Architecture: How to Apply
California College of the Arts admits to its Masters in Architecture Program students who have demonstrated intellectual promise and creative achievement.
Applicants to the Master of Architecture Program can be considered for one of our three application categories (described below) depending on their background and undergraduate experience. Applicants who qualify for Advanced Standing or Post-Professional Advanced Standing should review the following descriptions to determine to which category of the Master of Architecture Program they should submit their application.
Master of Architecture (MArch 3*): applicants who have earned their undergraduate degree in a field other than architecture are welcome to apply to our three-year Master of Architecture Program. Advanced standing placement in the MArch 3 program may be granted should a candidate show evidence of undergraduate coursework in architecture and demonstrate their abilities through a qualified portfolio. Advanced placement will be determined based on a portfolio and undergraduate transcript review.
Masters of Architecture with Advanced Standing
(MArch 2*): applicants who have earned an undergraduate degree in a related or parallel field of study, such as a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Environmental Design, or equivalent are invited to apply to our two-year advanced-standing Master of Architecture Program.
Masters of Architecture with Post-professional
Advanced Standing (MArch 1*): applicants who have received a five-year professionally accredited Bachelor of Architecture are welcome to apply to our one-year post-professional Master of Architecture Program. Candidates who apply to this program should demonstrate their abilities through a qualified portfolio and indicate their specific areas of interest for advanced architectural design research.
*Note: MArch 3, MArch 2, and MArch 1 are designations used for our admissions purposes only that will appear on the application. These are not separate architecture degrees.
January 15, 2009 is the fall 2009 application deadline. (Late applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis.)
Note: the fall 2009 graduate application is now available (top right).
Application Requirements:
- Application ($50 nonrefundable fee required)
- Portfolio
- Personal essay
- Résumé / Curriculum vitae
- Two letters of recommendation
- Official college transcripts
Application
Applicants must complete and submit the application online; hard-copy, or paper, applications are no longer accepted. Apply online now. All applicants are required to pay a nonrefundable $50 application fee. (Note: Due to the volume of applications received, CCA is unable to return any materials; please do not submit any original artworks or writings.)
Personal Essay
A personal essay of 500 to 1,000 words must accompany the application. Describe what motivates you to pursue a degree in architecture and how this motivation overlaps with one or more of our program’s particular strengths:
- the integration of critical, artistic, and material approaches to architecture
- alternative models of practice and fabrication
- current investigations into culture, media, and technology and their relationship to architectural production
- our location in a multidisciplinary art school in vibrant San Francisco
Portfolio
Due to the volume of submissions received, we are unable to return portfolios. Applicants should not submit originals of image files, artworks, or writing samples.
The portfolio should demonstrate your creative achievements. Portfolios should be either 8 1/2 x 11 inches or A4 in size, and they should be treated as a design opportunity.
The portfolio must be submitted in hard copy. Websites, CDs, DVDs, videos, and slides may be included as supplemental materials only, and they may or may not be reviewed.
Candidates without an architectural background should use the portfolio to explain their visual sensibilities. Candidates for advanced standing should demonstrate clear evidence of their architectural education and level of ability.
Résumé / Curriculum Vitae
Please outline your educational and professional background and relevant experiences and activities, including community work.
Transcripts
Official, sealed transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate studies must be sent directly from each college or university you have attended to the Enrollment Services Office—Graduate Admissions (address below and at right).
All admitted students must verify completion of a bachelor’s degree, including official notation of date of graduation, no later than July 1. Unofficial (unsealed) copies are not accepted.
For international applicants, all transcripts must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation of the original.
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation are required from academic or professional sources. No personal recommendations please. We highly recommend that you take advantage of our electronic recommendation process. This will ensure that we receive your recommendations in a timely fashion and it is convenient for your recommenders.
When submitting your electronic application, you can provide the email address for your recommenders. Your recommenders will receive the recommendation form electronically and then return it electronically to CCA.
Interview
Applicants may be contacted to arrange an interview with the graduate architecture coordinator or a faculty member.
GRE
We do not require the GRE test for consideration to the masters in architecture program at CCA. However, if you wish to include this in you application, please do so as additional support materials are welcomed for review.
International students must submit additional requirements to those listed above. Please carefully review these additional requirements, and contact the Office of Enrollment with any questions you may have.
We do recommend, when it is possible, to mail your portfolio, transcripts, and other supplemental documents together by the deadline date. However, due to the volume of materials received, we cannot return individual works. Therefore, please do not send original works—send only copies of materials for which you have at least one additional copy.
All documents and portfolio are due by January 15, 2009:
Application material should be mailed to:
California College of the Arts
Enrollment Services Office—Graduate Admissions
1111 Eighth Street
San Francisco, CA 94107-2247
Phone: 415.703.9523
Fax: 415.703.9539
graduateprograms@cca.edu
Graduate Architecture Merit Scholarships: the graduate architecture admissions committee selects a number of outstanding students for the prestigious graduate merit scholarships. Last year these renewable awards range up to $16,000 per year.
Diversity Scholarships: the graduate division awards several entering students special diversity scholarships. For the 2007–08 academic year the renewable award was $8,000 to $16,000 per year.
Studio 0
MArch students accepted to CCA’s masters of architecture program will be required to begin course studies with the three week summer intensive Studio 0. This intensive summer studio is specifically designed for incoming CCA MArch students to introduce them to issues, ideas, and methods of making and thinking that will be pursued throughout their studies at CCA and beyond.
The course explores architecture through a variety of representational techniques, including digital, manual, formal, analytical, and theoretical modes. (Applicants who are granted advanced standing to the m.arch program are not required to take the summer Studio 0 course.)
Teaching Assistantships: teaching assistantships are based on merit and are awarded by the graduate chairs in conjunction with graduate faculty in the second year.
Information Night
Mon., Nov. 10, 2008: RSVP encouraged.
Apply Online
Application materials should be sent to:
CCA
Office of Enrollment Services – Graduate Admissions
1111 Eighth Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
Related Links
Master of Architecture
Graduate Studies
Financial Aid
International Students