Master of Science in Architecture

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The Master of Science in Architecture provides a flexible program through which students are immersed in special fields of research and practice related to architecture and the built environment.

For other students, the degree allows for more open exploration of new concepts and methods of design. These include Ecological Practices, Inclusive Design, and Situated Technologies. Students may also custom-design a path of study, under faculty guidance, in interest areas and emerging fields, such as digital design and fabrication, facilities planning, and media arts.

Master of Science in Architecture (MS Arch) Curriculum

Program Requirements (minimum of 48 total credits), including:

14 credits of directed research (pre-thesis)
7 credits of thesis
12 credits of architecture graduate research group seminars
15 credits of electives, which may include up to six credits of independent study and up to six credits of electives outside the department

Semester 1:

ARC 567	Directed Research	7
ARC xxx	Technical Methods	3
ARC xxx	Intellectual Domain	3
ARC 616	Research Methods	3
Total Semester Credits	16

Semester 2:

ARC 567	Directed Research	7
ARC xxx	Intellectual Domain	3
ARC xxx	Technical Methods	3
ARC xxx	Elective	3
Total Semester Credits	16

Semester 3:

ARC 699	Master’s Thesis	7
ARC xxx	Elective	3
ARC xxx	Elective	3
ARC xxx	Elective	3
Total Semester Credits	16

Total Required Credits	48

Technical Methods Seminars:

Fall Semester

ARC 543 Technical Method- Material Culture

ARC 545 Technical Method- Ecological Practices

ARC 547 Technical Method- Urban Design

ARC 617 Technical Method- Situated Technology

ARC 620 Technical Method- Inclusive Design

Spring Semester

ARC 544 Technical Method- Material Culture

ARC 546 Technical Method- Ecological Practices

ARC 551 Technical Method- Urban Design

ARC 619 Technical Method- Situated Technology

ARC 621 Technical Method- Inclusive Design

Intellectual Domain Seminars:

Fall Semester

ARC 623 Intellectual Domain- Inclusive Design

ARC 625 Intellectual Domain- Situated Technology

ARC 627 Intellectual Domain- Ecological Practices

ARC 629 Intellectual Domain- Urban Design

ARC 632 Intellectual Domain- Material Culture

Spring Semester

ARC 624 Intellectual Domain- Inclusive Design

ARC 626 Intellectual Domain- Situated Technology

ARC 628 Intellectual Domain- Ecological Practices

ARC 630 Intellectual Domain- Urban Design

ARC 633 Intellectual Domain- Material Culture

Full-Time per Semester

	Domestic In-State	Domestic out-of-State	International
Tuition	$5,655.00	$12,130.00	$12,130.00
Fees	$1,539.00	$1,539.00	$1,539.00
International Student Fee	$ -	$ -	$ 100.00
School Fee	$237.00	$237.00	$237.00

Further details are available at: http://www.buffalo.edu/studentaccounts/tuition-and-fees.html
Note: tuition and fees are subject to change at any time.

Updated: 5/1/2023

Part-Time per Semester

(per credit up to 11)	Domestic In-State	Domestic out-of-State	International
Tuition	$471.00	$1,011.00	$1,011.00
Fees	$120.75	$120.75	$120.75
Activity Fee (per semester)	$85.00	$85.00	$85.00
Transcript fee (per semester)	$5.00	$5.00	$5.00
International Student Fee (per semester)	$ -	$ -	$100.00
School Fee (per semester)	$237.00	$237.00	$237.00

Further details are available at: http://www.buffalo.edu/studentaccounts/tuition-and-fees.html
Note: tuition and fees are subject to change at any time.

Updated: May 1, 2023

New York State Residency Verification Process

Students need not have a background in architecture to be admitted—non-architects are encouraged to apply, as are those with an architecture or design background.

Please note: the MS in Architecture is not accredited and does not lead to licensure. (Students seeking professional licensure should pursue our accredited Master of Architecture degree).

The program consists of 48 credit hours of study, typically completed in three semesters, providing a path to advanced research or specialized practice.

Learn more about opportunities to focus your MS in Architecture

Historic Preservation and Urban Design
11/30/21
Open to students from diverse backgrounds who are interested in focused study of urban design and historic preservation in preparation for professional practice in the field.
Ecological Practices
11/30/21
Architecture, along with its allied professions of urban design, landscape architecture and planning, must be in the forefront of creative thinking about the post-industrial era. Because we make and unmake the world daily through building, we are responsible for a large percentage of resource extraction, depletion, energy use, carbon emissions, waste and transportation costs. It is projected that buildings consume as much as 60% of the world’s energy divided between our industrial production and buildings for other uses.
Inclusive Design
11/30/21
Inclusive Design is design for all. A global movement that seeks to improve the usability of environments, products and systems for the widest range of people, inclusive design is grounded in the democratic values of non-discrimination, equal opportunity and personal empowerment.
Situated Technologies
11/30/21
Explore the intersection of architecture, new media, and computational technologies and the possibilities of human interaction with (and within) the built environment.