Boston Architectural College
School of Architecture
Emerging from design practice, the BAC’s School of Architecture educates students to become citizen architects who learn from faculty, professionals, and one another to envision a more equitable, ecological, social, and beautiful built environment. We believe resilient works of architecture integrate personal expression, theoretical frameworks, and building technology; design practice is a tangible form of applied research which accelerates change in society and in the professions. The BAC’s commitment to design practice and its community of students, educators, and professionals work and build collectively. The School of Architecture brings together diverse individuals to create a dialogue and to transform place and the larger world.
Setting
The BAC is an independent College of Spatial Design in Boston's thriving Back Bay neighborhood.
School Philosophy
Education at the BAC results from concurrent academic and practice-based learning that takes place in both the classroom and in the design workplace. Students learn their profession by being mentored by and working for practicing architects. The BAC views architecture as the art of making places for sustainable human habitation. Concurrent degree students work in the design profession during the day and attend classes that begin in late afternoon. This interplay of education and practice provides graduates with solid preparation for careers in design with a strong professional network and the opportunity to complete the internship requirements for NCARB licensing before graduation. The BAC has been accepted by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) for participation in its inaugural Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL), which significantly shortens the time it takes to attain licensure. As the first school in New England—and one of only 21 in the nation—chosen to be part of this innovative program, the BAC offers both Bachelor and Master of Architecture students the opportunity to earn licensure immediately upon graduation. The IPAL program is a structured experience that allows students to complete the requirements for architectural licensure while earning their degree.
Programs
The mission of the Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Architecture programs is to meet all professional requirements of a professionally accredited program and to prepare graduates for leadership roles to change the design professions. The professional program provides students with advanced analytic, research, and design abilities as well as the understanding of economic, social, and cultural context of design and accomplished records of learning and achievement within practice.
of Focus
1. Building Technologies
2. Historic Preservation
3. Public Health
4. Community Design
5. Resilience
6. Interior Design
7. Digital Design & Visualization
8. Sustainability & High-Performance Built Environments
Opportunities
Co-Op / Work Placement
IPAL
Teaching / Research assistantships
Online Courses
Summer Program
Facilities
Large-format Printer
Laser Cutter
Woodshop
3D Printing
CNC Milling
Fabrication Lab
Policies
Transfer Policies
Transfer into the BAC is central to our mission of accessibility, whether the student originates from community college, non-architecture majors, from another NAAB accredited program, or from a program in another country. Our goal with each student is to see them appropriately challenged in their coursework as they begin here. We see from entrance essays that our success with IPAL and the flexibility of our online track programs have led to an increase in applications, which challenges our meticulous and personalized transfer placement process, but, ultimately, it has strengthened it.
