M.Arch. Admissions

Important Dates

 Note: Track 3 applicants are eligible for summer II and fall admission only.

• January 15: Priority application deadline for domestic and international students (fall admission)
  • Late applications will be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
• September 1: International student spring admission Architecture Track 1 only
• October 15: Domestic student spring admission Architecture Track 1 only
• March 1-31: Notification to students regarding admission status (applicants check their status through the online system)
• March 1: University deadline for international applications for fall admission
• April 15: Deadline for students notifying the College of Design that they intend to matriculate in fall
• June: Pre-registration of incoming graduate students for fall courses
• August: New College of Design graduate student orientation
• Mid-August: First day of fall classes

Academic Qualifications for the M.Arch. Program

• Minimum 3.0 GPA from all previous study at the college level
• English proficiency for international applicants.
  • Acceptable minimum online TOEFL score:
    • Combined score of 80 and at least 18 on each individual component
  • OR minimum IELTS score for international students
    • Overall band score of at least 6.5 in each individual component
  • OR provide Duolingo score of 110 or better
  • OR be a citizen of a country where English is the official language and the language of instruction in higher education.
  • International students who have successfully completed at least one year of full-time study at a four-year US college or university do not have to submit TOEFL and/or IELTS scores. To request a waiver, contact the Graduate Admissions Office.

A fee of $85 for US applicants ($95 for international applicants) is due at the time of application.

No admissions decisions will be made on the basis of email correspondence. All applicants must use the online system and provide the following:

• Personal Statement stating career objectives, prior experience, intention of graduate study, and their relevance to the selected program at NC State University
• A portfolio of work
• Uploaded unofficial transcripts for each institution attended (official transcripts will be required if admitted)
• Three uploaded letters of recommendation from people who know your academic record
• TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students only
  • TOEFL institution code for NC State is 5496
• Residency statement for US citizens only (more info)
• Personal resume
  • Include under “PDF Documents” in the online system

Admissions Review Process and Procedures 

Each application undergoes a holistic review by school representatives and the university’s Graduate School. The reviews take into consideration all of the items listed above, with an emphasis departmentally on academic record, experience, portfolio of creative work, and essays. Applicants may be asked to interview with departmental representatives as part of the review process. Departmental admissions recommendations are forwarded to the university’s Graduate School, who then make final admissions decisions.

Student goals and our admission procedures

The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) requires all accredited programs to provide an explanation of how student representation goals affect admission procedures (Condition 6.5(e): Admissions and Advising).

Each undergraduate and graduate program in the School of Architecture encourages and actively seeks applications from students from a wide range of backgrounds, including in-state, out-of-state, and international students. The school thrives on diversity of thought and experience, and we foster creativity and rich academic discourse in an inclusive community that promotes belonging and wellbeing. We seek to admit students who we believe will promote a culture of academic rigor, creative experimentation, and committed citizenship in our design community. We understand not every student has the same opportunities. We take into consideration applicants’ experiences and opportunities, including the curriculum, course offerings, grading scale, and activities offered at their current and past educational institutions.

Additional resources:

• NC State’s 2021-2030 Strategic Plan, “Wolfpack 2030: Powering the Extraordinary“
• To learn more about equal opportunity in the College of Design, follow this link: https://design.ncsu.edu/about/equal-opportunity/

Policies and Processes for Evaluating the Content of Non-Professional Degrees

The Track 1 program is designed for students with a preparatory education similar to NC State Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture (BEDA). Track 1 students should have completed all of the prerequisite courses (see list below) or courses with equivalent content at another institution during their undergraduate education or, they will be required to schedule them as additional requirements during their graduate program. If additional courses are required, then the Director of Graduate Programs (DGP) will alert the admitted students.  We review accepted students’ transcripts and portfolios to ensure that curricula are similar. If further clarification is required, then we may request additional documents from the student.  

Following is a list of courses that are prerequisites for the graduate program. Note: Since the following courses are required for the Master of Architecture degree, they must be taken for a grade. A student must earn a C- or better grade in the course.  

