As a popular belief in the architectural community, an Architect is a jack of all trades. But what comes after graduation for an architecture student? One can either jump into the professional world and start practicing the art of design and continue to imbibe the practical knowledge of the field throughout their career, or one can certainly go around mastering their forte in the trade itself. There are innumerable paths to take after your graduation as an architect, which is owed to the interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum of architectural studies at the graduation level. One such field that many architecture students are nowadays developing their fondness for, is Environmental Architecture. Following is the list of colleges that provide a master’s degree in environmental architecture, in no particular order of preference.
1. Kent State University – Kent, Ohio | Environmental Architecture
Program: Architecture & Environmental Design, M.S.
The Master of Science in Architecture and Environmental Design is a research-intensive programme that requires one year of full-time residency. Research techniques, architectural theories, thesis research, thesis, and guided and free electives are all part of the programme. Individuals interested in pursuing a concentration in the built environment will benefit the most from the programme. The curriculum can be combined with a Master of Architecture degree to get a dual degree.
For more information, visit: www.kent.edu
2. Texas Tech University – Lubbock, Texas
Program: Environmental Design, M.S.
The Environmental Design MS programme is a globally recognized programme that continues to be recognized by leading environmental design organizations around the world. Faculty and students in the Environmental Design master’s degree programme have been recognized by prestigious organizations such as DesignIntelligence, the American Society of Interior Designers, the International Interior Design Association, the Environmental Design Research Association, and the International Academy of Design and Health for their work in top-rated academic journals. This two-course sequence begins with an in-depth literature review of a topic of your choice in environmental design. In the second course, you will construct a design solution based on your literature review research.
For more information, visit: www.depts.ttu.edu
3. Royal College of Art – London | Environmental Architecture
Program: Environmental Architecture, M.A.
MA Environmental Architecture aspires to establish a new field of research and practice focused with the construction of alternative forms of co-dependence between life forms and natural systems. The MA in Environmental Architecture stresses a transdisciplinary approach to design research and is a design-led and field-focused programme. The curriculum proposes a novel approach to environmental architecture education that combines architectural and ethnographic research methods with the application of technologically advanced instruments for analyzing, classifying, and creating environmental data.
For more information, visit: www.rca.ac.uk
4. Cardiff University – Cardiff, Wales
Program: Environmental Design of Buildings, M.Sc.
The programme trains students to enable environmental design as part of their work on a building design team, and emphasizes the need to adapt to changing needs as public and government support for sustainability regulations grows around the world. The MSc in Building Environmental Design is delivered in two stages. Stage one (two-thirds) is made up of 120-credit taught and project modules. The dissertation is the final third (stage 2). Both levels can be completed in one year if you are a full-time student. The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has accredited this curriculum, which meets the academic requirements for CEng. professional registration.
For more information, visit: www.cardiff.ac.uk
5. London Metropolitan University – London | Environmental Architecture
Program: Environmental, Sustainable and Regeneration Design, M.A.
This is a multidisciplinary course that incorporates knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines, including social science, design, and technology. It specializes in developing research-based sustainable designs for systems, products, interiors, environmental, urban, and community-based projects. Students will work on real-world projects for real-world clients to ensure that their knowledge of the industry and how their skills and interests match the opportunities available is accurate and up-to-date.
For more information, visit: www.londonmet.ac.uk
6. University of Westminster – London
Program: Architecture and Environmental Design, M.Sc.
This interdisciplinary course equips students with skills that may be used to a wide range of building types as well as global climatic, environmental, and cultural concerns. After completing this course, students will have a broad understanding of environmental design principles and techniques, as well as critical thinking skills to question accepted practices. The course addresses the more technical aspects of environmentally and energy-conscious building design and performance, as well as the larger contextual and sustainable approach to environmental design.
The course also includes the BREEAM Approved Graduate course, which allows for easier access to the BREEAM AP certification. In recent years, the course has built a very successful Collaborative Thesis Program with Industry, which has allowed students to be supervised and paired with some of the most successful companies in the world.
For more information, visit: www.westminster.ac.uk
7. Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University – Hyderabad, Telangana
Program: Environmental Design, M. Arch.
The Environmental Design course aims to prepare students for academic success by covering all levels of theory and appreciation of topics relating to urban design, urban planning, landscape design, and environmental design. The curriculum is designed so that students have a natural desire to study about the history of environmental design, which serves as a foundation for the many techniques used in modern practices. As part of the curriculum, research approaches are encouraged to be used in the preparation of research articles.
For more information, visit: www.jnafau.ac.in
8. Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College – Aurangabad, Maharashtra | Environmental Architecture
Program: Master of Architecture (Environmental), M. Arch.
This curriculum prepares students to become green consultants for society by allowing them to apply what they’ve learned in environmental and related subjects to identify, develop, and solve real-world problems. The initiative recognizes the importance of a long-term approach to built habitat. The course curriculum is designed to help architectural professionals understand the complexity and intricacies of Environmental Architecture so that they can practice more effectively. The basics of environmental design, such as climate-responsive architecture, energy, eco-materials, sustainable planning, and ecology, assist the students in becoming specialists in this subject of green built environment. The culture of design studios is extensive in order to develop a thoughtful approach to green habitat at many scales, levels, and technological elements.
For more information, visit: mgmu.ac.in
9. Glasgow School of Art – Glasgow, Scotland
Program: Design Innovation & Environmental Design, M. Des.
The curriculum focuses on how to use design to reinvent the potential and possibilities of places and communities by exploring the experience of the physical and cultural landscape. The students learn about the tools and processes that are necessary when dealing with specific populations and surroundings. They design, prototype, and test solutions depending on how people use and feel about their chosen context after immersing themselves in it. This course is given on the GSA’s campus in the Scottish Highlands.
For more information, visit: www.gsa.ac.uk
10. University of Calgary – Calgary, Alberta | Environmental Architecture
Program: Master of Environmental Design, M. Des.
This research-based master’s degree is designed for graduates of professional architecture, planning, or landscape architecture programmes who desire to specialize early in their careers. Emerging professionals can expand their education beyond a basic professional degree by pursuing a research-intensive, thesis-based degree that allows them to explore an area of expertise or practice specialization that will enhance their CV, increase their value to prospective employers, and help them achieve their career goals faster.
For more information, visit: sapl.ucalgary.ca
