COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Architecture at Kent State University is a professionally accredited, STEM-designated graduate program designed to equip students with advanced technical knowledge, creative design skills, and professional expertise necessary for leadership in the architecture field. The program requires a minimum of 44 to 101 credit hours, depending on the chosen track and prior experience. All students begin with foundational courses, including Graduate Design Studio I and II, Project Programming, Theories of Architecture, Methods of Inquiry in Architectural Studies, and a series of Professional Practice courses covering real estate, contract and planning law, leadership, ethics, and office management. Additional required coursework includes Special Topics in Architecture and a minimum of 6 credit hours of graduate electives. Students then select one of three concentrations: the Accelerated Track, the Full-Path Track, or the Prior-Standing Track, each with its own set of advanced studio, technical, and history courses. The Accelerated Track includes Graduate Design Studio III and elective credits totaling 11 credit hours. The Full-Path Track emphasizes comprehensive mastery of structural systems, methods and materials, environmental technology, design studios, architectural history, and tools of representation, fabrication, simulation, and coding, requiring at least 68 credit hours. The Prior-Standing Track is tailored for students with previous architecture experience and may allow for course waivers, resulting in a minimum of 57 to 67 total credit hours, including foundation courses to ensure competency in key areas. Across all tracks, students gain hands-on learning, practical skills, and theoretical knowledge necessary for licensure and professional practice. The program integrates studio-based learning, electives, technical and history courses, and specialized tools training, ensuring graduates are prepared to design functional, sustainable, and socially responsive built environments.