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Undergraduate Program

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School of Architecture

Administration

Architecture 201
2410 Campus Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7225
Fax: (808) 956-7778
Email: arch@hawaii.edu
Web: www.arch.hawaii.edu/

Dean: Daniel S. Friedman, PhD, FAIA

Faculty

*R. Akiona, MS—construction management
*S. M. Bussiere, MLA—landscape architecture and urbanism
*S. Carr, PhD—public health, landscape architecture
*M. Despang, MArch— structures
*C. Llewellyn, MArch, FAIA—design, global practice
*L. McGuire, PhD—architectural history, theory, and criticism
*S. Meder, ArchD—design, environmental systems
*W. Meguro, SMArchS, LEED AP—sustainable buildings/community design
*P. Miao, PhD—architectural/urban design, Chinese architecture
*J. M. Noe, MDesS, FAIA—design, professional practice
*H. J. Park, PhD— design computing, optimization, affordable housing
*D. Rockwood, MArch—design, construction materials and processes
*S. Sierralta, MArch—architectural design, design communication
*J. Stilgenbauer, MLA— landscape architecture
*L. Walters, MArch—design, digital fabrication

Affiliate Faculty

W. R. Chapman, PhD—American studies
J. A. Dator, PhD—political science
A. J. Kaufman, PhD—landscape specialist
K. E. Kim, PhD—planning
L. Minerbi, MCD, Dott Arch, MUP—planning

Adjunct Faculty

C. H. Schar, MArch—community design, professional practice

General Information

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Introduction

The study of architecture and landscape architecture allows students to generate physical solutions to complex environmental design problems that often have competing economic, social, and political parameters. The built environment professions attract those who have a wide range of interests and skills and wish to make a unique contribution to society.

Vision: Global Connections

The School of Architecture inspires transformative design at the global scale with preeminence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mission Statement: Building for the 21st Century

The School of Architecture responds to our unique location in the Asia-Pacific region and recognizes the privilege and responsibility to address cultural, environmental, and social diversity. We commit to passionate and engaging community participation through teaching, learning, research, professional practice, and service.

Accreditation Notice

In the U.S., most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted a 6-year, 3-year, or 2-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.

Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

The School of Architecture offers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs:

Doctor of Architecture

  • Track I: (preprofessional degree in architecture [126/120 credits] + 90 graduate credits)
  • Track II: (non-professional degree [120 credits min.] + 108 graduate credits)

Next accreditation visit: 2018

Admissions Overview

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Students seeking admission to the school must complete an online application by the stated deadlines. The school and UH Manoa do not grant deferred admission. Applicants wishing to defer admission must reapply.

Undergraduate Application Procedures

All applicants for admission to the pre-professional undergraduate Bachelor of Environmental Design (BEnvD) program must complete a UH System Application at www.manoa.hawaii.edu/apply/.

Undergraduate Application Deadlines

Fall priority deadline is January 5 and final deadline is March 1. Spring priority deadline is September 1 and final deadline is October 15.

The Office of Admissions will complete an undergraduate transfer credit evaluation for prior completed post-secondary level course work or approved Advanced Placement (AP) high school course work. The School of Architecture will complete a transfer credit evaluation for prior completed post-secondary level course work taken in architecture or related subjects after an applicant is accepted by UH Manoa. Architecture course requirements will be waived only for transfer credits that are deemed equivalent to courses offered by the school.

Students entering the pre-professional undergraduate program directly from high school may potentially complete the program in four years of full-time study. The time to complete the program by transfer students is based on a case-by-case evaluation of transfer credits.

Graduate Application Procedures

DArch Application Procedures

All applicants for admissions to the professional Doctor of Architecture (DArch) program must hold a baccalaureate degree or higher and must apply online with Graduate Division at www.manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/content/prospective-students/. Applicants must also submit a School of Architecture Supplemental Information for Admission form, which can be found at www.arch.hawaii.edu/sites/default/files/Supplemental_Info.pdf, and required documents by the stated deadline. Supplemental documents submitted by applicants become the property of the School of Architecture.

DArch Graduate Application Deadline

Fall deadline is January 1. Spring deadline is September 1.

Students entering the program who hold a four-year pre-professional baccalaureate degree (e.g., BS architecture studies, BA architecture studies, BA environmental design) enter the 3-year, 90-credit professional DArch program. Fall semester start date is recommended.

Students entering the program who hold a baccalaureate degree in a field unrelated to architecture or environmental design (non-pre-professional degree) enter the 108-credit professional DArch program. Spring semester start date is recommended.

No graduate credit is transferable to the DArch degree if it has been counted for another graduate degree.

