Architecture: MArch

Program Information

Program Description

Master of Architecture Track I (for students without a previous degree in architecture)

Our master of architecture (MArch) degree allow students to complete a professional degree, leading to licensure, in a stimulating academic environment that is characterized by cooperation, rigor and a commitment to human quality in the built environment. Eligible applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited four-year U.S. college or university OR hold an equivalent credential from a qualifying international institution.

This program is studio based, with a full complement of professional courses with opportunities to focus in an area of special interest. Students can take advantage of numerous on and off campus opportunities for expanding their academic experience. We offer a full array of foreign-study programs, internships in architectural offices, and various opportunities to work directly with communities.

This program is three years plus one term (or 10 terms) in length, begins in the summer, and is available at the Eugene campus location.

Most of our graduate and undergraduate students are in Eugene. The Eugene program offers a wide diversity of faculty and courses, concurrent degree programs, and the option to take courses in other departments of the university. Eugene-based programs offer various focuses, including sustainability, building technology, housing, and user-centered design. Learn more about what our faculty members in Eugene and Portland are researching by reading their profiles or browsing the Guide to Research + Creative Practice.

About 60 architecture students, including some track I students in their final year, are in Portland. The Portland program is housed in a beautifully renovated warehouse block in the city center, has strong connections with the Portland professional community, and strong engagement with current architectural and urban issues of the city.

The Master of Architecture Track I is a STEM-designated degree.

Master of Architecture Degree Requirements (144 Credits)

• Professional Coursework (Non-Studio): 80 credits
• Architectural Design (Studios): 64 credits
• Professional Focus: 15+ credits (can be integrated into other degree requirements) 

Master of Architecture Track II (for students who hold a previous degree in architecture)

Our master of architecture (MArch) degree allows you to complete a professional degree, leading to licensure, in a stimulating academic environment characterized by cooperation, rigor, and a commitment to human quality in the built environment.

Eligible applicants must have a pre-professional degree in architecture from a regionally accredited four-year U.S. college or university OR hold an equivalent credential from a qualifying international institution. A four-year program is considered qualified if the school has an accredited graduate program.

The program is studio-based, with a full complement of professional courses with opportunities to focus on an area of special interest. You can take advantage of numerous on- and off-campus opportunities to expand your academic experience. We offer an array of study abroad programs, internships in architectural offices, and various opportunities to work directly with communities.

The program is two years, begins in the fall, and is available at two campus locations: Eugene and Portland.

Most of our graduate and undergraduate students are in Eugene. The Eugene program offers a wide diversity of faculty and courses, concurrent degree programs, and the option to take courses in other departments of the university. Eugene-based programs offer various focuses, including sustainability, building technology, housing, and user-centered design. Learn more about what our faculty members in Eugene and Portland are researching by reading their profiles or browsing the Guide to Research + Creative Practice.

The Portland program for advanced architecture studies focused on urban sustainability, houses approximately 60 students in a beautifully renovated warehouse block in the city center, has strong connections with the Portland professional community, and strong engagement with current architectural and urban issues of the city.

Track II architecture students who choose the Portland location should have completed coursework in building construction, introductory course in structures, and the basic technical requirements as shown in our program outline guides, prior to fall term admission. Track II applicants who are offered admission to the Portland campus will have a transcript evaluation to determine individual requirements. Students who have not completed prerequisites may be advised to start their program at the Eugene campus based on their respective backgrounds and the availability of the required course offerings.

The Master of Architecture Track II is a STEM-designated degree.

Degree Requirements (87 Credits)

• Professional Coursework (Non-Studio): 47 credits
• Architectural Design (Studios): 40 credits
• Professional Focus: 15+ credits (can be integrated into other degree requirements)

Master of Architecture Track II Portland

Our master of architecture (MArch) degree allows you to complete a professional degree, leading to a path for licensure, in a stimulating academic environment characterized by cooperation, rigor, and a commitment to quality in the built environment. Studio projects and courses deal with real projects and problems and engage students in state-of-the-art knowledge and tools to produce visionary leaders. 

