The undergraduate program in architecture, leading to the A.B. degree, combines required courses in environmental design and architecture with opportunities for highly varied individual programs. Through its core courses, the program offers a broad introduction to the field of architecture, and through studies in the various areas it provides opportunities to prepare for specialization in the field in the areas of architectural design and representation, architectural technologies and building performance, architectural history, and society and culture. In addition to offering a sound and well-rounded education, undergraduate studies can also provide pre-professional competency for entry-level employment in architecture, the option for graduate work in architecture, or further studies in a related environmental design field.

Accreditation/Licensure. In the United States, 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 six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.

Master’s degree programs may consist of a preprofessional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree. The Master of Architecture is the only accredited professional degree offered by UC Berkeley's Department of Architecture. At present, the degree is accepted for partial credit toward licensure by the California Architects Board.

Individual Major. The individual major is a program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in an area of study that is appropriate to the College of Environmental Design but that cannot be accomplished through the three existing majors. See the Undergraduate Individual Major for more information on this degree program.

Minors. See the Minor Programs webpage for information on undergraduate minors offered by the Department of Architecture, as well as other minors available to architecture majors.

Fall 2009 Course and Curriculum Changes

The Architecture Department has updated its course offerings to add new courses, to enhance courses in design and digital design, and to emphasize subject areas that address compelling societal and environmental challenges. Additionally, courses have been reorganized into three course groupings: (1) Architectural Design and Representation; Professional Practice; (2) Architectural History, Culture, and Society; and (3) Architectural Technologies and Building Performance. These updates have resulted in the following changes to the undergraduate curriculum:

• Courses ENV DES 11B, ARCH 100A, and ARCH 100B now include a required computer graphics module and the unit value of each of those courses will be increased by one unit.
• Students will be required to select courses from the new course groupings.
  
• The new undergraduate curriculum requirements will take effect in Fall 2009 for all undergraduates except those on the degree list for Fall 2009, Spring 2010, or Summer 2010, who will graduate under the curriculum requirements in effect prior to Fall 2009. If there are questions from students about how their current transcript relates to the new requirements, please consult the undergraduate advisors.
   

Course Requirements 

A total of 120 units is required for the A.B. degree in Architecture. All college prerequisites and requirements except one breadth and the CED upper-division electives must be taken for a grade and satisfied with a minimum grade of C-. CED upper-division electives and upper-division major requirements must be passed with a letter grade. Transfer applicants must have completed courses equivalent to ENV DES 1, 11A, and 11B before transfer to Berkeley, but will take the CED upper-division electives and upper-division major work after matriculation.

Students who intend to pursue graduate work in the field are advised to acquaint themselves thoroughly with the prerequisites for entry into the appropriate graduate programs and to prepare their course of study with an Architecture Department advisor. Students interested in taking courses in civil engineering should be aware of the special lower-division mathematics, physics, and engineering prerequisites for these courses.

Students in the architecture undergraduate program are expected to meet four sets of course requirements:

1. University and Campus Requirements
2. CED College Requirements
3. Architecture Major Requirements
4. General Electives

1.  University and Campus Requirements

• Entry-Level Writing
• American History
• American Institutions
• American Cultures
   

Outside CED. 11 courses (36–38 units)

Essential Skills Requirements

• Two courses in reading and composition (8)
• Two courses in calculus: Either Math 16A (3) and Math 16B (3) or Math 1A (4) and Math 1B (4)
   

Seven-Course Breadth Requirements

• One of the following two courses in Physical Science: PHYSICS 8A (4) Introductory Physics or PHYSICS 7A (4) Physics for Scientists and Engineers
  
• One course in Biological Science (2–4)
• One course in Social and Behavioral Sciences (2–4)
• One course in International Studies (2–4)
• One course in Arts and Literature (2–4)
• One course in Historical Studies (2–4)
• One course in Philosophy and Values (2–4)
   

Note: With the exception of the Physical Science requirement, you may take one of the breadth requirements on a Passed/Not Passed basis. See the Undergraduate Advising website for additional information related to these requirements.

Inside CED. Six courses, 20 units:

Environmental Design Lower-Division Requirements

• ENV DES 1 (3) People and Environmental Design
• ENV DES 11A (4) Introduction to Visual Representation and Drawing
• ENV DES 11B (5) Introduction to Design (with 1-unit graphics module)
   

Electives

• Three upper-division elective courses (9 units) in CED but outside the Department of Architecture
   

3. Architecture Major Requirements. 7 courses, 32 units:

Architectural Design and Representation; Professional Practice. Two required courses (12 units): 

• ARCH 100A (6) Fundamentals of Architectural Design (with 1-unit graphics module)
• ARCH 100B (6) Fundamentals of Architectural Design (with 1-unit graphics module)
   

Architectural History, Culture, and Society. Three required core courses (11-12 units):

• ARCH 170A (4) An Historical Survey of Architecture and Urbanism (Part 1)
  
• ARCH 170B (4) An Historical Survey of Architecture and Urbanism (Part 2)
  
• Either ARCH 110AC (4) The Social and Cultural Basis of Design or ARCH 130 (3) Introduction to Design Theories and Methods
   

Architectural Technologies and Building Performance. Two required core courses (8 units) from the following:

• ARCH 140 (4) Energy and Environment
• ARCH 150 (4) Introduction to Structures
• ARCH 160 (4) Introduction to Construction
   

Note: Students intending to apply to Master of Architecture programs are advised to take a minimum of one ARCH 101 studio and one additional course in both Architectural History, Culture, and Society and Architectural Technologies and Building Performance.

4. General Electives. 29-31 units. May be taken inside or outside of CED. The University requires 120 units minimum for graduation. No more than 48 units total in the student's major department will be credited toward the 120 minimum for graduation, so only 16 units beyond the required courses may be courses in architecture. 13-15 units must be taken in other departments. The minor program allows students to take a minor in a subject outside architecture by taking five upper-division courses (18 units) of their electives in an approved subject area.