The Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies teaches students the rigorous design methods of architecture while also offering a flexible curriculum focused on key contemporary topics related to the built environment. After a common sequence of design, history, and technology courses, students may choose from a rich array of electives in the School of Architecture and throughout the university. The culmination of the major is a single capstone course required for all students.
Students will emerge with a strong portfolio, a foundational grounding in architectural design, and will be well equipped for further graduate education or work experience in design-related fields and creative industries. The Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies can be completed in four years. Students in this major participate in one six-month co-op and have the option of a second four-month summer co-op. Students also have the option to study abroad for a semester.
Students may choose from one of three areas of emphasis—real estate; sustainability; or history, theory, and culture—or work with the department to put together a customized plan of study.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
NUpath Requirements Natural and Designed World (ND), Creative Expression/Innovation (EI), Interpreting Culture (IC), Societies and Institutions (SI), and Difference and Diversity (DD) are met through the major course requirements.
NUpath Requirements Formal and Quantitative Reasoning (FQ), Analyzing and Using Data (AD), and Ethical Reasoning (ER) must be met through electives.
Architectural Studies Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture at Northeastern | ||
| Architecture at Northeastern | ||
| General Architecture and Studio | ||
| ARCH 1110 | Fundamental Architectural Representation | 4 |
| ARCH 1120 | Fundamental Architectural Design | 6 |
| ARCH 2130 | Site, Space, Program | 6 |
| ARCH 2140 | Urban Housing | 6 |
| ARCH 3170 | Architecture, Infrastructure, and the City | 6 |
| Technology | ||
| ARCH 2260 | Introduction to Building Systems | 4 |
| History | ||
| ARCH 1310 | Buildings and Cities, A Global History | 4 |
| ARCH 2340 and ARCH 2341 | Modern Architecture and Recitation for ARCH 2340 | 4 |
| Architecture History Electives | ||
| Choose any course in the range of ARCH 2300 to ARCH 2399. | 4 | |
| Capstone | ||
| ARCH 4960 | Architectural Studies Capstone | 4 |
Major Electives
Students who wish to be considered for Northeastern's two-year Master of Architecture degree should take Architectonic Systems (ARCH 2240) and Structural Systems (ARCH 5230).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete six of the following elective courses. At least four courses must be taken in the School of Architecture. At least two must be above the 2000 level: | 24 | |
Any ARCH or LARC course | ||
| Real Estate | ||
| Marketing Strategies for Startups | ||
| Design Thinking for Startups | ||
| Integrated Studies in Entrepreneurial Startups | ||
| Global Social Enterprise | ||
| Introduction to Marketing | ||
| Sustainability | ||
| How Cities Work: Experiencing Urban Infrastructure | ||
| Environmental Engineering: Principles, Technology, and Sustainability | ||
| Design for Sustainable Transportation: Netherlands | ||
| Water Resources | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Sustainable Design and Technologies in Construction | ||
| Sustainable Engineering Systems for Buildings | ||
| History, Theory, and Culture | ||
| Information Design History | ||
| Interactive Media and Society | ||
| History of Graphic Design | ||
*Please be aware: Not all courses are available every semester and some have prerequisites.
Optional Preparation for Two-Year Master of Architecture
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| If students wish to be eligible for the two-year Master of Architecture program at Northeastern, they should take the four courses listed here. ARCH 2240 and 5230 may count as electives toward the major: | ||
| Architectonic Systems | ||
| Structural Systems | ||
| Calculus 1 | ||
| General Physics | ||
Architectural Studies Major Credit Requirement
Complete 72 semester hours in the major.
Program Requirement
128 total semester hours required
Sample Plan of Study
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARCH 1000 | 1 | ARCH 1110 | 4 | Elective | 4 | Vacation | |
| ARCH 1310 | 4 | ARCH 1120 | 6 | Elective | 4 | ||
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | EEAM 2000 | 1 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Architecture History Elective (1 of 2) | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 17 | 19 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARCH 2130 | 6 | ARCH 2140 | 6 | Optional Summer Co-op | Optional Summer Co-op | ||
| ARCH 2260 | 4 | ARCH 2340 and ARCH 2341 | 4 | ||||
| ARCH 2330 and ARCH 2331 | 4 | ENGW 3314 | 4 | ||||
| Architecture History Elective (2 of 2) | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Semester in Segovia (or Boston) | 14.4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | Vacation | |
| Language elective | 1.6 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ARCH 4960 | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 128 | |||||||