conditions, life safety, environmental systems, structural systems, and building envelope systems and assemblies. 
• Mediated Practices: Use a diverse range of mediated practices to think about and convey architectural ideas, including writing, investigating, speaking, drawing, and modeling.  
• Ethics: Understand the ethical issues involved in the exercise of professional judgment in architectural design and practice and understanding the role of the NCARB Rules of Conduct and the AIA Code of Ethics in defining professional conduct.
• Team Building: Understand the methods for selecting consultants and assembling teams; identifying work plans, project schedules, and time requirements; and recommending project delivery methods. 

Course Delivery Format

The curriculum is interactive, haptic and performance based, offering problem solving experiences in all major areas of professional practice.