Why study Architectural Studies?

The study of architecture is, broadly speaking, the culturally responsible design and production of the built environment that is useful, durable, meaningful, inspiring, and responsive to its physical and social contexts. Architects can specialize in the design of a particular scale of the built environment, as urban designers, building architects, or interior designers, or specialize in a particular building type, such as residences, shopping facilities, hospitals, schools, houses of worship or office buildings. Architectural studies allows students to study the context, theory, and principles involved in the design of structures and cities at all these scales.

Career Possibilities

The professional practice of architecture and/or interior design requires a professional degree in the discipline. The Architectural Studies minor allows students to study the fundimental principles and values of the disciplines. Upon taking the minor, some students might choose to pursue further study and become an architect, an interior designer, or a practioner of a related field. This further study may include enrolling in SAID's Master of Architecture degree program, or in the School's Bachelor of Science in Interior Design degree program.

Minoring in Architectural Studies

A minor in architectural studies provides the underpinning history of significant architectural works, with buildings reflecting the social, cultural, political and technological circumstances of their culture. Sustainability in all its dimensions will be explored and understood as an important contemporary influence in forming the built environment. The professional practices of urban design, architecture, and interior design, and the multiples roles design professionals assume in realizing their designs are introduced and explored. Students can choose to focus their elective courses on history, theory and criticism, urbanism, real estate development, or building technology.

Students complete courses in environmental design principles, architecture history, and sustainable building science, and can choose electives from such areas as urban planning, architecture theory, and/or design thinking and problem solving.

Major Maps

• Guide: Architectural Studies 2022

Advising

Students interested in this certificate should work with their major advisors to confirm the compatibility with their major's requirements and course schedules. Questions about the certificate should contact DAAP Admissions at daap-admissions@uc.edu or 513-556-1376.

UC Advantages and Special Opportunities

• The city of Cincinnati, once called the "Queen City of the West" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, provides an excellent array of cultural resources for students who intend to pursue study in the visual arts. It offers the energy and assets of a larger city, along with quiet neighborhoods steeped in rich traditions. Cincinnati offers live music venues that range from top-notch symphony and opera companies to a growing pop and rock community. Home to the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Taft Museum and the Contemporary Arts Center, the city also enjoys the presence of numerous art galleries and a strong support system among practicing artists. Cincinnati is situated within driving distance of Chicago, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and New York City, allowing DAAP students to take advantage of the rich cultural resources of these cities as well.
   
• UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) is one of the most comprehensive colleges of its type in the country. A collection of nationally respected design and art programs is housed in a unique and educationally stimulating architectural setting. Architecture students have opportunities to enroll in courses in a range of related disciplines and to participate in interdisciplinary studios or special projects.
   
• Students learn creative and technical skills in the classroom environment, taught by a passionate faculty who interact with their students on a daily basis. The goal is to guide students as they grow both intellectually and professionally.
   
• The DAAP college library has an outstanding collection of books, periodicals and visual resources supporting architecture, planning, design, art history and related subjects. Access to library holdings is provided by an automated online catalogue, UCLID, which provides access to the University of Cincinnati Library information database, and through OhioLINK, the holdings of other academic libraries throughout Ohio.
   
• The Computer Graphics Center is a state-of-the-art university facility with hardware that includes PCs, Apple computers and peripherals such as scanners, plotters and digital video-editing suites. Students have access to sophisticated graphics equipment and receive hands-on instruction to augment the use of laptops in the classroom.
   
• The college supports a Rapid Prototyping Center, which is the home of state-of-the-art equipment that allows students to create communication aids for their design projects. Using CAD (computer-aided design) models, students are able to create physical models using three basic methods: 3-D printing, large format laser-cutting and CNC (computer numeric control) devices. This facility is intended for all DAAP students to use in creating large-scale design.

Admission Requirements

Students declaring the Architectural Studies minor must be a student in good standing, with a GPA over 2.7, with at least one academic year of study remaining in one of the University of Cincinnati’s Baccalaureate degree programs that is not offered by the School of Architecture and Interior Design.

Application Deadlines

Students should turn in the application to the DAAP Student Affairs Office, 5470 Aronoff.

Accreditation