model photo of blue foam massing models
M.Arch Admission

A portfolio is required for application to the Graduate School of Architecture.

Placement into our studio course sequence is based on skills demonstrated in portfolio and transcript evaluation.

  1. Application: Submit an online application
  2. Thematic Essay: One-page essay about an architectural idea or subject such as light in the built/natural environments, materiality, social or environmental responsibility, use of precedents, etc. Please be analytical and critical (700-word limit). Upload PDF to SlideRoom.
  3. Personal History Essay: One-page essay describing your background, personal and professional experiences, and academic interest (700-word limit). Upload PDF to SlideRoom.
  4. Official Transcripts: Transcripts must be sent directly from the college(s) to transcripts@academyart.edu. Official transcripts, once received, will be uploaded to SlideRoom by Academy of Art. (Note: international transcripts must be evaluated by an approved credential evaluation agency – please contact your admissions representative for a list)
  5. Resume: Please describe your educational background, work experience, and skill sets. Upload PDF to SlideRoom.
  6. Portfolio: Placement is based on skills evidenced in portfolio. Please see Portfolio Guidelines. Upload PDF to SlideRoom.
  7. Letter of Recommendation: Letter of support attesting your interest, aptitude, work ethic in an academic or professional setting. Required for M.Arch applicants. Upload PDF to SlideRoom.
General Studies for M.Arch Applicants
  • As part of your undergraduate degree at a regionally accredited institution, you must have completed a minimum of 42 semester credits of General Studies comprising of humanities, fine arts, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences to satisfy NAAB accreditation requirement for broad, interdisciplinary understanding of human knowledge.
  • Mathematics must include college level algebra.
  • Natural Sciences must include college level Physics.
Portfolio Format for M.Arch Applications
  • The portfolio should visually document your creative endeavors and support your intent to study and practice architecture. The portfolio is considered a design project and will be evaluated for content as well as for clarity in visual communication.
  • Portfolio must be a multi-page PDF file. Please include detailed descriptions of each project. Please limit to about 25 pages. Please note that maximum file size for SlideRoom is 10MB for each PDF file.
  • URL link to a portfolio website will NOT be accepted. Please upload PDF files to SlideRoom.
  • Please list your name on the cover page as well as on each page of the portfolio.
  • For collaborative work (or projects done in an architecture firm) please describe in detail your contribution and list skills utilized to complete the tasks.
  • For each project, please provide title, location, date, and course number or firm name.
  • All material, written and graphic, must be original work created by you. Any referenced work must be properly cited.

For applicants with an undergraduate degree in architecture.

  1. Please include a range of building types and project sizes.
  2. List all software programs used (ie, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Rhino, AutoCAD, Revit, Twinmotion, Enscape, Lumion, etc.).

For EACH project included in the portfolio, please provide:

  • Project brief and/or project requirements
  • Text narrative describing important design decisions
  • Process work including sketches or study models as evidence of an iterative design process
  • Design concept diagrams
  • Site analysis of context, history, climate, etc.
  • Program diagram and/or user group research
  • Orthographic drawings (plan, section, elevation, site plan, etc.)
  • Rendered views of building exterior and interior
  • Physical models and free-hand sketches as applicable

For at least one project, please additionally provide:

  • Structural diagram identifying structural systems selected
  • Wall section identifying envelope materials and their tectonics

For applicants with an undergraduate degree unrelated to architecture.

Please include projects that showcase spatial and/or visual composition skills, environmental awareness, craftsmanship, scale, and proportion.

Your portfolio can include any of the following:

  • Freehand sketches (ie, still life, figure drawings, etc.)
  • Hand drawn and rendered perspectives (interior and/or exterior spaces)
  • Observations and analysis of a place (ie, travel sketches)
  • Studio art
  • Hand crafted models
  • Photographic essay
  • Computer drafted drawings (plans, sections, elevations) and/or digital models
  • Furniture design and/or fabrication
  • Construction experience and/or knowledge
Course Descriptions & Learning Outcomes
  1. Find course descriptions in the university’s Course Catalog
  2. Find course descriptions and learning outcomes on the Graduate Courses page
Information for Graduate Applicants

Here are links to information helpful for graduate students. Please click on the images.

M.Arch curriculum matrix
NCARB IPAL logo
Credit for Prior Learning
Graduate Student Projects