About Us
The College of Architecture & the Built Environment is committed to educating the next generation of design and construction professionals to create an equitable and sustainable future. Our curricula emphasize specialized knowledge unique to each discipline, paired with interdisciplinary collaboration that prepare students for practice in the global market. With its thriving design and construction industries, Philadelphia serves as our urban lab, furnishing students with professional experiences in a vibrant metropolitan area. Our college partners with major corporations, local communities and nonprofit organizations, supplying a broad range of real-world projects and networking opportunities. Our dynamic approach to education and emphasis on social equity, sustainability and design excellence equip our graduates with a competitive edge, poised to become innovative leaders in sustainable practice.
History
The College of Architecture & the Built Environment evolved from a single interior design course in 1980 to its current status with enrollment of over 800 Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation, Construction Management, Sustainable Design, Geodesign, Real Estate Development, Urban Design and Interior Architecture majors in 5 undergraduate programs, 9 graduate programs, 2 online graduate programs and a PhD program. In 1982 the Bachelor of Science in Interior Design officially began, and in 1991 the professional Bachelor of Architecture program was launched with eighty first-year students. The programs continued to grow and in 2004 the School of Architecture and Design was sub-divided, forming the School of Architecture and the School of Design and Media.
The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture joined the portfolio of design-oriented programs in the School of Architecture in 2005, while the long-standing, pre-professional Bachelor of Science Architectural Studies afforded study of related disciplines in concentrations such as Architectural Design Technology and Historic Preservation. Construction Management is the most recent undergraduate addition to the School of Architecture, launching in fall 2011.
In 2007 the School of Architecture established its first graduate program in Sustainable Design, followed by graduate programs in Construction Management (2009), Interior Architecture (2011), Geodesign (2013), Architecture (2014), Real Estate Development (2017) and Historic Preservation (2019), Urban Design (2021) and a doctoral program in Architecture and Design Research (2021). These programs are housed in the SEED Center, a LEED-rated building converted from an existing athletic gymnasium.
As part of a university restructuring in 2011, the School of Architecture became the College of Architecture & the Built Environment and celebrated the 35th anniversary of the BS Interior Design program and the 25th anniversary of the Bachelor of Architecture program in 2016.
Academic Programs
Undergraduate
Graduate
- Architecture (MArch)
- Architecture and Design Research (MS)
- Architecture and Design Research (PhD)
- Construction Management (MS)
- Historic Preservation (MS)
- Interior Architecture (MS)
- Real Estate Development (MS)
- Sustainable Design (MS)
- Sustainable Design - in Partnership with Brick (MS)
- Urban Analytics and Geodesign (MS)
- Urban Design- Future Cities (MUD) (MS)
Certificate
- Construction Management (Graduate Certificate)
- Design of Living Buildings (Graduate Certificate)
- Design of Resilient Communities (Graduate Certificate)
- Geographic Information Systems (Graduate Certificate)
- Geospatial Technology for Geodesign (Graduate Certificate)
- Green Building Operations (Graduate Certificate)
- Historic Preservation (Graduate Certificate)
- Real Estate Development (Graduate Certificate)
- Smart Cities & Urban Analytics (Graduate Certificate)
- Sustainable Leadership (Graduate Certificate)
Accelerated/Dual Degree Programs
- Architectural Studies (BS) & Historic Preservation (MS), Accelerated 4+1
- Architecture (Barch) & Historic Preservation (MS) Accelerated 5+1
- Architecture (Barch) & Interior Architecture (MS), Accelerated 5+2
- Architecture Studies (BS) & Real Estate Development (MS), Accelerated 4+1
- Biotechnology (BS/MS)
- Construction Mgt. (MS) & Real Estate Development (MS) 1+1
- Construction Mgt. (MS) & Sustainable Design (MS) , 1+1
- Cytotechnology & Cell Sciences (BS/MS)
- Emergency and Disaster Management (MS) & Public Health (MPH)
- Emergency and Disaster Management (MS) & Public Health (MPH)
- Exercise Science (BS) & Athletic Training (MSAT)
- Exercise Science (BS) & Occupational Therapy (OTD)
- Exercise Science (BS) & Physical Therapy (DPT)
- Health Sciences (BS) & Athletic Training (MS)
- Health Sciences (BS) & Community & Trauma Counseling (MS)
- Health Sciences (BS) & Community and Trauma Counseling (MS)
- Health Sciences (BS) & Nutrition & Dietetic Practice (MS)
- Health Sciences (BS) & Occupational Therapy (OTD)
- Health Sciences (BS) & Physician Assistant (PA)
- Interior Design (BS) & Architecture (MArch) Accelerated, 4+2
- Interior Design (BS) & Sustainable Design (MS), Accelerated 4+1
- Landscape Architecture (BLA) & Urban Analytics and Geodesign (MS), Accelerated 4+1
- Law (JD) & Public Health (MPH)
- Medical Laboratory Sciences (BS/MS)
- Medicine (MD) & Public Health (MPH) & (DO/MPH)
- Midwifery (MS/DM)
- Nursing (PhD) & Public Health (MPH)
- Occupational Therapy- East Falls (BS/MSOT)
- Pharmaceutical Science (PharmD) & Public Health (MPH)
- Pharmacy (PharmD) & Public Health (MPH)
- Psychology (BS) & Community & Trauma Counseling (MS)
- Social Work (MSS) & Public Health (MPH)
- Textile Design- Accelerated (BS/MS)
University Accreditations