Carnegie Mellon University
School of Architecture
The School of Architecture educates students in the discipline of architecture, with an emphasis on the role of creativity in architectural design; architecture’s historical, social and environmental contexts; critical engagement with technology in architectural innovation; and working ethically to achieve social progress and justice in the built environment. To prepare our students to address the three challenges of climate change, artificial intelligence and social justice, the school has developed three separate but interrelated pedagogies in Design Fundamentals, Design Research and Design Ethics. These pedagogies are informed by the global context and foster an ongoing dialogue within the school across our public programs, coursework and collective thinking.
In the 21st century, few architecture problems are straightforward. Our graduates excel in the roles architects have performed for centuries — and in new roles catalyzed by the depth and breadth of their education — to create and execute innovative solutions to a wide range of emerging global challenges.
Setting
Carnegie Mellon University, home to 10 colleges, is a top-tier, internationally recognized research university that ranks among the world's most renowned educational institutions. Carnegie Mellon Architecture, one of the United States’ top-ranked architecture programs, is situated within Carnegie Mellon’s College of Fine Arts, alongside the Schools of Art, Design, Drama and Music. Embedded within one of the world’s foremost technical research institutions, the school offers a wide range of transdisciplinary educational and research opportunities, intensified by a university culture of research excellence, interdisciplinary exploration, and creative inquiry. Carnegie Mellon is in Pittsburgh, Pa., home to universities and world-class healthcare, arts and cultural institutions. Pittsburgh has become increasingly recognized as a hub of tech-based business and livability.
School Philosophy
The School of Architecture offers a range of educational paths. Our robust community provides opportunities for students to pursue their individual research interests, travel for academic projects, and build a foundation to become discipline-defining designers and thinkers in global contexts. This world-class architecture education is enhanced by our position within one of the world’s leading research and entrepreneurship institutions, and by the fundamental premise that architectural excellence demands both rigorous training in fundamentals and the development of unique specializations. Students may extend their core knowledge through interdisciplinary interaction with Carnegie Mellon’s other renowned programs in the sciences, humanities, business and engineering. Though every student graduates with intensive architecture knowledge, no two graduates leave with the same education.
Programs
The School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University offers a range of educational paths, with two bachelor’s degree programs, seven master’s degree programs, and five doctoral programs. Carnegie Mellon Architecture offers two baccalaureate degree programs: the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) and the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (B.A.). Undergraduate students are admitted to the school without a declared degree program. By the end of the second year, students must select either the B.Arch or the B.A. Both programs begin with the same studio-based curriculum in the first year but then begin to diverge in terms of opportunities and outcomes. The master’s and Ph.D. programs allow students to pursue their interests in specialties including architectural design, construction management, building performance and diagnostics, computational design, sustainable and resilient design, urban design, and more.
of Focus
1. Digital Fabrication & Technology
2. Materials and Construction
3. Building Technologies
4. Resilience
5. Industry Collaborations
6. Urbanism
7. Digital Design & Visualization
8. Sustainability & High-Performance Built Environments
Opportunities
Cross-disciplinary experience
Teaching / Research assistantships
Summer Program
Study Abroad
Facilities
24 Hour Workshop
Large-format Printer
Laser Cutter
Woodshop
3D Printing
Metalshop
CNC Milling
Fabrication Lab
Robotics Lab
Policies
Transfer Policies
Carnegie Mellon University offers students the opportunity to transfer credits from other accredited institutions. Carnegie Mellon Architecture will consider both external and internal (current CMU students) transfer candidates for admission. Previous coursework for transfer credit is not evaluated as part of the admission process. More information about transfers is available in the student handbooks available on our Student Resources page [https://www.architecture.cmu.
