Architecture Degrees Online

Entrance Requirements
Applicants must have successfully completed:
English 30-1 (English 30) or 30-2 (English 33)
Math 30-1 (Pure) or Algebra 35
one of Physics 30 (recommended), Chemistry 30 or Science 30

Applicants who have completed other math courses, such as the previous Alberta Learning designations of Math 30 and Math 33, will be considered on an individual basis by the registrar. Math updating or upgrading may be required.

While a high-school diploma is not required for this program, some employers and post-secondary institutions may require it for employment or acceptance into a program.

Applicants must have a basic undertanding of MS Office, Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
Applicants must also submit a Career Investigation for successful entrance into this program.

Applications must be received before March 31 to be considered for the following fall intake. Applications received after March 31 may be placed on a waiting list.

Academic Upgrading
Not meeting the requirements to enter the program of your choice? Consider the academic upgrading options offered at NAIT.

Non-academic Requirements
Students must have access to a laptop computer for the duration of the program. Architectural Technology students use their laptop computers to learn professional software. For more information on the requirements for a laptop computer and software, contact the program office at 780.471.8580.

Selection Criteria
Student selection is competitive and based on criteria that may include academic achievement beyond the stated minimum prerequisites. The minimum academic achievement for competitive selection in 2006-07 was a combined average of 63% or more in the prerequisite courses required for admission.

Career Investigation
The Career Investigation is a report applicants prepare as part of the application process for many full-time programs at NAIT. Your Career Investigation must accompany your program application.

Architectural technologists assist in translating design concepts into graphic images, and then converting those images into technical drawings and specifications that result in creation of the built environment. Students in the Architectural Technology program learn freehand sketching techniques, but the program’s main emphasis is on manual and computer-aided drawing skills.

To prepare for the workplace, students receive extensive training in:
building products and materials
structural analysis and design
building science
mechanical and electrical systems
other relevant topics

Additional Options

1. In conjunction with the School of Engineering, a B.S.A.T. with a concentration in Energy Management is offered. This program trains the student in areas of building technology and construction with a particular emphasis on energy management and the development of energy use policies. The program allows the student to substitute courses in energy management for general elective credits required by the B.S.A.T. program.

2. In conjunction with the School of Management, a B.S.A.T. with a concentration in business administration is offered. This program enables students to compliment a growing expertise in construction technology with organization and management skills. The program allows the student to substitute courses in business for general elective credits required by the B.S.A.T. program.

3. In conjunction with the School of Engineering, a combined B.S.A.T. in Energy Management and Master of Science in Energy Management is offered. This five year program is offered to qualified undergraduate architecture students who undertake 18 credits of graduate-level energy management courses in a fifth year of study. This program permits attainment of the combined degrees in five years of full time study. Interested students must declare their intention to pursue this option by formal submission to the deans of the School of Architecture and Design and the School of Management.

The Bachelor of Science in Architectural Technology is a non-professional degree that permits the successful student to gain a license to practice architecture in the state of New York but does not make the degree holder eligible for NCARB certification. Should the successful Bachelor of Science in Architecture Technology graduate later seek to gain a first professional degree in architecture, he or she could pursue a first professional degree Bachelor of Architecture or a first professional degree Master of Architecture.

Those students in the B.S.A.T. program can concentrate their studies in advanced computer aided design (CAD) or construction management.

With a focus in advanced CAD, the B.S.A.T. candidate undertakes upper-level courses covering the use of computers in areas such as the preparation of construction drawing, the planning of advanced structures, the preparation of three-dimensional visual representations, as well as the use of computers in modern construction management. Upper-level courses in contract management, construction supervision, and real estate fundamentals make up the offer of the B.S.A.T. with a concentration in construction management. Two semesters of design fundamentals in the first-year design studios introduce the student to the basic principals of three-dimensional design through a series of composition, planning, and introductory design problems. In the second year, progressively more demanding problems, in addition to significant building design analysis exercises, are undertaken.

The student who is accepted into the Bachelor of Architecture program is required to complete Design III through Design VIII, or an additional six semesters of design studios. In the third year, students are required to solve architectural problems involving small but increasingly more complex building programs. Urban and community design and building design programs requiring inventive structural systems are emphasized in the fourth year. In the fifth and final year of the program, students undertake a terminal thesis project, individually chosen, that serves to demonstrate a cumulative grasp of all of the factors that influence the design of a complex work of architecture.

