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College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture

Master of Architecture

At a Glance

The M.Arch program includes a diverse community of practitioners, teachers, and students dedicated to educating future architectural professionals and growing the knowledge base of the profession. The priority application deadline is March 15 and the program offers fall and summer semester starts. There is a Dual MBA Degree option and this program is STEM OPT approved.

Full Time
Rolling Admission

Degrees Offered

Total Credits

Master of Architecture Track 1

48 Credits

Master of Architecture Track 2

64 Credits

Master of Architecture Track 3

113 Credits

Overview

The Master of Architecture program emphasizes an integration of design principles, engineering fundamentals, sustainable and resilient strategies, and business understanding with the constant exploration of innovative building and urban design.

The Department of Architecture at the University of Hartford is a diverse community of practitioners, teachers, and students dedicated to educating future architectural professionals and growing the knowledge base of the profession. Our commitment is to engage architecture in its civic, social, and professional realms for the ultimate benefit of the built environment and those who use it. Studios address history and theory, cultural and environmental analysis, integrative design thinking, interdisciplinary teamwork, and professional presentation.

Questions?

Contact the Program Director Daniel Horowitz.

About the Program

Example of student architecture design

The program emphasizes an integration of design principles, engineering fundamentals, sustainable and resilient strategies, and business understanding with the constant exploration of innovative building and urban design.  Studios address history and theory, cultural and environmental analysis, integrative design thinking, interdisciplinary teamwork, and professional presentation.

Program Details

See below for program details about the Master of Architecture program.

For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.

Degree Tracks & Accreditation

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.

Program Course Overview

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.

Earn an MArch and MBA

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.

Scholarships and Assistantships

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.

STEM OPT

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.

Career Outlook

student presenting design

Our program has strong ties with the local and regional architecture, construction, and engineering community, fostering learning, networking, and employment opportunities. Our graduates have gone on to work for companies including NBBJ, Payette, SMMA, Amenta Emma Architects, Crosskey Architects, JCJ Architecture, S/L/A/M Collaborative, Tai Soo Kim Partners Studio, Tecton Architects, and Turner Construction.

Student Work Examples

Randy Begin

Master of Architecture, 2020

Begin '19, M'20, earned his undergraduate pre-professional architecture degree and Master of Architecture at the University of Hartford. He is working as an architectural designer at Amenta Emma Architects, after a year-long internship with the firm.

UHart helped prepare me for a real-world experience by exposing me to various professionals in the architectural field. There were several opportunities to travel to different cities, and network with different groups of professionals.

Admission Requirements

Interested in enrolling in the Master of Architecture program under the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture (CETA)? Here is what you need to submit your application.

Meet Your Success Counselor

Shannon Saleeba
Assistant Director of Graduate Success
Division of Graduate and Professional Studies

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Tuition
Summer 2023, fall 2023 and spring 2024 tuition rates for the Architecture, MArch program are below:
Per Credit Rate Flat Rate - Per Year
Architecture, MArch
$1,157.00 $25,780.00

Study Abroad Opportunities

student-life

The Master of Architecture program offers numerous opportunities for study abroad. In the second semester, students take a required travel studio that has visited and studied numerous locations including Cuba, Peru, Germany, Turkey, and Italy. Additionally, the program has an international exchange agreement within Hochsule Wismar in Germany, where many Hartford graduate students have spent a semester studying. Through programs built with adventurous faculty and partner universities, you can explore architecture around the world and study in various exotic locations.

Architecture Faculty

Jill Bambury
Assistant Professor
Architecture

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Michael J. Crosbie
Professor
Architecture

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Daniel Davis
Professor
Architecture

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Mohammadmehdi Danesh
Assistant Professor
Architecture

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James Fuller
Department Chair; Program Director, Architectural Design + Technology; Associate Professor
Architecture

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Daniel Horowitz
Director, Graduate Architecture Program; Visiting Assistant Professor; Fabrication Laboratory Manager
Architecture

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Elizabeth Petry
Associate Professor
Architecture

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Theodore Sawruk
Associate Professor
Architecture

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Yang Yang
PE; Associate Professor
Architecture
Civil, Environmental, and Biomedical Engineering

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Similar Programs

Student in a Barney graduate classroom

MBA/MARCH - Dual

Earn both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Architecture (MArch) at the same time. With just 24 courses and 88 credits, this unique program will open doors to your future in the architecture field.

Begin Your Graduate Experience With CETA