Overview

The Master of Science in Architecture is a research-oriented post-professional degree program that allows students to pursue advanced individual studies that bridge design and research. Topics are determined by the research interests of our faculty and include urbanism, design methods, structural systems, energy-based design, fabrication, and landscape architecture. Student research culminates in a thesis.

The program is open to applicants holding an accredited professional degree in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, or allied fields. Applicants with a degree earned outside the U.S. must have the equivalent to a first professional degree and be eligible for licensure in their home country.

Apply Now

Curriculum

The Master of Science in Architecture is a three semester program (this may include one summer semester). The program of study requires a minimum of 32 credit hours, selected from advanced studios, lectures, and seminars. Working with a thesis adviser, each student should develop a detailed thesis proposal, which must be approved by the adviser and by the director of the program. The final thesis must be approved by the student's advisory committee and be submitted to the university library.

Three options are available to complete the M.S. degree requirements: a thesis option and two of non-thesis options. The thesis option is designed for individuals seeking advanced knowledge in preparation for careers in specialized practice and consulting, university teaching, or architectural research, including those who may wish to pursue a Ph.D. degree in the future.

An overview of the non-thesis design curriculum of the Master of Science in Architecture program.
Fall	Spring
Advanced Studios engage both IIT architecture faculty and a select group of visiting studio professors noted for their outstanding professional experience in contemporary practice. The focus of each studio is strong design experimentation that is implemented in highly resolved, complex architectural design projects. Studios work on sites within Chicago, explore urban areas around the globe, and/or focus on hypothetical or technological challenges that shape the built environment. Students design structural and material systems that recognize issues of ecology as well as the broader, integrated concerns of climate, energy and natural resource use, and sustainability. Uniting the diverse strands of urban place making, economic diversity, social equity and environmental stewardship, Advanced Studios promote the design of places that reflect the values of their inhabitants, and create a lasting sense of community with meaningful identity. The studios are formed in thematic clusters that complement each other or serve as dialectical opposites. Each studio explores a variety of techniques from parametric design, digital fabrication, model making, and advanced geospatial software to cultural and theoretical explorations. Students will be able to select from a variety of studio topics. The vertical studio integrates advanced B.Arch., M.Arch., M.S.Arch., and Ph.D. students. Open only to Architecture majors. Prerequisites: ARCH 544 with min. grade of C	The aim of the design studio is to develop formal solutions which address the complexities of modern metropolis and advance disciplinary knowledge at large. The Advanced Studio program provides the intellectual climate as well as material infrastructure to explore the larger forces that influence the growth of cities. In the contemporary world, developing alternative models of design are necessary to make a transformative impact on the built environment. Design work in Advanced Studios at IIT directly engages real-life challenges and design-based solutions. As they seek to synthesize and impart principles and knowledge, to advance aesthetic and analytical skills, and to creatively expand upon given cultural norms, the Advanced Studios offer students the means to leverage their intuitions and insights to find better ways to enhance the built environment. The studios are formed in thematic clusters that complement each other or serve as dialectical opposites. Each studio explores a variety of techniques from parametric design, digital fabrication, model making, and advanced geospatial software to cultural and theoretical explorations. The vertical studio integrates advanced B.Arch., M.Arch., M.S.Arch., and Ph.D. students. Open only to Architecture majors. Prerequisites: ARCH 545 with min. grade of C
The Master of Science program seeks to be synthetic and inter-disciplinary in its approach. Specialized research is designed to demonstrate an intellectual objective for an in-depth study that will contribute to the practice of architecture. The seminar is focused on the general development of the research problem, its structure, and objectives. Specialized research leads toward the final acceptance of the Masters Project that may take the form of a written document of publishable quality, or an exhibition and accompanying catalog.	The Master of Science program seeks to be synthetic and inter-disciplinary in its approach. Specialized research is designed to demonstrate an intellectual objective for an in-depth study that will contribute to the practice of architecture. The seminar is focused on the general development of the research problem, its structure, and objectives. Specialized research leads toward the final acceptance of the Masters Project that may take the form of a written document of publishable quality, or an exhibition and accompanying catalog.
This course provides a foundation for advanced students in the diversity of research paradigms in architecture. The first component is an introduction to philosophy of knowledge with an emphasis on architecture. The second component entails a critical review and evaluation of diverse research methodologies in current architectural research. It is intended to provide substantial information on advanced research methodologies. In this course students will write a series of papers that critically review the course readings and discussions.	ARCH 999 (15 Credits) Architecture Electives
ARCH 999 (15 Credits) Architecture Electives

