University of Arkansas
Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design
The Department of Architecture offers the five-year accredited Bachelor of Architecture degree and the four-year Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies. Our degrees balance the requirements, constraints, and challenges of an undergraduate professional education with the necessity for education in the humanities, the arts, and the sciences that comprise the intellectual core of a university education. Knowledge and skills gained through our educational efforts serve as the base for intellectual growth and in so doing promote the innovative, even inventive, application of specialized knowledge in defining and solving architectural problems and expanding the peripheries of practice. For students who wish to enter the architecture profession, we provide preparation for successful internship and for the increasing scope of responsibilities in practice, and we provide the impetus for life-long learning. At the center of our efforts is the necessity for understanding and knowledge in the history of architecture and our place in it, in theory and value-based philosophy, and in the range of technologies by which we implement and sustain our interventions in the built environment. With ever-increasing frequency, our graduates pursue, in the work place and through graduate education, varied careers within architecture and its allied professions. We have structured our curriculum for the education of architects, with the belief that design is a necessary endeavor of a civilized society.
http://fayjones.uark.edu/
Setting
The University of Arkansas is a nationally competitive, student-centered research university serving Arkansas and the world. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, serves as the major center of liberal and professional education and as the primary land-grant campus in the state. In addition, it is Arkansas' major source of theoretical and applied research and the provider of a wide range of public services to people throughout the state and nation. In serving its three-fold mission of teaching, research, and public service, the University strives to be recognized for excellence and continues to expand and strengthen its nationally and regionally competitive programs while maintaining a high level of competence in all programs.
School Philosophy
The programs at the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design are rooted in the best traditions of architectural education: responsibility and service to the societies and cultures to which we are inextricably connected, and the nurturing of the individual curiosity and capabilities of our students. We enthusiastically embrace the challenges of helping them in developing and refining essential skills, expanding their base of knowledge, sharpening their intellects, and polishing their sensibilities. We hope and trust that they leave us with a profound sense of confidence in themselves, and the conviction and capabilities necessary in dealing with the challenges and uncertainties they will confront in designing human habitat.
Programs
Undergraduate Program
The structure and content of the architecture curriculum are conceived to provide a sound foundation in the principal skills and fundamental knowledge necessary to all students seeking the accredited degree, while retaining sufficient flexibility to allow each student to define the particular professional and personal goals to which he or she aspires. The judicious use of core, professional and free electives allows students ample opportunities for pursuing minors outside the school, electing major or minor fields of concentration within the school, or simply enjoying a diverse general education. The professional core, composed of required courses in architectural technology, history and theory, practice, and, especially, the architectural design studio, anchors the curriculum in that body of knowledge which is essential to the practice of architecture. For the overwhelming majority of our students, the design studio is the heart of the professional core and the intellectual and creative focal point of each year of the curriculum, where ideas presented in parallel avenues of study are analyzed, synthesized, and critically engaged in the production of the semester's work.
Area of Focus and Research
Areas of Focus
The curriculum is designed for a balance between professional studies, general studies and electives, allowing the pursuit of special interests. Our students have 60 semester hours that may, in varying degrees and different ways, be seen as electives. This includes free electives, professional electives, and, collaborative studios within and outside our disciplines. This curricular structure affords opportunities for students to elect classes in other colleges, or a concentration in a sub-disciplinary specialization within the Fay Jones School.
Areas of Research
Our faculty pursue a diversity of research interests, ranging from historical scholarship and analysis to professional practice in architectural design, from theoretical inquiry and speculation to explorations of digital media, from energy management to community planning. Every faculty member has an agenda of research aimed both at producing knowledge, as well as complementing their teaching. The diverse range of investigations provides students with opportunities to engage in specialized research in line with their own interests and intended trajectories. The University of Arkansas Community Design Center offers one our most noteworthy interdisciplinary research opportunities, affording students the chance to engage in community-scaled design solutions integrating social and environmental measures into economic development.
Special Activities
All incoming freshman students in the Fay Jones School participate in the Leadership by Design Program intended to raise awareness of the unique potential design professionals have in fostering societal change through active leadership. All students in the accredited program are required, while students in the four-year degree have the opportunity, to participate in a semester-long international experience at either the University of Arkansas Rome Center or at our program housed in the Barragán Studio in Mexico City. Students also have the opportunity to engage in numerous design/build initiatives administered by our faculty including projects for local and remote institutions.
of Focus
1. Digital Fabrication & Technology
2. Materials and Construction
3. Historic Preservation
4. Public Health
5. Community Design
6. Resilience
7. Sustainability & High Performance Build Enviroments
8. Interior Design
Opportunities
Co-Op / Work Placement
Cross-disciplinary experience
Summer Program
Study Abroad
Facilities
Large-format Printer
Laser Cutter
Woodshop
3D Printing
Metalshop
CNC Milling
Fabrication Lab
Policies
Transfer Policies
Finishing your college journey is important. We understand that when your path towards graduation includes two or more colleges the journey can be complicated. The process of simply returning to college can be full of questions. To help you achieve your goals, you need a community of people dedicated to helping you achieve your goals. We encourage you to use the information we provide to make your journey as smooth as possible and know we are here to assist you in accomplishing your academic goals. You can download our Transfer Guide here: (https://admissions.uark.edu/_resources/downloads/uark_transfer_guide_2018.pdf)