In the fourth and final year of the Bachelor of Science in Architecture Technology curriculum, the student is required to complete a capstone Project Integration Studio in which all aspects of a building design and architectural technology are fully explored and integrated into one comprehensive exercise. Although the design studios form the core of the experience at the School of Architecture and Design, complementary avenues of study and inquiry operate as essential aspects of the program and the training of students. Courses in architectural history introduce the student to the history of the built domain from the earliest times to the present. Methods of historical building design analysis and interpretation are introduced to the student through the study of great architectural monuments, as well as through the study of cities. Architectural history is introduced not only as a chronology of building development, but as a body of knowledge, an anthology, that serves as a tool in the design process. In addition to the survey courses, the school offers history seminars in areas such as architectural theory, the history of building technology, and the history of urban planning. A coordinated sequence of drawing and computer courses provide students with the skill to visualize and document design ideas starting with an introductory course focusing on hand drawing and the use of art media and concluding with a course on advanced digital visualization and rendering. The NYIT School of Architecture and Design program is widely respected by the professional community for its course offerings in areas of building technology. Technical competence is cultivated by exposure to an array of course offerings that cover all aspects of building materials, structural systems, and mechanical and electrical systems. The management of the construction process is covered by comprehensive upper level courses that focus on the procedures of professional practice and construction supervision as well as contemporary use of computers in construction industry.The technology faculty, as active members of the construction community, brings real world experience to the coursework and maintains an up-to-date bridge between the curriculum and changes in professional practice.

The purpose of the Architecture specialization program is to supply graduates to business and industry. In addition to being needed by architectural firms, architectural drafters are needed by contractors, local government offices, renovation firms, building supply firms, and other related industries.

Approximately 15 credits will include courses in architectural technology with the remaining courses in drafting, general education, and electives. Instruction will include both the theoretical concepts and practical applications needed for future success. Students are advised to consult with their faculty advisor and a counselor to plan their program and select electives. Upon completion of the program, the graduate will receive an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Aided Drafting and Design with a specialization in Architecture.

Advanced Placement
Students who have completed a two-year high school drafting program with a “C” average or better and students who have had occupational experience as a drafter may qualify for advanced placement in the program. In the absence of articulation agreements, proficiency tests may be administered to aid in placement and to determine the amount of credit which can be awarded for previous occupational or educational experiences. The student is responsible for supplying evidence to qualify for advanced
placement. Students who plan to transfer to a four-year college after completing the A.A.S. degree
requirements should inform their academic advisors to determine the appropriate courses to meet college or university requirements, as they may differ from this program.

Admission requirements
The university has its own minimum admission requirements.

A. Applicants who hold a National Diploma (Architectural Technology) from the NMMU:

1) An average of 60% for Principles of Architectural Design III (final mark) and,

2) 60% as the average of the final marks for: Studio Work II and III, and Construction & Detailing II and III or

3) Applicants who don’t qualify in terms of the requirements stated above are required to write an entrance exam.

B. Applicants who hold a National Diploma: Architectural Technology or a first degree in Architecture from another accredited tertiary institution/section must sit for the entrance examination referred to in point 3 above.

The qualification aims to produce senior architectural technologists who will be competent to design at the intermediate level and with the aid of the latest electronic tools, perform and control the technical aspects of architectural practice at an advanced level.

While design forms an integral part of the course the focus remains on the practical/ technological aspects of architectural practice. This includes an emphasis on ‘green design’ and the particular needs of developmental communities.

Students who have completed this course may register for the MTech: Architectural Technology programme or may register for the 3rd year of the BAS programme in order to gain entry into the MArch (Prof) programme.

The Department of Architecture’s professional architecture programme is a two-degree programme: a three-year Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies (BAS), and a two-year Master’s degree in Architecture (MArch).

Once you have the BAS degree, should you decide not to proceed further, and once you have complied with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession’s (SACAP) practical training requirements, you can register as a senior architectural technologist.

Once you have the MArch (Professional) degree and have complied with SACAP’s practical training requirements, you can register as a full professional architect.

BAS graduates may also register for MTech: Architectural Technology after completing one year of work in an architectural practice.

An architectural technologist is a specialist in the technological aspects of building design and construction, bridging the gap between design theory and construction practice. This industry-focused course provides you will the skills required for employment in this specialist and high demand industry sector. As a designer you’ll be responsible for the development and completion of projects. You’ll learn to advise on appropriate technology and bring a creative attitude and detail to design, using both graphic and computer aided drafting techniques.

This course is very creative with plenty of practical experience allowing you to develop your design skills. You’ll gain a good level of understanding of the construction industry. The course is also accredited by the Chartered Institute for Architectural Technologists and the Chartered Institute of Building.

An architectural technologist is a specialist in the technological aspects of building design and construction, bridging the gap between design theory and construction practice. This industry-focused course provides you will the skills required for employment in this specialist and high demand industry sector. As a designer you’ll be responsible for the development and completion of projects. You’ll learn to advise on appropriate technology and bring a creative attitude and detail to design, using both graphic and computer aided drafting techniques.

This course is very creative with plenty of practical experience allowing you to develop your design skills. You’ll gain a good level of understanding of the construction industry. The course is also accredited by the Chartered Institute for Architectural Technologists and the Chartered Institute of Building.

You’ll learn creative and technical skills relating to the design and technical aspects of building, such as computer aided design, design, specification and modelling. As well, you’ll develop knowledge and abilities in related area, such as management and conservation.