Degree Programs
Pre-Professional Studies
The Catholic University of America offers a four-year pre-professional undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Architecture (B.S. Arch) degree. The undergraduate program is offered to those seeking a foundation in the field of architecture, either as preparation for continued education in a professional degree program, or for employment options in fields related to architecture. The undergraduate program in architecture consists of 126 semester credit hours of study, usually accomplished in four years of study. Students in the BS. Arch program have the option to join the Integrated Path to Architecture License (IPAL) program. Students in the B.S. Arch program also have the option of earning a joint degree, a BS. Arch and a BS Civil Engineering; see Interdisciplinary Studies below. There also exists an undergraduate program for those students not interested in licensure, the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Architectural Studies. The undergraduate curriculum introduces the student to the world of architecture in increasingly intensive stages. The first year of study includes a grounding in the liberal arts and introductory courses in design. The remaining years provide an intensive education in the art and science of design.
Art Degrees
Through courses both within and outside the School, art majors are provided with a broad introduction to the humanities, as well as a sophisticated initiation into the practice, theory, and appreciation of the arts. The major in art & design takes two courses each in the fundamentals of design, drawing and composition, and art history, followed by a three-course sequence in painting, sculpture or digital arts, plus one additional studio art elective. Art & design majors are also required to take contemporary art history. The major in art history takes two survey courses in the history of art and architecture, one studio course, and a selection of specialized courses from each of the following three periods: Ancient and Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque, Modern and Contemporary. Majors in both programs take Junior and Senior Seminar. Art history majors complete a Junior and Senior Art History Thesis, and take comprehensive examinations in their senior year. Art & design majors produce a creative project under the direction of two art faculty advisors to fulfill the senior assessment requirement.
Interdisciplinary Studies
For undergraduates, a joint degree program leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Bachelor of Civil Engineering is available to students who want to combine the practice of architecture and engineering. Interested students should contact the School of Architecture and Allied Arts for specific information.
Professional Studies
CUA offers several options for earning the Master of Architecture professional degree. The two-year M.Arch. program is intended for students with a four-year undergraduate pre-professional degree in architecture, a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. Select students graduating from CUA with a four-year Bachelor of Science in Architecture may be eligible for advanced standing, thereby reducing graduate study from four semesters to three semesters. The three-year M.Arch. program is intended for students who hold an undergraduate degree in a field other than architecture or a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Architecture. These Master of Architecture degree programs are fully accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).