Eligible applicants must have a pre-professional degree in architecture from a qualified university that is equivalent to a U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree. A four-year program is considered qualified if the school has an accredited graduate program in architecture. Exceptions may be considered for those with very strong applications. The program is two years, beginning in the fall, and is available at two campus locations: Eugene and Portland.

Portland, Oregon, is known for its innovative leadership in the green buildings movement, breaking new ground in energy conservation practices, mass timber construction, land use development models, and equitable multimodal transportation planning. The city's critical position at the confluence of a diverse set of regional ecologies makes it an unparalleled urban laboratory for the study of architecture and its engagement with social, economic, and environmental systems. With the Design for Spatial Justice initiative, the Portland Program works to ensure that a green city is a just city. Major research threads here include climate action and spatial justice, mobility and inclusion, and housing and health that are spearheaded by research centers such as the Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory and its Institute for Health in the Built Environment, UrbanismNext and the Collaborative for Inclusive Urbanism.

The UO Portland Architecture program houses approximately 60 students in its studio and lab spaces in the historic White Stag Block. Track II students are joined by Track 1 master of architecture graduate students and fifth-year bachelor of architecture students who have completed core architectural studies at the Eugene campus.

The Eugene program for graduate architecture studies houses approximately 160 students in its studio and lab spaces in Lawrence Hall. Focusing on sustainable architecture, building tectonics and performance, urban design, design leadership, and health in the built environment. The program includes Track II graduate students along with Track 1 MArch, MS, PhD and BArch students.

Learn about prerequisites for this degree

Degree Requirements

• Professional Coursework (Non-Studio): minimum 47 credits
• Architectural Design (Studios): minimum 64 credits credits
• Professional Focus: 15+ credits (can be integrated into other degree requirements)

The Master of Architecture Track II Portland is a STEM-designated degree.

Program Information  Faculty

Application at a Glance

You apply for admission through your program. This program has two separate applications, the University of Oregon application and a department application. Detailed instructions are available on the program’s website.

UO Application Requirements

• Official Transcripts
• English Language Proficiency Requirement for International Applicants
• Financial Verification for International Applicants

Program-Specific Application Requirements

Required

• Essay Questions
• Resume
• GRE (UO Institution Code: 4846)
• Letters of Recommendation
• Portfolio

Not Required

• GMAT

Apply Through Department

Architecture: MS

Program Information

Program Description

The post-professional architecture Master of Science degree allows students to complete advanced research and design work that builds on an existing professional degree in architecture, structural engineering, architectural engineering, construction management, or a related field. 

Eligible applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited four-year U.S. college or university OR hold an equivalent credential from a qualifying international institution. This degree does not provide a path to licensure.

The Master of Science in Architecture is a STEM-designated degree.

Learn more about what our faculty members are researching by reading their profiles.

Master of Science in Architecture

Degree Requirements (45 Minimum Credits)

Students have a wide range of courses and groups of courses to choose from in this degree program, which may be completed in one year or more.

Master of Science in Architecture students join a community of inquiring architects, engineers, and designers who are committed to solving multi-faceted problems and furthering architectural knowledge. We seek candidates with interests for research and to gain technical design skills in topics that may include:

• Mass Timber Design (NEW)*
• Architectural Technology
• Historic Preservation (PDX)
• Housing Design
• Interior Architecture
• Lighting Design
• Sustainability and Health
• Urban Design (PDX)

Master of Science in Architecture Portland

MS in architecture students join a community of inquiring architects, engineers, and designers who are committed to solving multi-faceted problems and furthering architectural knowledge. We seek candidates with an interest in research and gaining technical design skills in topics that may include:

• Historic Preservation
• Urban Architecture and Urban Design

Specializations and Graduate Certificates (optional)

Students may also choose to add one of the following optional specializations or graduate certificates to their degree:

• Architectural Technology (Some courses are available in Eugene campus only)
• Housing (Some courses are available in Eugene campus only)
• Interior Architecture (Eugene campus only)
• Historic Preservation 
• Urban Architecture and Urban Design 

Students who choose to study in Portland have access to a vital urban laboratory and a range of facilities housed in the historic White Stag Block in the heart of downtown. Certain courses such as the recommended Research Methods courses ARCH 620 and ARCH 678 must either be taken in Eugene or via videoconferencing.

