Bachelor of Architecture
IIT's architecture program is structured to develop professional architects who are well prepared in specialties of their choice. Architecture, "the liberal arts of the 21st century," effectively blends technology and the humanities and equips you to adapt to change. IIT maximizes the benefits of an architecture education with a uniquely concentrated yet flexible curriculum:
NAAB Accredited
IIT offers one of the few accredited five-year Bachelor of Architecture programs in the Midwest. Our carefully sequenced curriculum meets all the licensing standards for the practice of architecture, but saves you the additional cost and time required for the usual six-year (four-plus-two) programs.
Flexible
After completing your core courses and foundation studios in your third year, you'll select the advanced studio that allows you to pursue your specific interests. You can choose studios emphasizing low-rise housing, high-rise structures, public buildings, transportation buildings, or cultural institutions, among others.
Specialized
IIT lets you extend your credentials through professional specialization. You can choose to complete minors in related fields such as structural engineering or construction management, or pursue a specialization within architecture. Architecture specializations include digital design, landscape architecture, history and theory, design/build and planning.
Respected
At IIT, we view all of our students as prospective leaders and structure our academic program to prepare them for this responsibility. Employers recognize the impact of these efforts and offer rewarding employment to IIT graduates. Throughout the world, many of today's most successful architecture firms are led by IIT alumni.
Our Progressive Approach
The First Three Years
IIT offers a progressive approach to architecture education. During the first three years, a highly structured curriculum provides solid foundations for
- architectural practice, including studio work;
- structural and mechanical engineering, math, and physics;
- art and architectural history;
- housing and ecological planning.
While most universities spread out this material over five or six years, IIT concentrates this core knowledge up front.
The Last Two Years
The benefit of our progressive approach is that during your last two years, you'll be able to "learn the way you'll work" in an environment that parallels professional practice.
You'll enter the architectural studio of your choice to pursue independent, comprehensive, applied-design projects in collaboration with senior faculty and practicing architects.
As your career directions become better defined, you'll also be free to explore a wide range of architectural electives so you can pursue a minor or a professional specialization or simply delve into topics that interest you.
Your forward-loaded education prepares you to achieve a portfolio of more advanced projects during the fourth and fifth years that will demonstrate your professional competence and strengthen your employment opportunities.
View Bachelor of Architecture program of study
Learn more about:
B.Arch. studios
Architecture electives
Specializations in architecture
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