Faculty

Recognized as leaders in their field, the M.S.Arch. faculty work closely with students to prepare them for changes in the architectural profession with an emphasis on critical discourse, collaboration, practical/applied research and creative design innovation.

Vedran Mimica

Professor, M.S.Arch. Degree Program Director

Martin Felsen

Professor, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, M.Arch. Degree Program Director

Jonathan Miller

Associate Teaching Professor

Henry Heligas

Adjunct Professor

Reed Kroloff

Dean, Rowe Family College of Architecture Endowed Chair

Joel Putnam

Adjunct Professor

Ryan Roark

Assistant Professor, Second Year UG Studio Coordinator

Maria Villalobos Hernandez

Associate Professor, M.LA+U Degree Program Director, Advanced M.LA+U Studio Coordinator

Degree Sequence Overview

Our Master of Science program extends the tradition of architectural innovation through a post-professional degree structured around independent research. Working closely with a faculty advisor, each student develops a research project related to the current theme: Architecture and Urbanism in the Age of the Anthropocene. This theme may be approached via technical research, applied research (including design) or history and theory.

The M.S. Arch. follows a tripartite model: Exploration, Production, Reflection. Students of all three tracks begin the first semester with a similar curriculum. Their schedule is then customized in future semesters as their research trajectory becomes clear. Generally, the substance of their thesis emerges in the second semester. The final semester is one of critical reflection, tying together the work of the previous semesters, reviewing the information discovered/produced and plotting next steps.

Research topics are based on faculty expertise and are identified upon entry to one of the degree concentrations. Students can draw on a wealth of opportunities offered by other Illinois Institute of Technology departments, our relationships with architecture and engineering firms based in Chicago and the archival resources located in the city.

Electives

As an independent research program, the Master of Science in Architecture program encourages students to explore topics of their own interests. Elective courses provide students an opportunity to hone their skills and supplement their research. The number of required electives varies with the degree track chosen, and are tailored to the student’s particular area of research. Working with their advisor, students may choose from 400-level or above ARCH, AURB, or LA courses, as well as courses from other university departments.

Advising

Advising provides students with academic guidance as they fulfill their degree program requirements. Each student in the M.S.Arch. program will be guided by a primary advisor chosen from among the senior college faculty who helps them in selecting coursework, as well as shaping, refining and directing the students' choice of research topic. Students will be assigned a primary academic advisor by the College of Architecture. New graduate students will be required to meet with their primary advisor prior to registering for the following semester

For more information please visit Student Resources.

The GP Graduate (Program) Advising Hold becomes active before the next semester of registration opens for the following:

Co-Terminal students in the first semester of graduate co-terminal enrollment
Traditional masters students at 9 earned or enrolled credits
Doctoral students at 18 earned or enrolled credits

The GP Hold prevents registration before the following semester until lifted by the advisor. The mandatory advising session is required for the student to clear the advising registration hold.

Students will be notified by their primary advisor how to best schedule their required advising appointment. In general, students may begin scheduling their advising appointments two weeks prior to the first day of registration for the following semester.

At this advising appointment, students will receive a Registration PIN (also referred to as an alternate PIN) and the registration block, which is placed on a student’s record by the Graduate College, will be removed. This will be the only required advising appointment for Graduate students. After their first semester, Graduate student Registration PINs will be visible in the myIIT portal page (under IIT Personal ID numbers).

All graduate students registering for research courses numbered 591, 594, 597, and 691 must receive approval from their faculty advisor, in the form of an electronic permit, before registration.