MLA Application Procedures

Admissions procedures for the Master of Landscape Architecture program (MLA) follow general OGE policy (manoa.hawaii.edu/graduate/content/prospective-students). Applicants for admission to the MLA must hold or expect to hold prior to matriculation a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or an equivalent degree from a recognized non-U.S. institution of higher education. To be eligible, a first-professional MLA I track applicant must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree with a major in any field of study. A first-professional MLA I AP track applicant must hold a professional degree in architecture (BArch, MArch, DArch) or a four-year pre-professional bachelor's degree in landscape architecture, architecture, or environmental design. Additionally, a strong design portfolio is required for an MLA I AP applicant to be granted advanced standing of up to two semesters. A post-professional MLA II track applicant must hold an accredited professional degree in landscape architecture (BLA, BSLA). All applicants to the MLA program need to demonstrate a GPA of 3.0 or above for undergraduate course work and for any post-baccalaureate or graduate course work. Minimum TOEFL score for international MLA applicants: 61 (internet) or 500 (paper); or minimum IELTS score for international MLA applicants: 6.00 for the overall band test results.

Prospective MLA students seeking admission to the program will be required to submit a general OGE application by the stated deadline. In addition, MLA applicants need to submit the following supplemental materials required by the School of Architecture: statement of interest, resume, portfolio, three letters of recommendation, MLA supplemental information form.

MLA Application Deadline

Admissions to the MLA program (all degree tracks) will be Fall only with a January 1 application deadline.

Advising

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Informal academic advising may be requested by prospective students by contacting the school’s Student Services Office. Students who have been accepted to the school should contact the Student Services Office for information regarding orientation and required advising before registration.

Program Requirements

Students enrolled in the pre-professional Bachelor of Environmental Design (BEnvD) must meet UH Manoa General Education Core Requirements and maintain UH Manoa academic standards. Enrolled students wishing to enter the 90-credit professional DArch or the MLA programs must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA at the graduate level.
Students in the 108-credit professional DArch program must attain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the graduate level and make reasonable academic progress. All graduate students (DArch and MLA) whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 are placed on academic probation. Upon completion of the probationary semester if the cumulative GPA is not raised to 3.0, or if special conditions established by the dean are not met, the student may be dismissed or suspended from the program.

Undergraduate Program

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Bachelor of Environmental Design (BEnvD)

A pre-professional 4-year undergraduate degree program, the Bachelor of Environmental Design (BEnvD) emphasizes the study of built and natural environments and provides a solid foundation for graduate education and/or careers in the design and building industries, including architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and construction management.

Graduate Program

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Doctor of Architecture (DArch)

The School of Architecture offers the only NAAB-accredited Doctor of Architecture (DArch) degree in the country and Hawai‘i’s only professional degree in architecture. The three-year DArch program, recognized for its Asia-Pacific, Hawai‘i and urban ecological research focus, emphasizes architectural inquiry within social, cultural, and interdisciplinary studies. The program places emphasis on both theory and practice among its strategic priorities, which address the distinct requirements and challenges of tropical environments, regional issues, and Hawai‘i’s rich cultural heritage as instructive models for complex global problems. The DArch program is strongly committed to design excellence, sustainability, applied research, and community.

Doctor of Architecture (DArch) Global Track (China Focus)

In partnership with Tongji University College of Architecture and Urban Planning (Shanghai, China), the UH Manoa School of Architecture has implemented a Global Track (China Focus) of its Doctor of Architecture degree. Students who successfully complete this track will have the option to obtain Tongji University’s College of Architecture and Urban Planning NBAA accredited Masters of Architecture degree along with the UHM Manoa School of Architecture NAAB accredited Doctor of Architecture degree. Nowhere else in the world can a student enroll in a single track and graduate with two accredited architecture degrees from the world’s two largest construction economies.

Master of Landscape Architecture

The field of landscape architecture comprises the analysis, planning, design, and management of natural and built environments. Landscape architectural practice presupposes a deep understanding of environmental systems and a commitment to the highest standards of design. A professional license is required to practice landscape architecture. An accredited degree in landscape architecture is needed for licensure. The MLA is a professional degree recognized by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB).

Focused on ecological and social sustainability by design, the School of Architecture’s MLA program uniquely positions its graduates to make essential professional contributions needed to maintain and enhance a beautiful, resilient, healthy, and prosperous Hawai‘i within its complex Asia-Pacific and global context. Its focus on contemporary, sustainable urban/landscape planning and design in tropical Asia-Pacific regions, where the majority of growth will occur in the upcoming decades, distinguishes this MLA from other North American landscape architecture programs. Hawai‘i, with its rich natural and cultural history and manifold environmental and social challenges, provides a unique place of learning and opportunity for cutting-edge landscape architectural research, teaching, and practice. There is no other place in the U.S. where the aspirations of twenty-first century landscape architectural practice converge so seamlessly with the philosophy and culture of the local ancient, indigenous community.

