Architectural Studies Minor and IIM
Architectural Studies Minor
The architectural studies minor is intended as both a stand-alone course of study for those students whose major is outside the Fine Arts, and as a supplement to Fine Arts majors. The minor is designed for students with an interest in architecture and for those looking to pursue a career in architecture or related fields such as architectural history, historical preservation or urban planning and design. Those students planning on becoming an architect and pursuing a Masters of Architecture may consider combining the architectural studies minor with a major or minor in studio art, in order to strengthen their portfolios.
Students who minor in architectural studies and also major or minor in art history or studio art may double count three courses across the requirements for all their FA majors and minors.
Architectural Studies IIM
The Architectural Studies program at Brandeis University is committed to fostering critical thinking and a comprehensive understanding of the built environment. Our mission is to empower students to engage with the world of architecture and design in a meaningful and enriching way, whether they choose to pursue careers as professionals in the field or become well-informed individuals in the realm of human-made structures.Within our program, students develop essential skills in analyzing, interpreting, designing, engineering, and creatively engaging with both contemporary and historical aspects of the built environment. Our definition of the built environment is broad and inclusive, encompassing everything from stage scenery and interior design to civil engineering and urban planning. This breadth allows us to reflect the diversity of historical and contemporary experiences and ensures a rich and comprehensive educational experience within the Brandeis curriculum.
At Brandeis, we take pride in our distinctive multidisciplinary approach to architectural studies, capitalizing on the university's unique academic offerings. We draw from the resources of the Department of Fine Arts, which provides valuable perspectives through Art History and Studio Art courses, as well as the Environmental Studies and Engineering Programs, all of which contribute to the richness of our curriculum.
Our program prepares students not only for advanced studies in architecture and related fields but also opens doors to diverse career opportunities. Graduates of our program have gone on to excel in education, business, urban planning, urban development and a variety of other fields. In every respect, the architectural studies program at Brandeis University embodies the liberal arts approach to higher education, providing a well-rounded and versatile education that empowers students to succeed in a wide range of professions and endeavors.
Proposal
The IIM Proposal in Architectural Studies consists of 4 parts:
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Cover sheet, signed by the student and the Undergraduate Advising Head in Architectural Studies.
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Completed proposal curriculum for the Independent Interdisciplinary Major.
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Written proposal (2-3 pages)
The written proposal should address:
-- A description of how the major contributes to your intellectual development.
-- A discussion of the curriculum and how the courses contribute to your course of study.
-- (Optional) A description of your post-Brandeis plans.
4. Letter of approval
-- This letter is written by the primary advisor, in support of your proposal and your ability to be successful in the Architectural Studies IIM.
-- This letter should be signed by the primary advisor and one of two other faculty members in Fine Arts.
Requirements for the Major
Architectural Studies IIM majors are required to take eleven semester courses, including the following:
A. Two courses in architectural design: FA 23b and FA 24a
B. One course in studio design: FA 4a or FA 4b.
C. Three core courses in architectural history: FA 30a, FA 80a and FA 187a.
D. Two courses focused on themes and periods in the history of architecture including: FA 33b, FA 42b, FA 45A, FA 48a, FA 85a, FA 143a, FA 145a, FA 180a, FA 181A, FA 193a, CLAS 133a, CLAS 134b OR one of the above and one additional studio course including: FA 3a, FA 5b, FA 6a, FA 9a, FA 16b, FA 28a.
E. FA 199A (Methods & Approaches in the History of Art)
F. An elective course depending on student’s personal interest included but not limited to: two Geographic Information Systems (GIS) courses in environmental studies; a course related to real estate or housing; an additional course or a seminar in fine arts, engineering, anthropology or sociology.
G. Senior Capstone: Independent Study (IIM 98a or IIM 98b - one semester) or Senior Research (IIM 99d - full year).
H. Foundational Literacies: As part of completing the Architectural Studies major, students must:
-- Fulfill the writing intensive requirement by completing: FA 199a, FA 193a
-- Fulfill the oral communication requirement by completing one of the following: FA 192a, FA 193a, FA 197a
-- Fulfill the digital literacy requirement by successfully completing one of the following: FA 181a, FA 24a or FA 23b
-- Foundational Literacy requirements are satisfied as part of the eleven courses required by the major.
I. Students are encouraged to study abroad during their junior year for either one or two semesters. Up to four courses taken abroad may count toward the IIM with faculty approval. Students who are unable to engage in study abroad are encouraged to avail themselves of relevant courses offered by consortium institutions in the Boston area (principally Wellesley College, Boston College, Boston University, Tufts University).
