B.Arch. - Colleges, Courses, Fees & Scope

Overview

B.Arch. (Bachelor of Architecture) is generally a 4- 5 years long undergraduate professional level Degree course. This is the minimum qualification one needs to practice architecture. Architecture is the part of the study that involves the practice of design and construction of buildings.

Course and Curriculum

The course curriculum of B.Arch. includes subjects as Architecture Design, Theory of structures, building constructions, Building Management, History of Architecture, Architecture Appreciation, Architectural Drawing, Building science and services, workshop practice.

The application process for international students

Indian students who want to study architecture at a college or university abroad will need to meet the requirements of their particular school. Be sure to pay attention to the deadlines to increase the likelihood of a smooth and easy process.

USA

If you wish to stay and practice Architecture after completion of graduation, you need to earn a license by completing the state’s specific requirements you wish to practice. Choose a bachelor’s degree program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). You also need to gain some experience in the relevant field to get exposure to actual scenarios one is going to face while practicing. The final step involves clearing the Architect Registration Examination.

Cornell University in New York, Southern Institute of California in Los Angeles, and Rice University in Houston, Texas, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Berkeley (UCB), and Harvard University are some of the topmost universities providing this course.

There are technical requirements for entrance into a US Architecture program that includes are the following. These are the general guidelines as every university has its specific requirement, so please research for individual universities.

• Good percentage in 10th and 12th (above 90% in both for top 5 universities and top 20 above 75% with Maths and English as mandatory subjects)
• SAT Range: 1200-1570/1600 (writing, critical reading, and mathematics)/ ACT Range: 27-35. Minimum score differs for individual Universities.
• Letters of Recommendation from your recent professor.
• TOEFL or IELTS (Above 6.0 band)- This is an English language testing assessment and it is necessary to score above 6.5 for top universities and 6.0 for other universities.
• Fees: It ranges anywhere from 35,000$ to 42,000 $ a year (tuition, books, room, and board). It also varies for different Universities.
• Living and Food generally costs 8,000 $-12,000$ per year

Work Permit After Graduation

As an F-1 visa (students visa) holder, you can only stay in the United States for 60 days after your graduation date. You may apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a program for undergraduate and graduate students on F-1 visas which allows students to stay and work in the United States for 12 months.

UK

To practice architect in the United Kingdom you must pass parts I, II and III of the RIBA’s (Royal Institute of British Architects) examinations. In UK B.Arch. is a full time 3 years course. Enroll in a course that’s been validated by RIBA to practice architect in the UK. After the successful completion of a three-year program, a student needs to go through one year of supervised professional experience. Then he can apply to register at Architects’ Registration Board (ARB)/Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) part one level qualification. A student is now eligible for applying for two-year M. Arch. which leads to an Architects’ Registration Board (ARB)/Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Part Two-level qualification. This March program can be done at any university of your choice. To achieve Full UK Architect professional status, one needs to achieve a year’s professional experience and clear Part Three-level exam.

Top Universities in the UK are University College London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Birmingham, Warwick and King's College London, Nottingham, Cambridge, Oxford, Bristol, Manchester.

Basic requirements for entrance into a UK Architecture program are as follows. These are the general guidelines as every university has its specific requirement, so please research for individual universities.

• Good percentage in 10th and 12th if from CBSE/ICSE BOARD (above 90% with Maths and English as mandatory subjects, have to pass in one attempt)/ IB  32-36 points in 12th (If you scored less than 90% in your boards you can do a 1 year bachelors course from India or in the UK and then, you can apply for BSc Architecture in the UK)
• Universities generally require standardized tests such as GRE, GMAT, MCAT, LSAT.
• TOEFL or IELTS (Above 6.0 band) or C1 advanced level.
• Fees: It ranges anywhere from 27,000-32,000 + international students need to pay college fees ranging from 7,000-12,000 a year.
• Living and Food generally costs 14,000 -16,000 a year
• Universities in the UK generally ask for a digital portfolio showing your understanding of art through drawings, photographs, images, models and a vision statement, so students should do an art course along with their 12th.
• Interviews are also conducted by universities for eligible students and you might require to take a written or practical assessment at the interview.

Work Permit After Graduation

There are different kinds of Visa one can apply for to stay and work in the UK after completion of Bachelor’s Degree, you may be eligible for Tier 2 (General) Visa, Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme and Tier 5 Temporary Worker.

Canada

B.Arch. is of 4 years in Canada. One needs to enroll in universities approved by Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) or Complete the Syllabus Program offered by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) as an alternative way to become an architect. Some of the Canadian universities offering Architecture courses are University of British Columbia, Carleton University, University of Montréal, McGill University, University of Waterloo, University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, Ryerson University, Laurentian University and the University of Calgary.

If you wish to work as an architect in Canada, you need to apply for the Internship in Architecture program. This program is for 3 years and is available through Architects Associations in each Canadian province. If accepted, the program will help you gain architecture experience in Canada or you can go for Master’s degree. On completion of the internship program, you need to pass an examination to qualify for a license, either at the provincial or territorial level. 

General criteria for admission to Canadian Universities are as follows:

• Good percentage in 10th and 12th if from CBSE/ICSE BOARD (above 70-80%)/ IB above 28 points in 12th
• TOFEL (iBT –above 80/PBT-570) or IELTS (Above 6.0 band) or C1 advance
• Fees: around 27,000 CAD and above annually
• Living and Food generally costs 9,000-12,000 CAD a year

Work Permit After Graduation

You may be eligible to work in Canada while studying and after you graduate, you may apply for a post-graduation work permit or open work permit for as long as 3 years.

Australia

B. Arch. in Australia is a full-time 3-year bachelor degree course which usually consists of a degree in arts or design with a major in architecture. To practice Architecture in Australia, you would need to undertake two-year Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) accredited degree program and then pass the national Architectural Practice Examination managed by  Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA). Following which you can get registered with the Architects’ Board in that jurisdiction and start practicing.

Some different bachelor degree courses are offered by Australia in Architecture:

• Bachelor of Design Architecture and Bachelor Of Laws
• Bachelor of Industrial Design
• Bachelor of Design (honors) In Architecture
• Master of Landscape Architecture
• Graduate Certificate in Garden Design
• Bachelor of Architecture and Built Environments

Some of Australian Universities offering Architecture courses are Bond University, Charles Darwin University, Curtin University of Technology, Deakin University, Griffith University, Monash University, Queensland University of Technology, RMIT University, The University of Melbourne, The University of Sydney, The University of Western Australia, University of Canberra, University of New South Wales, University of Newcastle, University of South Australia, and University of Tasmania.

General criteria for admission to Australian Universities are as follows:

• Above 65 % in 12th   if from CBSE/ICSE BOARD Foundations and Diploma programs are available in many universities to meet the prerequisite for students who have secured below 60%) / IB above 28 points in 12th
• TOEFL (iBT –above 84/PBT-575) or IELTS (Above 6.5 band) or PET OR CAE
• Fees: around $27,000- $39,000 annually
• Living and Food generally costs 8,000-11,500$ a year

Work Permit After Graduation

Graduating from Australia by completing a Bachelor’s degree you become eligible to apply for a two- year post-study work visa. You can also apply for 485 visas, wherein you are allowed to stay in Australia for 18 months to gain work experience if you have just completed at least two years of study in Australia.

Studying architecture abroad gives an option to the students of global exposure. Students get to understand many new perspectives on the subjects. Architecture is a subject that deals with both art and science aspect. It involves the design as well as the implementation of that design and so a hands-on practical approach will surely help in gaining an enhanced learning experience and an advanced skill-set.