Introduction
The Program in Architecture and Engineering enables students to work at the intersection of engineering and architecture. It is a framework for interdisciplinary study to tackle problems that cannot be addressed by one discipline. The certificate is an opportunity to respond dynamically to evolving global challenges, where elegant and effective solutions lead to more resilient and sustainable communities.
Admission to the Program
The Program in Architecture and Engineering is open to all undergraduate students, regardless of discipline. A student planning to enroll in the program should consult with one of the co-directors of the program, who will assign a special adviser to help plan a curriculum.
Program of Study
In addition to course requirements, the student must identify a global challenge theme, and incorporate theme in senior thesis as described below.
- Identify a Global Challenge Theme: Examples of current challenges are consequences of increasing population densities, limited water supplies, limited natural resources, climate change, ageing infrastructure, and natural and man-made hazards. Within this framework, students in the program will be asked to identify a global challenge to inform their program of study. This question will be posed to students in the application process for entering the program. We expect the program to be adaptive to emerging new challenges that the existing degree structure cannot respond to immediately.
- Incorporate Theme in Senior Thesis: The Senior Thesis should address a cross-disciplinary theme that can be a global challenge. The student must also contribute to a thesis colloquium in Sept/Oct of senior year, currently envisioned as ~10 minute discussions per student with the committee presenting the thesis topic and having an opportunity to discuss and match faculty advisers. This process will create an awareness of how the topic crosses disciplines, and how it addresses a relevant global challenge.
Course Requirements
Six courses total are required to obtain the certificate the Program in Architecture and Engineering, four of which must be selected within a field of expertise chosen by the student. No more than two courses from the six may double count towards the major and certificate. Students may use no more than one course taken on a pass/D/fail basis to satisfy program requirements. All courses combined should illustrate a coherent program of study that addresses a global theme or challenge.
The following two design courses are required for all students:
- ARC 203 Introduction to Architectural Thinking
- ARC 204 Introduction to Architectural Design (Studio Class)
One course is required within a “field of expertise” chosen by the student:
- Structures: CEE262(A or B) Structures and the Urban Environment
- Computation: ARC374 Computational Design
- Environment: ENE202 Designing Sustainable Systems
(Note: With approval of the committee, the student may construct their own “field of expertise” that demonstrates a coherent program of study addressing a global challenge theme).
Three additional courses are selected from a list of approved electives in each field of expertise. The preapproved courses within each field of expertise are listed below:
Structures
ARC 311 Building Science and Technology: Building Systems
ARC 374 Computational Design
ARC 350 Junior Studio
ARC 351 Junior Studio II
CEE 205 Mechanics of Solids
CEE 312 Statics of Structures
CEE 361 Matrix Structural Analysis and Introduction to Finite Elements
CEE 364 Materials in Civil Engineering
CEE 463 A Social and Multi-Dimensional Exploration of Structures
MSE 301 Materials Science and Engineering OR MAE 324 Structure and Properties of Materials
MSE 302 Laboratory Techniques in Materials Science and Engineering
Computation
ARC 311 Building Science and Technology: Building Systems
ARC 596 Embodied Computation
CEE 546 Form Finding of Structural Surfaces
COS 126 General Computer Science
COS 217 Introduction to Programming Systems
COS 226 Algorithms and Data Structures
COS 424 Fundamentals of Machine Learning
ELE 206 (COS 306) Contemporary Logic Design
ELE 364 Machine Learning for Predictive Data Analysis
Environment
ARC 382 Environmental Challenges and Urban Solutions
ART 250 Architecture, Globalization, Environment
ARC 406 Energy and Form
ARC 519 Climate Change, Adaptation and Urban Design
ARC 509 Integrated Building Systems
CEE 207 Intro to Environmental Engineering
CEE 304 Environmental Engineering and Energy
CEE 311 Global Air Pollution
CEE 477 Engineering Design for Sustainable Development
MAE 221 Thermodynamics
MAE 228 Energy Technologies in the 21st Century
MAE 328 Energy for Greenhouse-Constrained World
MSE 301 Materials Science and Engineering OR MAE 324 Structure and Properties of Materials
MSE 302 Laboratory Techniques in Materials Science and Engineering
Certificate of Proficiency
Students who fulfill the program requirements will receive a certificate of proficiency upon graduation.