Master of Architecture

The Master of Architecture program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). The University of Hartford's Department of Architecture offers three NAAB-accredited degree program tracks.

• TRACK 1 is a 48-credit, 3-semester, full-time program typically completed in 12 months (summer, fall, spring). This program is only available to qualified students in the University of Hartford undergraduate pre-professional architecture program. Students begin immediately after completing their undergraduate degree requirements.
• TRACK 2 is a 64-credit, 4-semester, full-time program typically completed in two academic years starting in the fall semester. This program is available to qualified students who hold a pre-professional undergraduate architecture degree from any qualified school.
• TRACK 3 is a 113-credit, 7-semester, full-time program typically completed in three academic years (including one summer term). This program is available to students who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than architecture. Advanced placement is available for qualified students who submit a portfolio with their application and have completed eligible prerequisite coursework.

Learn more about our accreditation.

The Master of Architecture program is a full-time program that enrolls students for the summer (Track 1) or fall (Track 2 and Track 3) semesters. Required architecture classes are typically offered on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, giving capable students the flexibility to pursue part-time employment with local design firms.

Each semester students take four courses including one studio, two required support courses, and one elective. Support courses include Building Systems, Urban Issues, Advanced Structures, Design Theory, Site Planning, Thesis Research, Building Economics, and Professional Practice. Each student must also complete a Master’s Thesis for their final studio course.

Please see the Course Catalog for more information about specific courses in the Track 1 and Track 2 programs. The Track 3 program requires the same 64 credits of coursework as Track 2, plus an additional 49 credits of prerequisite courses including: three Architecture Foundation Studios, two Architectural History courses, Building Systems, Computer Applications, Materials and Methods, Construction Documentation, and three Structural Design courses. Track 3 applicants must also complete college-level Physics and Calculus prior to admission.

Students have the opportunity to gain experience outside of the traditional studio setting. Many in our MArch program are heavily involved in the Connecticut chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students, and the Construction Institute.

The Barney School of Business and the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture have established a new partnership for graduate-level architecture students to pursue a dual degree in business administration and architecture. With just 24 courses and 88 credits, this unique program will open doors to your future in the architecture field.

Learn more about the dual MBA and MArch program.

The Department of Architecture offers tuition scholarships and graduate assistantships to entering and returning graduate students on a competitive basis as funds are available. The scholarship awards are presented at the annual Architecture Gala in April co-sponsored by the Department of Architecture, AIA Connecticut, and the Connecticut Architecture Foundation.

With a generous donation from renowned Hartford architect Tai Soo Kim, the Department annually offers an $6,000 traveling fellowship to an individual or group of graduating Master of Architecture students on a competitive basis. This research fellowship allows the student(s) to explore, record, and analyze a foreign location of their choosing based on their own research proposal. Students then present their findings one year after they graduate from the M.Arch program. Past fellows have traveled to Bhutan, Japan, Cambodia, and Europe among other places.

Please see the CETA scholarships page for more specific information about graduate architecture scholarships and graduate assistantships.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers a 3-year Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension to eligible international students on F-1 visas who receive STEM-focused degrees at a US institution. The M.Arch program at the University of Hartford is affiliated with the 04.0902 CIP code for Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology, which is listed as a STEM-focused program by the DHS. Therefore, UHart M.Arch graduates on F-1 visas are eligible to apply for the OPT extension.

Contact the MArch Program Director for more information.