Skip to main content
.

Liberal studies requirements for the B.Arch. program, Cornell

Compiled by J. Ochshorn (based on 2007-2008 "Courses of Study")
For extensive background information, links to relevant web pages, additional curricular options, and commentary, see original site. Note that proposals here may be different than those on original site.

A. Departmental courses and "free" electives: B.Arch. options

Category Current curriculum
(credit hours)
Proposal "A-1"
(credit hours)
Proposal "A-2"
(credit hours)
Design (10 terms) + Arch 510 62 62 62
Arch. History 181-182 6 6 6
Structures
263,264,363
10 10 10
Construction
262
3 3 3
Environment
261,361,362
9 9 9
Visual Representation 151,152,253 6 6 6
Analysis/theory 231,232 4 6 6
Arch.Culture&Society 3 included as required "liberal studies," social science course: see table below
ProPractice 3 3 3
History electives 9 6 3
Theory electives 6 6 3
Visual Rep. electives 3 3 3
Technology electives 3 3 3
AAP 111 required 1 included as required "liberal studies," social science course: see table below
In-or-out-of-AA&P elective 14 9 15
Subtotal: departmental and free elective credit hours 142 132 132

B. "Liberal studies" (non-departmental) courses: B.Arch. options

Category Current curriculum
(credit hours)
Proposal "B-1"
(credit hours)
Proposal "B-2"
(credit hours)
Out-of-AA&P elective* 1533-34
non-arch.
credits
2645
non-arch.
credits
1545
non-arch.
credits
Studio art 6 6 6
Calculus 3-4 0 0
Science/Quantitative Reasoning 3 3 6
Humanities (and Social Sciences) 3 7** 15**
Freshman Writing Seminar 3 3 3
"Liberal studies" credit hours 33-34 45 45
Total credit hours 175-6 177 177

* could be changed to "Out-of-department" elective.

** 4 credits of the humanities/social science category consist of two required courses: a 3-credit required course in Architecture, Culture, and Society taught within the architecture department, but with sufficient social science content to meet the NAAB criteria for an elective with "other than architecture content;" and the 1-credit AA&P course, The World We Make.

Term-by-term curriculum

Note that the curricula for all proposals are potentially identical, in that all options have the same number of elective courses (i.e., 24 courses or 72 credit hours). The difference between the proposals shows up in the distribution of the electives (see table above).

Current curriculum Proposals

First year, Fall term (18-19 cr.hrs.) First year, Fall term (18 cr.hrs.)
6design 01 6design 01
3history 01 3history 01
2drawing 01 (freehand) 2drawing 01 (freehand)
3-4calculus 3elective 01
1AAP 111 1AAP 111
3elective 01 (FWS or other) 3elective 02 (FWS or other)

First year, Spring term (17 cr.hrs.) First year, Spring term (17 cr.hrs.)
6design 02 6design 02
3history 02 3history 02
2drawing 02 (projections: orthographic, etc.) 2drawing 02 (projections: orthographic, etc.)
3elective 02 3elective 03
3elective 03 (FWS or other) 3elective 04 (FWS or other)

Second year, Fall term (17 cr.hrs.) Second year, Fall term (18 cr.hrs.)
6design 03 6design 03
2analysis 01 3analysis 01
3bldg tech mat'l & methods 3bldg tech mat'l & methods
2drawing 03 (digital, including autocad) 2drawing 03 (digital, including autocad)
4structures 01 (concepts) 4structures 01 (concepts)

Second year, Spring term (17 cr.hrs.) Second year, Spring term (18 cr.hrs.)
6design 04 6design 04
2analysis 02 3analysis 02
3structures 02 (elements) 3structures 02 (elements)
3environment 01 (site planning) 3environment 01 (site planning)
3elective 04 3elective 05

Third year, Fall term (18 cr.hrs.) Third year, Fall term (18 cr.hrs.)
6design 05 6design 05
3environment 02 (HVAC, thermal stuff) 3environment 02 (HVAC, thermal stuff)
3elective 05 3elective 06
3elective 06 3elective 07
3elective 07 3elective 08

Third year, Spring term (18 cr.hrs.) Third year, Spring term (18 cr.hrs.)
6design 06 6design 06 (comprehensive design)
3environment 03 (lighting, acoustics, comprehensive design) 3environment 03 (lighting, acoustics)
3structures 03 (systems) 3structures 03 (systems)
3arch as cultural system 3elective 09 (arch as cultural system)
3elective 08 3elective 10

Fourth year, Fall term (18 cr.hrs.) Fourth year, Fall term (18 cr.hrs.)
6design 07 6design 07
3elective 10 3elective 11
3elective 11 3elective 12
3elective 12 3elective 13
3elective 13 3elective 14

Fourth year, Spring term (18 cr.hrs.) Fourth year, Spring term (18 cr.hrs.)
6design 08 6design 08
3pro prac (contracts, ethics, etc.) 3pro prac (contracts, ethics, etc.)
3elective 14 3elective 15
3elective 15 3elective 16
3elective 16 3elective 17

Fifth year, Fall term (17 cr.hrs.) Fifth year, Fall term (17 cr.hrs.)
6design 09 6design 09
2elective 17 (thesis proseminar) 2thesis proseminar (510)
3elective 18 3elective 18
3elective 19 3elective 19
3elective 20 3elective 20

Fifth year, Spring term (17 cr.hrs.) Fifth year, Spring term (18 cr.hrs.)
8design 10 (thesis) 6design 10 (thesis)
3elective 20 3elective 21
3elective 21 3elective 22
3elective 22 3elective 23
   3elective 24

Total: 175-6 credit hours Total: 177 credit hours

First posted 31 Oct. 2007 | Last updated 01 Nov. 2007