University of the District of Columbia
College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability & Environmental Sciences
The program stresses the importance of design as a tool for creating sustainable urban environments through research-based academic collaboration with partners in the health professions, nutrition science, environmental studies, water resource management, agriculture and Cooperation Extension Services. The program resides in the only urban land-grant institution in the nation. A major focus is the relationship between architecture and urban agriculture, as we strive to provide leading edge ideas on farming and food security in urbanized areas. We believe that urban architecture and design is a rigorous act of creativity, research and scholarship. This process is informed by a desire to improve the lives of the residents of the District of Columbia by providing sustainable and healthy environments. We also recognize the plurality of cultures in the District and the world, and respond in that light. Our land grant center, the Architectural Research Institute (ARI) offers a research and community service agenda that utilizes the University's human resources and capital assets to support the District of Columbia's mission of providing affordable and energy efficient shelter to its citizens. As a UDC Academic Center of Excellence, the Department exemplifies the University's urban land grant mission. Indeed, in addition to the academic program, the Department provides a city-wide forum for exchange, debate and outreach education about critical cultural and social issues that frame community planning and design.
https://www.udc.edu/causes/architecture/
Setting
The University of the District of Columbia offers both a Bachelor of Science in Architecture pre-professional degree (BSc. Arch.) and a Master of Architecture first professional degree (M.Arch.). The M.Arch. program is currently in candidacy for accreditation by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), and anticipates receiving full accreditation in 2017. For more information reference the NAAB website at http://www.naab.org/accreditation/candidacy. The BSc. Arch degree program is four years long and requires 120 credit hours to complete. The full program can be viewed here. The M.Arch. (track I) program is for students with a pre-professional degree in architecture and can be completed it three semesters. It requires 49 credit hours to complete. The full program can be viewed here. For students with a non-architecture undergraduate degree, we offer an accelerated program of study in our M.Arch. (track II). This program requires 85 credit hours to complete.
School Philosophy
The Urban Architecture and Community Planning program seeks to educate the next generation of architects with an emphasis on developing the sustainable infrastructure and urban sustainability initiatives of the District of Columbia and urban areas around the world.
VISION
To become a national leader among architecture and urban sustainability programs, in training our graduates to address critical issues and growing concerns about food security, food safety and sustainable resource management (e.g. improved storm-water management in dense urban neighborhoods, high efficiency energy generation, energy and/or carbon neutral design, and vertical food production in urban spaces- including rooftops and balconies).
GOALS
To capitalize on collaborative opportunities within CAUSES and the University as a whole to:
• Provide experiential learning, which will position our graduates for employment opportunities immediately upon graduation
• Engage the faculty and graduate students in research relevant to the mission and vision of the program
• Contribute to the land grant mission of the University and the workforce development efforts through certificate programs, which will prepare participants for national exams leading to professional credentials
Programs
Our land-grant center, the Center for Architectural Innovation and Building Science (CAIBS) offers a research and community service agenda that utilizes the university’s human resources and capital assets to support the District of Columbia’s mission of providing affordable and energy efficient shelter to its citizens. With the five land-grant centers, our students have opportunities to become involved in research, and hands-on experience in solving real-world problems facing the Nation's urban areas. Our curriculum is tied in very closely with efforts across the College and University. In the classroom, students are learning to solve critical issues in a collaborative an multi-disciplinary environment.
of Focus
1. Sustainability & High Performance Build Enviroments
2. Resilience
3. Public Health
4. Community Design
5. Building Technologies
6. Materials and Construction
7. Urbanism
8. Industry Collaborations
Opportunities
Cross-disciplinary experience
Teaching / Research assistantships
Facilities
Large-format Printer
Laser Cutter
Woodshop
3D Printing
Policies
Transfer Policies
Transfer applicants are required to submit all of the following for admission:
Completed online application for Transfer Applicants
Non-refundable $35.00 application fee
Official college transcript(s) reflecting all course work and grades from all post-secondary institutions attended. At the time of APPLICATION, transfer students must submit transcripts from all institutions attended.
Failure to do so may result in the denial of transfer credits. We will only review credits for transcripts received prior to your admission to UDC. UDC will not accept requests to apply credits for which we have no transcripts prior to your admission.
Official high school transcript(s), or copy of GED diploma and test scores or equivalent, with date of graduation from all secondary institutions attended
