2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Architecture (B.F.A.)

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus


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Students working in the architecture lab.

Program Coordinator/Contact

Sean Ervin, Professor of Practice and Program Coordinator
School of Design
Chicoine Architecture, Mathematics and Engineering Hall 382, Box 2225
605-688-4103

Program Information

The Architecture program has three academic components:

  1. The first year School of Design cross-disciplinary experience.
  2. The three semester pre-professional building arts and public works design experience.
  3. The seven semester professional program experience.

A Bachelor of Fine Arts in Architecture degree (BFA-Arch) is recommended for those who want a studio-based liberal arts education in architecture as their first post-secondary experience.  Students in this program typically come from high school, community colleges / technical institutes, and transfer from other majors.  The B.F.A. in Architecture is 120 credit hours in eight semesters that can be completed in four regular (Fall & Spring only) academic years.  Students completing the B.F.A. can apply to the two-year Master of Architecture program to cap the education as NAAB accredited professional training in architecture.  One must hold an NAAB accredited degree to become an architect.

Course Delivery Format

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

Student Learning Outcomes


Upon completion of the architecture major, students will be able to:

  • Move ideas from abstract to concrete through graphical methods.
  • Measure and understand the impact of ideas on theoretical, social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental contexts.
  • Use a diverse range of mediated practices to think about and convey architectural ideas, including writing, investigating, speaking, drawing, and modeling.
  • Comprehend the technical aspects of both construction and mediating technologies and be able to apply that comprehension to architectural solutions.
  • Capacity to synthesize a wide range of variables into an integrated design solution.
  • Understand business principles for the practice of architecture, including management, advocacy, and the need to act legally, ethically, and critically for the good of the client, society, and the public.

Academic Requirements


Architecture students must maintain at least a major GPA of 2.6 and an overall GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the duration of the program.  A grade of a “C” or better is required in all ART, ARTE, ARTH, GDES, DSGN, LA, ARCH, CM and ID courses. 

Requirements for Architecture Major: 120 Credits


Bachelor of Fine Arts

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements


Bachelor of Fine Arts Requirements 

  • Capstone course in the major discipline
  • Upper division coursework Credits: 33

System General Education and/or major coursework may satisfy some or all of the above requirements. Consult program advisor for details. See the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences  for additional information about Bachelor of Fine Arts specifications.

School of Design Requirements


School of Design Electives


Select 6 credits from the list below.  Students are required to take any two ART or GDES courses from the list below. Contact the School of Design advisor for approval of additional courses. Credits: 6

Electives


Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120


Summary of Program Requirements


Bachelor of Fine Arts

System General Education Requirements* 31 Credit Hours
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements 0 Credit Hours
School of Design Requirements** 11 Credit Hours
Major Requirements 72 Credit Hours
Electives*** 6 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements, Supporting Coursework, College Requirements, and School Requirements.
**System General Education Requirements, Major Requirements, and Supporting Coursework may satisfy some or all of the above requirements.  
***Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet


The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.