State University of New York at Alfred State College
Alfred State College Architecture and Design
The Alfred State architecture experience goes beyond the design studio - cultivating engaged and collaborative life-long learners who build meaningful connections with the dynamic regional, national and global communities that surround us. Students develop into emerging professionals through a carefully planned sequence of applied learning and civic engagement experiences, and apply sustainable solutions to address social and environmental challenges using intergrated and innovative digital and building technologies.
https://catalog.alfredstate.edu/current/department/index.php
Setting
Most departmental facilities, workshops, the MakerSpace, and all design studios are accessible 24 hours a day by secure swipecard for student convenience. Each design studio is laptop-ready, and has customizable work stations. Studios also have networked printers, desktop scanners, white marker boards, floor-to-ceiling wallmounted pin-up/display panels, flat file storage, model storage, and high-resolution digital projectors. Students also have access to the department’s MakerSpace, digital fabrication lab, Center for Architecture and Remote Sensing, interior design product library, computer lab, and architecture library, in addition to the plotter room; HOPR, and soils, concrete, and material testing lab, which is maintained by another department within the school.
School Philosophy
The primary focus of our faculty is teaching – personal instruction that makes meaningful life-long connection with students – that has a powerful professional impact. Instructors bring a diverse blend of advanced architectural education, theoretical inquiry, practical experience, and professional credentials into the studio, making our faculty uniquely qualified to mentor students in design thinking, development, and production.
Programs
The Department of Architecture + Design offers a five-year first-professional Bachelor of Architecture degree (BArch) degree, a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in architectural technology, and a two-year Associate in Applied Science degree in architectural technology. These degrees are designed to serve various professional objectives for graduates entering the practice and profession of architecture. The BArch degree is the only fully accredited first professional undergraduate degree program available in the SUNY system.
The department also offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in interior design which provides graduates with fundamental knowledge and skills for entry-level positions in interior design.
The department emphasizes socially responsible design for the social good. This mission is enthusiastically supported by the faculty and the students.
The primary focus of our faculty is teaching – personal instruction that makes meaningful life-long connection with students – that has a powerful professional impact. Instructors bring a diverse blend of advanced architectural education, theoretical inquiry, practical experience, and professional credentials into the studio, making our faculty uniquely qualified to mentor students in design thinking, development, and production.
All aspects of design, building technology, social responsibility, and sustainability are integrated into the program through design studios which focus on the critical examination of the built environment and the role of the architect and designer as an agent of positive change. Students engage tectonic explorations alongside Building Information Modeling software which is situated within a broader digital fabrication continuum. This multi-faceted approach encourages students to create inspiring designs that are grounded in the realities of professional practice, better preparing graduates for the demands of the profession and workplace.
An Alfred State architectural education is a powerful platform upon which to build a career. Our students participate in hands-on opportunities to examine the regional built environment and learn through civic engagement projects in each design studio, which is the cornerstone of the Alfred State experience. Students explore their social responsibility as emerging professionals – to make the world a better place through design and professional conduct – in real-world environments from rural communities in New York’s Southern Tier, across the region and the world including the department's signature study abroad program in Sorrento, Italy.
of Focus
1. Art & Design
2. Materials and Construction
3. Building Technologies
4. Urbanism
5. Interior Design
6. Sustainability & High-Performance Built Environments
Opportunities
Online Courses
Study Abroad
Facilities
Large-format Printer
Laser Cutter
Woodshop
3D Printing
CNC Milling
Fabrication Lab
Robotics Lab
Policies
Transfer Policies
In order for transfer credit to be officially evaluated, we require official transcripts from the original institution or source. Preliminary credit evaluations are sent to the student by email after the admissions decision is made. Under the coordination of the transfer adviser, courses completed at an accredited institution recognized by the Department of Education and that can be applied toward graduation requirements at Alfred State will be reviewed for transfer approval by the department chair in which the course resides. Only those equivalent courses passed with a “C” or above can be given transfer credit (see sidebar). Please note, at least 30 credit hours (not including challenge credit) must be earned at Alfred State to receive a degree. This may limit the amount of transfer credit accepted.