• ARC 211 Natural Systems and Architecture 
• ARC 232 Structures and Materials 
• ARC 241 Introduction to World Architecture 
• ARC 242 History of Western Architecture (Preq. ARC  241) 
• ARC 251/451 Digital Representation 
• ARC 331 Architectural Structures I (Preq. ARC  232) 
• ARC 332 Architectural Structures II (Preq. ARC  331) 
• ARC 590-14 (i.e. ARC 414) Environmental Controls Systems (Preq. ARC  211) 
• ARC 590-32 (i.e. ARC 432) Architectural Construction Systems (Preq. ARC  232) 
• ARC 590-41 (i.e. ARC 441) History of Contemporary Architecture (Preq. ARC  242) 
• ARC 450 Architectural Drawing 
• ARC 403 Architectural Design Fundamentals: Environment (Co-req. ARC   211) 
• ARC 404 Architectural Design Fundamentals: Form (Preq. ARC 403; Co-req. ARC 251) 
• ARC 405 Architectural Design Fundamentals: Technology (Preq. ARC 404; Co-req. ARC 331 and 432) 

See this link for our Master of Architecture Non-Accredited Degree Review form: Master of Architecture Non-Accredited Degree Review

Got Questions?

Complete the graduate student interest form and a member of our team will be back in touch.

Portfolio Requirements for M.Arch. Track One

In architecture, as in all the design professions, portfolios are regarded as the most effective way to communicate their work to others. They typically contain a selection of architectural projects and other pertinent 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional work of artistic or technical interest, presented as reproductions in one of the standard paper formats. Students with an undergraduate degree in architecture applying to a graduate program are expected to present portfolios to illustrate their abilities, their experiences, and their accomplishments, just as graduates looking for a first job or moving from one employer to another would be expected to present a portfolio.

Specific suggestions

• It is useful to include some information regarding the context in which your work was produced, particularly whether it was done in response to a class assignment, a job-related task, or by your own initiative. It is also good to include the dates of execution as well as the size, materials, and media. If a project was done by a group of persons or in the context of a professional office, please be specific as to the exact nature of your personal involvement and contribution.
• You should give special attention to the form and craft of your submission. We are not only interested in the quality of what you show, but also in the quality of how you show it.
• Please be sure to include your name on all items.
• You can consult references on portfolio design. As an example, Portfolio Design, Second Edition by Harold Linton (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000, ISBN 0-393-73059-X) contains much information and many examples of portfolio design, some by NC State University students. At NC State, this book available at the College of Design Library and the University Career Center. This book or others like it should be available at design and university libraries around the country.
• Portfolios for applicants with previous architectural degrees are considered as demonstrations in ability to design architectural projects. Other pertinent 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional work of artistic, design, or technical interest may be included as supplementary to this desired purpose.

Portfolio Requirements for Track Three Applicants

Note: Track 3 applicants are eligible for summer II and fall admission only.

Portfolios for applicants to Track 3 have a somewhat different purpose. Because applicants come from a great variety of backgrounds, some have experience in architecture or a related field, while others have none. Our Admissions Committee will look upon your portfolio not so much as a track record, but primarily as an indicator of your promise in the field of architecture. Your portfolio should present some proof to us that your professed interest in architecture, and in becoming an architect, is based on more than the tentative contemplation of a vague possibility. It should show that you have tested the strength of your interests by acting upon them and that these actions have left some traces in the form of products you can present. We are therefore interested in seeing evidence of your curiosities and interests, your perceptual sensibilities and your skills, your initiative, your creativity, and your judgment as you experience, record, represent, analyze, criticize, and — most important of all — transform the environment around you, architecturally or otherwise. Design is making, and it is important for you to demonstrate that you can actively make things, not just passively observe them.

The Graduate Admissions Committee feels it is important to allow a fair degree of latitude regarding the format and content of your portfolio. The included items, as well as the manner in which they are presented, are the first important clues to your sensibilities and overall promise in the field. In other words, the committee tends to look at your portfolio as a first “design assignment.”

Track 3 applicants should keep in mind that architecture deals with three-dimensional entities. Whereas two-dimensional work (such as drawing, painting, 2-dimensional design, and photography) is useful to illustrate compositional and graphic abilities, the Admissions Committee will look for some evidence to assess your promise in the conception and manipulation of 3-dimensional form, volume, and space. Samples of elementary mechanical drawing or architectural drafting are not considered pertinent to show potential for architecture. Nor is it essential to include “architectural work” per se.