To accommodate applicants’ varying levels of preparedness through their undergraduate education, the MLA program includes three closely intertwined tracks:

I. First-professional MLA Track (MLA I)
This three-year track is open to applicants with four-year bachelor degrees with majors in any field of study.

II. First-professional MLA Advanced Placement Track (MLA I AP)
In the MLA I AP track applicants with professional degrees in architecture or pre-professional undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture, architecture, or environmental design may be granted advanced standing of up to two semesters.

III. Two-year post-professional MLA Track (MLA II)
This post-professional track is open to applicants with professional undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture (BLA, BSLA, or equivalent) that fulfill the requirement for landscape architectural licensure.

Special Requirements

All students are required to have their own personal computer for completion of required course work. A laptop computer is strongly recommended. Software may be required to be purchased by students for the successful completion of courses and to use the school’s advanced graphic and digital fabrication equipment.

Additional Information

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For information about the school or degree programs, contact the Student Services Office at arch@hawaii.edu.

For information regarding student loans and scholarships, contact the Financial Aid Services Office.

Professional Fee

All school students are assessed a professional fee each semester at the time tuition is paid. The professional fee for the 2018-2019 academic year is $500 per semester.

Other Requirements

Waiver or substitution of any required course must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Program, the DArch Program Director, or the MLA Program Director.

Design Futures lab

The Design Futures Lab has been established since August 2008. Students and faculty affiliated with the Hawai‘i Research Center for Futures Studies, and students and faculty affiliated with the School of Architecture of UH M&anoa have been engaged in a project called “Campuses 2060.” The project explores the history, present situation, and alternative futures of institutions of higher education worldwide according to the overall “future” these institutions find themselves in, and the specific mission, participants, resources, pedagogy, and physical campus that they develop in response to each future. There have been three public presentations of their ongoing work so far. While the initial focus has been on UH Manoa, it is the intention of the project, still ongoing, to become a global resource for ideas and information about the futures of higher education anywhere.

Environmental Research & Design Lab

The Environmental Research and Design Laboratory, an inter-disciplinary research laboratory located in the School of Architecture, was formed to advance sustainable design through research, education, and community outreach, with the aim of improving the dynamic interaction among the built, natural, and human environments. The laboratory not only directly supports the teaching mission of the school, but regularly provides exceptional research and design assistance to the university, the local community, the State of Hawai‘i, and the greater professional community. The lab, which supports student assistantships, has undertaken evaluation of the classroom space and energy audit throughout the campus and the Design Futures Lab has participated in long range planning for the university.

Student Organizations

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The school houses a chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). The organization engages in a number of social and community service activities and has won numerous national awards. The Gamma Mu Chapter of the Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society is open to DArch students who maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA and are at the top twenty percent of their class at the end of year two.

University of Hawai‘i Community Design Center (UHCDC)

UHCDC Studio is a UH Manoa School of Architecture outreach initiative and community design center that builds on four decades of public service to Hawai‘i and the Asia-Pacific region. As a hybrid program of education and practice, UHCDC offers Hawai‘i a new resource for interdisciplinary research and design inquiry. Typical projects help state agencies and local non-profit organizations explore proof-of-concept design alternatives for problems of diverse type, scope, and scale. Supervised by school faculty in cooperation with colleagues from related disciplines, UHCDC Studio provides unique benefits to Hawai‘i’s citizens through multiple levels of engagement–academic instruction, internship, post-graduate employment, and collaboration with members of the professional community.

Scholarships and Awards

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ARCC King Student Medal for Excellence in Architectural + Environmental Design Research
Alpha Rho Chi Medal, National Professional Architectural Fraternity Award
Henry Adams Medal and Certificate, American Institute of Architects Award
Henry Adams Certificate, American Institute of Architects Award
Allen R. Johnson-Roy C. Kelley Architectural Travel Scholarship
AIA Honolulu Scholarship
Barry John Baker Endowed Scholarship
Bergum Scholarship
Donald G. Deer Memorial Scholarship
Gilman Hu Honolulu Chapter CSI Endowed Scholarship
HONBLUE Student Support Fund
Leighton Liu Endowed Scholarship
PBR Hawai‘i Scholarship
R. Richard Morris Memorial Scholarship
UH Manoa School of Architecture Practicum Fund
UHSAAA Scholarship