At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
The Architecture Studies Minor will permit students in other majors the opportunity to gain insight into the discipline of Architecture. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Architecture or Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree programs are not eligible to enter the Minor in Architecture Studies. However, students transferring out of Architecture may opt to receive recognition for their efforts and time spent in the major by completing requirements for the minor. The minor is intended to augment study in allied design majors, but graduates may not pursue licensure to practice Architecture.
What is Architecture?
The study of architecture is a broad endeavor combining the arts and humanities with engineering, science, and technology. It is a global study – from piazzas in Italy to rural contexts to information networks spanning physical and virtual domains. As creative designers, architects reflect the history, philosophy, dreams, habits, and values of a culture through buildings and spaces. Architects create responsible solutions to the needs of clients and the natural circumstances of sites. The profession spans the classical to the cutting-edge, and studying architecture encourages exploration across a range of interests, and provides flexibility to develop academic concentrations or pursue minors. The architecture studio is a laboratory in which design synthesizes history, theory, structural systems, building materials, environmental control systems, visual communications, professional practices, and systems integration.
You Might Like This Program If...
- You're fascinated by the intersection of spaces, cultures, history, and people.
- You think deeply and love to create.
- You're compelled by art, technology, and the environment.
- You like formulas and experimentation.
- You want to impact society.
- You are self-motivated and enjoy the balance of teamwork and working independently.
- You honor tradition while inventing novel practices.
- You welcome responsibility.
- You think and act with precision.
- You take risks.
- You want to explore, discover, and invent.
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 21 |
Requirements for the Minor
6 credits must be at the 400-level.
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Architectural History and Theory: | ||
| ARCH 100 | Architecture and Ideas  | 3 |
| or ARCH 210 | Ideas Across Time in Architecture and Urbanism | |
| Select 3 credits of the following: | 3 | |
| Analysis of Human Settlements: Cities | ||
| Ancient to Medieval Architecture | ||
ARTH 202 | ||
| Cultural Perspectives in Architecture: | ||
| Select 3 credits of the following: | 3 | |
ARCH 312 | ||
| Analysis of Human Settlements: Cities | ||
| Theory of Modern Japanese Architecture | ||
| Foreign Studies | ||
| Asian Art and Architecture | ||
| Introduction to the Art and Architecture of the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas | ||
| American Architecture | ||
ARTH 315 | ||
ARTH 330 | ||
| Greek Art and Architecture | ||
| Pioneers of Modern Architecture | ||
| The Gothic Cathedral | ||
ARTH 413 | ||
| The Skyscraper | ||
| Russian Architecture | ||
| Monuments of Asia | ||
| Renaissance and Baroque Palaces | ||
| The City 1600-1800 | ||
| Art and Empire: Aztec, Inca and Spanish | ||
ASIA 315 | ||
ASIA 440 | ||
| Built Environment and Culture: Examining the Modern City | ||
| Architectural Design Applications: | ||
| Select 6 credits of the following: | 6 | |
| Visual Communications I 1 | ||
| Visual Communications II 1 | ||
| Basic Design and Research I (3 credits max) 2 | ||
| Basic Design Studio I 1 | ||
| Basic Design Studio II 1 | ||
| Integrative Energy and Environmental Design | ||
| Architectural Design Analysis 2 | ||
ARCH 443 | ||
| Digital Design Media | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Foreign Studies | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Architectural Capstone or Supporting Course: | ||
| Select 3 credits within ARCH 3 | 3 | |
| Architectural Supporting Course: | ||
| Select 3 credits in ARCH or in specific AE or LARCH courses from an approved department list 3 | 3 | |
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Christine Gorby
Associate Professor of Architecture
319 Stuckeman Family Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-3741
clg15@psu.edu
Career Paths
The Architecture Studies Minor is a stepping stone for those seeking careers in architecture and related fields, or who wish to pursue a professional architecture degree, after which, they can undertake internships and professional state licensing examinations required for registration as architects. The Architecture Studies Minor is a passageway to further one's studies at the graduate level in design-related fields. The diversity and broad inquiry integral to architectural studies form a natural path to advanced studies in architecture, landscape architecture, computer science, geography, urban studies, system logistics, art history, and more.
Careers
Architecture is a broad, rigorous, and rich course of study that opens doors to careers in nearly limitless fields. Graduates from the Penn State’s Department of Architecture have designed digital environments for major motion pictures, created branding and advertising for Fortune 100 companies, started businesses converting recycled materials into high-end lighting products, and designed custom jewelry. Note: Students interested in a degree program that provides a direct path to pursue licensure and professional practice should undertake the B.Arch. professional degree program.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES WITH A MINOR IN ARCHITECTURE STUDIES
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
Architecture Studies Minor students may opt to pursue graduate programs in specialized topics or focus areas. Students interested in advanced research will be well-positioned to pursue a Master of Science in Architecture (M.S. in Arch) degree. The Penn State M.S. in Arch program is designed to strengthen the intellectual underpinnings of students' undergraduate work through intensive studio investigations, design applications, and rigorous theoretical inquiry. Alternately, students might consider application to Penn State’s M.Arch. professional degree in preparation for professional practice and licensure as an architect.
Contact
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
121 Stuckeman Family Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-9535
aaug@psu.edu