J. No more than four courses in your Architectural Studies curriculum may double count toward another major and no more than two courses can be applied toward another minor. No more than six courses total may be used toward any additional major(s) or minor(s). Exceptions will only be made in the case of an Architectural Studies/Studio Art double major (see below).
Suggested Elective Courses
AAAS 82A Urban Politics
AAAS 158A Theories of Development & Underdevelopment
AMST 30B American Environmental History
HS 263F Applied Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
ANTH 158A Urban Worlds
ANTH 55A Anthropology of Development
BUS 135A Real Estate and Society
BUS 293A Real Estate Field Project
PHYS 10A Introduction to Physical Laws & Phenomena
PHYS 11A Introductory Physics
SOC 147A Sustainable Cities & Communities
SOC 150B Culture of Consumption
SOC 152A Urban Life & Culture
THA 125B The Art of Scenography
Honors
To be considered for departmental honors upon graduation, students must successfully complete two semesters of IIM 99d, and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all Architectural Studies courses. Departmental honors are awarded based on cumulative excellence in all courses taken in the major, including the thesis.
Administrative Notes
1. Apart from the Foundational Literacies, no course can fulfill two different categories, even if courses are listed in multiple categories. One course will satisfy only one category requirement.
2. Those students with a serious pre-architecture/design emphasis will be encouraged to pursue a double major in Studio Art. In case of the latter, the double major would resemble the current Art History/Studio Art double majors. As long as distribution and specific requirements of each major are met, architectural history coursework could fulfill the art history requirement for studio; studio coursework could count toward the Architectural Studies major.
3. Only those students who double major in Architectural Studies and Studio Art will have the opportunity to participate in Senior Studio (FA 110a and FA 110b).
4. Students cannot double major in art history and architectural studies, however they can double major in studio art and architectural studies. If one wishes additional expertise, a student may major in art history and minor in architectural studies, but no more than two classes can double count for requirements. A double minor in art history and architectural studies is not permitted, a student should pursue one major or the other instead.
5. Double majors in Architectural Studies/Studio Art may choose to pursue honors in Studio Art with a design focus (FA 99a/FA99b) with faculty approval. This will fulfill the IIM Senior Capstone requirement; however, students pursuing this option will not be eligible for IIM honors in addition to Studio Art honors.
6. With departmental/faculty approval, students are welcome to take non-Fine Arts courses to fulfill the elective category, which will prove useful for an architectural degree. Examples might include currently offered courses in urban studies, theater design, and physics.
Learning Goals
Core Skills
A major in architectural studies will cultivate the following skills:
- Introduce students to architectural design and to an understanding of architectural and urban space
- Engage in critical discussion related to architectural history, design solutions, and architecture as representation.
- Gain an understanding of architectural history in its global context, and become familiar with scholarly debates in the field.
- Produce critical papers that analyze the built environment and its sociopolitical, historical, and theoretical contexts.
- Critically understand the relationship between the built environment and its history, politics, modem and historical use, and contemporary implications.
- Read and understand the visual conventions of plan, section, elevation, and model and other architectural forms of communication.
- Produce drawings and models based on these competencies.
- Gain a foundation in principles of three-dimensional design in broader artistic contexts.
Knowledge
A major in architectural studies will acquire the following types of knowledge:
- Understand the complex factors that condition the built environment historically and in the present.
- Understand the major periods, styles, movements, figures, and historical and theoretical debates in architectural history.
- Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge about aspects of architectural studies.
- Gain competence in the processes of architectural conception, drawing, design, and production, in preparation for further graduate and professional studies.
Social Justice
The critical and historical study of architecture focuses on how the built environment conditions human behavior, facilitates ideological manipulation, comes to epitomize the power of political and religious elites, and - at times - galvanizes resistance.
The global expanse of the discipline will instill a deep admiration and respect for the varied forms of artistic expression among diverse communities throughout human history.
Upon Graduating
A Brandeis Architectural Studies major will be prepared to:
- Pursue a master’s degree in architecture or urban planning, in order to become a licensed and practicing architect or urban planner.
- Embark upon professional training in an architectural design office as an intern.
- Employ one’s capacity for judging periods, styles, and aetheric quality through a career in architectural history. This can include pursing a Ph.D. in art history or architecture.
- Apply the mastery of visual analysis and verbal self-expression to any numbers of fields, including law, journalism, urban planning, design, education,library science and archives.
- Knowledge of architectural techniques and styles that results from the Major is essential for professional training in historical preservation.