PRE-ARCHITECTURE
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The Dordt Difference If you’re drawn to the design of buildings and landscapes, architecture may be a career path you should consider. Today’s architecture programs are less purely technical than in the past. During a guest lecture at Dordt, Professor Tom Leslie, who teaches architecture and serves as the director of graduate education at Iowa State University, said. “We still spend a great deal of time on structure, environment, materials, code compliance, etc. We do this more from a designer’s perspective, with less math than in previous generations and with more emphasis on basic concepts and integration.” Architecture students still need basic trigonometry and plenty of algebra and graphing but not at the advanced levels expected in the past. A key emphasis of the pre-architecture program at Dordt College is to encourage students to consider how their work may serve both God and his creation by designing buildings and landscapes that reflect responsible use of spatial, material, environmental, and economic resources. Dordt’s innovative “four plus three” pre-architecture program can be the first step to a master of architecture degree and a career as a licensed architect. Our pre-architecture program can help you get your graduate degree in an additional three years, though some programs may require four.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT “Dordt has equipped me in both the structural and the creative aspects of architecture,” says Brett Van Andel, a 2007 graduate from Lynden, Washington. He believes that the art courses he’s taken greatly enhanced his creative sense of design. “Wellestablished programs in art, engineering, history, and philosophy make Dordt College an excellent place to prepare for a career in architecture,” he said.
PROGRAM OPTIONS The art major with a pre-architecture design emphasis is for students who want to focus on imaginative work and developing concepts. It includes: • core competencies in drawing, graphic art, and art history • supplemental courses in mathematics, physics, engineering materials, and structural design The engineering science major with a pre-architecture emphasis is for students interested in more technical and mechanical aspects of architecture. It includes: • core engineering principles related to structural, foundational, and energy efficient design • supplemented by fundamentals of drawing, graphic design, and art/architectural history
GETTING INTO GRADUATE SCHOOL Entrance requirements for architectural graduate programs vary, but most programs prefer students who have completed an interdisciplinary liberal arts bachelor’s degree, including courses in art, graphic design, physics, mathematics, and engineering. Good writing and communication skills are essential for admission. Architects not only create designs but must communicate their designs to a team of engineers and construction managers. Architects’ responsibilities go beyond conceptual drawings; they take part in ongoing management of construction projects, monitor work progress, evaluate proposed changes during construction, and take professional responsibility for a project. A broad-based education provides good preparation, because architects must consider more than the aesthetic appeal of a structural design. They need to be know how to create structures that are environmentally and culturally appropriate, as well as safe and ergonomic for those who will occupy the space.
CAREERS RELATED TO ARCHITECTURE Architectural engineer • Architectural historian • Architectural writer or journalist • Building contractor • Building designer • Building inspector • Building researcher • Cartographer • Civil engineer • Construction project manager • Draftsperson • Environmental engineer • Fashion designer • Furniture designer • Industrial designer • Interior designer or decorator • Industrial engineer • Landscape architect • Marine architect • Mechanical engineer • Production designer • Real estate appraiser • Set designer • Surveyor • Urban planner
MORE INFORMATION For more information about pre-architecture at Dordt College, feel free to contact Professor David Versluis (David.Versluis@dordt.edu) or the Dordt College admissions office at 1-800-343-6738 (opt. 1). August 2015