Drexel University
Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Drexel University has been committed to work/study programs since its founding in 1891. Evening study creates an opportunity for concurrent full-time employment in architectural firms and opens the study of architecture to a great diversity of students. Transfer students are accepted from professional and pre-professional programs. The Architecture Program also offers the Two + Four Option for students who are just graduating from high school. This option combines two years of full-time study with four additional years in the part-time evening program. In the third year these students start full-time employment with placement assistance from the Architecture Program, providing a head start to their professional careers. The Drexel program offers the ability to work and to advance in the profession while pursuing a professional degree. This advantage is supported by a rich variety of outstanding offices in the Philadelphia region. Drexel students often develop positions of responsibility in their firms, and full-time work experience before graduation receives credit toward state licensing requirements. It is not unusual for Drexel students to pass their registration exams immediately following graduation. The part-time evening format enables the Architecture Program to draw on the expertise and experience of the professional community in the Philadelphia area and to maintain a strong practitioner faculty.
http://www.drexel.edu/westphal/undergraduate/ARCH/
Setting
The Drexel campus is located on the edge of central Philadelphia in University City, a neighborhood that includes several centers of education and research. Students have ample opportunities for outside cultural, educational, and architectural experiences. Libraries, museums, theaters, and concert halls are within easy reach. Philadelphia offers an unparalleled collection of landmark buildings and examples of urban planning that span 325 years. This rich tradition makes the city an ideal laboratory for the study of architecture.
School Philosophy
Graduates should master the basic knowledge and skills of professional practice, as well as developing an awareness of the values and aspirations of contemporary society. Drexel's work/study opportunity offers a continuous dialogue between school and work; between theory and practice. Placing students in this dual position reinforces the notion that the practice of architecture is a continuous learning process and that self-education continues after graduation. The goals of this program are appropriately transmitted by a carefully formed faculty of practitioners who are committed to Drexel's educational mission and are enthusiastic about Architecture's challenges.
Programs
There are two paths to the Bachelor of Architecture degree at Drexel. The Part-Time Evening Program: This course of study usually takes 7 years to complete, but transfer students with advanced studio placement will pursue shorter programs. The curriculum includes: (1) the studio design sequence (97 quarter credits); (2) required and elective architectural coursework (65 quarter credits); (3) general education requirements (69 quarter credits). Although the program permits considerable flexibility and choice in the selection and scheduling of coursework, the studio sequence regulates the student's progress. Studios offer problems of increasing formal, social, and technical complexity culminating in Studio 5 which emphasizes the integration of building systems into the design process. This studio is surrounded by two specialized years which significantly broaden the scope of architectural concern. Studio 4 stresses issues of environmental planning and sustainable design while Studio 6 focuses on issues of urban design and planning in an urban context. Year-long independent thesis projects complete the studio sequence. All evening classes meet once a week in 3 hour sessions. Most students take two or three courses per quarter. Students are expected to supplement their academic work through full-time employment in architectural offices. The Two + Four Option: This is an accelerated route for a small class of recent high school graduates into the part-time, evening B Arch program. Two years of full-time study address the basic principles of architectural design, fundamental university core requirements in the arts and sciences, as well as professional skills and knowledge needed for entry level professional positions. Full-time students are provided with dedicated studio facilities. In the third year, students begin full-time employment, with placement assistance from the Department, and continuetheir studies in the part-time evening program. This unique option provides Drexel students a head start to their professional careers.
of Focus
1. Art & Design
2. Community Design
3. Design/Build
4. Urbanism
Opportunities
Study Abroad
Facilities
Large-format Printer
Laser Cutter
Woodshop
3D Printing
CNC Milling
Fabrication Lab
Policies
Transfer Policies
Drexel takes into consideration a number of criteria when determining admission, including your college performance in relation to your desired major and essay.
Drexel assumes that you’ve completed coursework similar to Drexel’s curriculum. A reminder that if you have fewer than 24 semester college credits, you will also need to submit your high school transcript and SAT or ACT scores.
PREREQUISITES AND DEADLINES
Before beginning your application to Drexel, please review our Admission Prerequisites: (https://drexel.edu/undergrad/apply/prereqs/) and Application Deadlines.
