Architecture at MassArt is foremost a social art, with a hands-on approach to building, gaining its strength from MassArt’s legacy as an educational institution that provides affordable access to students from diverse backgrounds.
Beginning in the first summer of Track I, the program connects history, drawing, structure, hands-on fabrication, and responsibly created design to focus students on a path to develop three essential attributes: their individuality, a strong ability to collaborate, and a shared sense of values. Each faculty member is committed to combining education and practice to reinforce these values. The curricular building blocks are expressed through the development of studios centered on emerging subjects and trends in the architectural profession. Students acquire skills that are applied through collaborations with the community, offering an opportunity to engage with the public.
The focus on making, along with the department’s commitment to current challenges in the built environment, aligns with the public mission of our school. Within this context the program has developed initiatives with the non-profit community in the greater Boston area, and over several years the department has collaborated with community partners on the creation of design options, construction, and development of projects. These partnerships are central to the development of architects who are socially responsible citizens.
The program offers electives that appeal across departments, augmenting the College’s 3D fine arts offerings, and providing students access to superior shop facilities and new shop equipment, such as the laser cutter with current software, 3-D printers, and a range of computer labs. Additional support for students is provided through course assistants and lab/shop monitors. Collaboration, shared values, and mutual support for project-based learning allows students to evolve strategies that engage a complex set of skills to inform their projects.
Track 1: a 2.5-year program for students with an undergraduate degree outside the field of architecture (102 credits). This Track includes preprofessional coursework (42 credits) followed by professional coursework (60 credits), and may be completed in eight continuous terms including three summers.
Track 2: a 2-year program of professional coursework for students with an undergraduate degree in architecture (60 credits). This program may be completed in five continuous semesters including two summers.
