ELIGIBILITY
Am I eligible for the program?
The following are prerequisites for the M.Arch Program:
1. REQUIRED Bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution
2. REQUIRED Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) of 3.0 or better (on a 4-point scale) in the last two years of undergraduate study (also known as your advanced G.P.A.)
- Please calculate your GPA.
- Note that we do not require an uploaded GPA calculation worksheet.
- For those applicants whose undergraduate university does NOT use a 4-point scale, the calculation of an advanced GPA is NOT required. If this applies to your previous institution(s), please enter “N/A” in the GPA section.
3. REQUIRED For those applying without an Architecture degree: completion of college-level or equivalent calculus and introductory physics, including mechanics (by the time of admission); Must pass course with a grade of at least C minus.
For those who have taken Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus or Physics in high school, the following scores will satisfy the prerequisites: 5 on the AP Calculus AB exam or at least a 3 on the AP Calculus BC exam; at least a 3 on the AP Physics B exam.
Physics + Calculus Requirements
- The requirement would need to be satisfied prior to the start of the Fall semester (August 2022).
- You may take a course from any accredited university or community college.
- Physics courses must include topics of mechanics. If you are unsure you may send your syllabi via email to check.
- If you plan to take the course at a California Community College, please consult assist.org in order to verify the course will satisfy the requirement.
- Third party vendor courses are not accepted (straighterline, chegg, coursera, etc).
- AP credit is accepted with an exam score of 4 or higher.
Can I transfer from another Masters program?
Official policy is that we are unable to accept transfer units for our M.Arch program. You may join our program as a new student however you would be required to complete the full number of units required for the program. Note Regarding Transferral of Units: Accepted students may apply to waive courses already taken in Undergraduate program. Waived courses must be replaced with advanced/alternative level of the same course. For example: if a student waives Introduction to structures, they must enroll in advanced structures
Am I eligible for the M.Arch Program with advanced standing (two-year professional program)?
Advanced standing is awarded at the discretion of the admissions committee during the time of application review. The admissions committee will determine advanced standing individually for each student during the admissions review. Please note that there is only one application for the M.Arch 2 and 3 year programs.
APPLICATION
What should my statement of purpose include?
Application Essay Part 1 (500 words). Write a short essay that responds to the following questions. What do you want to contribute to the field of architecture during your time at Berkeley and after? How will Berkeley contribute to these aspirations?
CONCURRENT APPLICANTS ONLY: Please include this essay in addition to the prompt listed here: LINK
What should my personal history statement include?
Application Essay Part 2 (500 words). Choose one of the following questions below to share more thoughts.
- What is at stake for the future of architecture?
- For whom do you want to design and why?
- What does your application not say about you?
CONCURRENT APPLICANTS ONLY: Please include this essay in addition to the prompt listed here: LINK
What are the requirements for the portfolio?
The portfolio may contain up to 20 Screens of design content. File size max 10MB. Please note that beyond 20 pages, your portfolio may not be reviewed. Title page and/or table of contents may be submitted, and will not count toward the 20 pages of content. Any dimensions may be used for the pages.
What should I include in my portfolio?
The digital portfolio should showcase recent, high-quality work, and it will be judged on both content and overall design. Applicants without professional training may submit work that shows other evidence of creativity (studio art, construction/renovation, furniture design, etc.) and clearly demonstrates interest in the proposed subject field. Any material that is not entirely the applicant's own work must be clearly identified. The portfolio provides you the opportunity to show your creative ability. It need not necessarily be all architecture-related. In fact, if you have no experience in this area you would be wise to confine the examples to your best work, regardless of the media. The best results will emerge if you think of your exhibit in its entirety as a design project. The reviewers hope to see your projects displayed in a well-thought-out format, carefully executed. Most importantly, leave yourself plenty of time to think about and develop your creative work.
Is the GRE required?
Due to Covid-19, the GRE requirement has been temporarily suspended for the upcoming application cycle (applicants of the 22-23 cycle).
I am an international student. What standardized test do I need to take?
Applicants from countries where English is not the official language must submit official evidence of English language proficiency. For the English language proficiency requirement you have the option between two tests you may take: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). You can find more information about an exemption here.
Did you receive my TOEFL/IELTS scores?
Once your application is submitted, you may check the status of your scores on your online application status page.
I have a question about my visa.
For questions about your visa documents, contact the Berkeley International Office at internationaloffice@berkeley.edu or visit their website.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Which programs are STEM Designated?
The following programs are STEM Designated:
MAAD (one-year post-professional Master of Advanced Architectural Design)
M.Arch Program with Advanced Standing (two-year professional program)
M.Arch Program (three-year professional program)
Concurrent Master of Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture
Concurrent Master of Architecture and Master of City and Regional Planning
Concurrent Master of Architecture and Master of Science in Engineering
Is the Masters of Advanced Architectural Design Program accredited?
MAAD is a one-year post-professional program intended for those who have a professional (Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture) degree and who wish to continue to explore current design issues in a stimulating, rigorous, and experimental studio setting. The two-semester studio course is at the core of the program and is integrated with required seminars, lectures, and workshops in design theory, history, urbanism, digital applications, and building technology. Beginning with the 2020-2021 class, students who complete the program will receive a Master of Advanced Architectural Design degree. The MAAD degree is not accredited by the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB). The degree nomenclature is changed to distinguish it from the accredited M.Arch degree that is used by NAAB only for two-year or three-year architecture programs.
How many students are typically accepted into the programs?
On average, (30) Students for the MAAD program, (40) Students for M.Arch Program with Advanced Standing (two-year professional program), and (100) Students for M.Arch Program (three-year professional program) are accepted.
Which program is best suited for me?
You can find more information here about program paths depending upon previous education and experience.
FINANCIAL AID
What types of funding are available for students?
M.Arch students fund their education in a variety of ways including the following:
Departmental Awards (no separate application required)
Graduate Fellowships
Prizes & Awards
Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) appointments
Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) positions
External fellowships and grants
You can find more information regarding funding here.
Where can I obtain more information on tuition and fees?
For up-to-date information about tuition and fees, please visit the UC Berkeley's Registrar’s Website: Fee Schedule - Graduate: Professional - College of Environmental Design. We also encourage you to view the Graduate Cost of Attendance and available financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
CAREERS + INTERNSHIP INFORMATION
Where can I find information about career opportunities and internships?
As a student in the program, you would have access to appointments with a CED career counselor. To book an appointment with a career counselor you would use Handshake. Handshake uses cutting edge technology to help you more easily connect with employers and source jobs, internships, event information, and On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) opportunities.