Program Information  Faculty

Application at a Glance

You apply for admission through your program. This program has two separate applications, the University of Oregon application and a department application. Detailed instructions are available on the program’s website.

UO Application Requirements

• Official Transcripts
• English Language Proficiency Requirement for International Applicants
• Financial Verification for International Applicants

Program-Specific Application Requirements

Required

• Resume or CV
• GRE (UO Institution Code: 4846)
• Letter of Intent
• Letters of Recommendation
• Portfolio
• Statement of Purpose
• Writing Sample

Not Required

• GMAT

Apply Through Department

Architecture: PhD

Program Information

Program Description

Building upon more than 40 years of excellence in environmental design teaching and research at the UO, the PhD program in architecture focuses on sustainable architecture and integrated design. Home to professional education in architecture and related environmental design fields since 1914, the program is an advanced research degree that engages students in multidisciplinary investigations that create new knowledge in compelling and time-sensitive research topics.

With this exclusive focus, the program addresses the needs of the profession as society faces the environmental impact of buildings and cities. Students examine research topics that typically encompass an array of spatial, environmental, historical, social, political, technical, and economic factors. In addition to the rigorous understanding of building performance, aspects of sustainable community development, and broader social processes and policies, each student is also expected to demonstrate an understanding of the literature, theory, and research in a related focus area. Learn more about what our faculty members are researching by reading their profiles or browsing the Guide to Research + Creative Practice.

The PhD program prepares students for careers at universities, and at other entities engaged in research related to sustainable design such as national research laboratories, industries, public agencies, and non-government organizations. Students admitted to this program will carry out a program of advanced study and research in sustainable design.

The PhD in Architecture is a STEM-designated degree.

PhD students join a community of inquiring architects, engineers, and designers who are committed to solving multifaceted problems and furthering knowledge by researching issues and processes that give form to the environment. We seek candidates with keen interests, career goals, and a clear capacity for research that are interested in topics that may include:

• sustainable cities and livable communities design and policy
• design for climate change and adaptation
• cultural, social and economic sustainability
• net-zero buildings and eco-districts design
• resource forecasting and simulation of place and building performance
• energy-efficient, adaptive re-use of existing buildings
• indoor environmental quality and occupants’ health
• high-performance envelopes and green technologies
• life-cycle analysis design and modeling 

Degree Requirements (84 Credits)

• Research and Investigation: 24 credits
• Primary (Inside) Focus Area: 22 credits
• Secondary (Outside) Focus Area: 16 credits
• Supervised Teaching: 4 credits
• Dissertation: 18 credits

The usual program for the PhD consists of a minimum of 66 credits, including at least 50 graduate-level credits in the Department of Architecture, through a four- to six-year course of study. The PhD program in architecture is governed by the regulations of the University of Oregon Graduate School and administered by the Department of Architecture’s PhD program committee. Specific degree requirements include:

• the first year of study needs to be at the Eugene campus
• a minimum of two years in residence
• completion of three terms of courses in research methodology
• completion of two courses in design theory and history of sustainable design
• completion of two focus areas (one within and one outside the Department)
• completion of a written qualifying examination, followed by an oral qualifying examination
• completion of a dissertation

For additional reference, see the PhD Handbook.

Program Information  Faculty

Application at a Glance

You apply for admission through your program. This program has two separate applications, the University of Oregon application and a department application. Detailed instructions are available on the program’s website.

UO Application Requirements

• Official Transcripts
• English Language Proficiency Requirement for International Applicants
• Financial Verification for International Applicants

Program-Specific Application Requirements

Required

• GRE (UO Institution Code: 4846)
• Letter of Intent
• Portfolio
• Resume
• Statement of Purpose
• Writing Sample

Not Required

• GMAT

Apply Through Department