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Architecture at NC State & UNCC


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If you attended/graduated from either NC State or UNCC's architecture school (undergrad or grad), what are your thoughts on their programs? What are the design philosophies of the school? Are either school more geared towards design? building technology? computer technology? urbanism? sustainability/environmental issues? theory? What are the studio sequences like at each school? Are they open to young faculties and fresh ideas? Or are they more in the Beaux Arts tradition? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

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I did not attend either however, I do have a associates in architecture and I do know that for engineering/architecture/civil design of anykind you want to go to NC State. There architeture school is one of the best in the nation hands down. It is honestly way better than most other architecture programs. I may go back one day to finish my education and it is where I would go without a doubt.

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I am a graduate of both NC State College of Design's Architecture Program (undergraduate degree) and UNCC's College of Architecture (Post Baccalaureate degree). Both nationally accredited schools.

I was at NC State in the late 90's and at UNCC very recently. Both programs are design based, as opposed to engineering or technology based. NC State is a Design School, and UNCC is a College of Architecture. NC State's education focused on a broad design foundation, where UNCC was, obviously, more specifically geared toward architecture. I enjoyed the broad education at NC State. I also enjoyed the intense architectural focus at UNCC.

Both schools are excellent. I think that NC State tends to rank higher because they have a richer history and national reputation. That gives them more applicants and higher admission standards. I don't know if one is really better. It really depends on what a student is looking for.

UNCC has a lot of young faculty that challenge and debate contemporary architectural theory. They have a great lecture series and exciting exhibitions.

NCState has Architecture, Graphic Design, Textile Design, Art and Design, Industrial Design and Landscape Architecture all under one roof, and really has the feel of an Art School.

North Carolinians are really lucky to have them both.

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I have heard many times that UNCC's program is one of the best in the country and that is far exceeds what you can find at NC State.

That might just be because you live in Charlotte ;)

I know that going to high school in Asheville, I had heard of NCSU's College of Design, whereas I had not heard of the architecture program at UNCC. But I haven't heard anyone say outright that one is better than the other. I imagine both programs have their strong points and weak points, and comparing programs at two schools is not nearly as objective a process as many would have you believe.

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I am a graduate of both NC State College of Design's Architecture Program (undergraduate degree) and UNCC's College of Architecture (Post Baccalaureate degree). Both nationally accredited schools.

I was at NC State in the late 90's and at UNCC very recently. Both programs are design based, as opposed to engineering or technology based. NC State is a Design School, and UNCC is a College of Architecture. NC State's education focused on a broad design foundation, where UNCC was, obviously, more specifically geared toward architecture. I enjoyed the broad education at NC State. I also enjoyed the intense architectural focus at UNCC.

Both schools are excellent. I think that NC State tends to rank higher because they have a richer history and national reputation. That gives them more applicants and higher admission standards. I don't know if one is really better. It really depends on what a student is looking for.

UNCC has a lot of young faculty that challenge and debate contemporary architectural theory. They have a great lecture series and exciting exhibitions.

NCState has Architecture, Graphic Design, Textile Design, Art and Design, Industrial Design and Landscape Architecture all under one roof, and really has the feel of an Art School.

North Carolinians are really lucky to have them both.

Thanks for addressing the questions that I had in the original posting. I was afraid that this was devolving into a NCState v. UNCC thread which was not my intention. Do either of the schools have a focus on urbanism within the curriculum of architecture? Given NCState's other design disciplines, can you do an interdisciplinary study between 2 programs like arch and ind. design or arch and landscape arch? What is the quality of the students at the 2 schools? Are they curious, ambitious, eager and well-rounded intellectually? Is there a quality difference in the grad students v. the undergrads? Is there a research focus to any of the studios or are they much more focused on straight-forward architectural issues?

Sorry for all of the questions, but any more insight into the two programs would be greatly appreciated.

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I'm a graduate of the NCSU School of Design, although in Landscape Architeture rather than Architecture. When I was in high school evaluating my options, I chose what I perceived to be a more holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to design at NC State, and perceived the UNC-C program as much smaller and much more technical. That was awhile back (I graduated in 1991) and I have since met folks from the UNC-C program who had a different assessment.

I really liked my experience at NC State, and in the School (now College) of Design especially. After I finished most of the general college stuff my freshman year and took mostly design courses, it really was like being at a small college with all the benefits of a large university.

It's my understanding that dual degree tracks are possible, and, in fact, when I was in graduate school for city planning at UNC-Chapel Hill, a friend crafted a dual degree in design (architecute or landscape architecture, can't recall which ) and planning. Both programs were totally receptive to her pioneering idea, although I think there were some logistics issues.

When I was an undergrad I perceived the graduate students to be the more engaged, curious, etc., also many of my peers in the undergrad school were some of the most createive people I'd ever met. I know that since I left the UG program has gone through some changes that have been positive, but I couldn't really speak tot he culture of either of the programs today. The current Design School dean at NC State is very well known, and I think has really raised the bar for performance and visibility of the program. He's very engaged in the community, and with the school's expansion into a downtown design center, has really encouraged the students to do the same. There was considerably less integration into Raleigh when I was there.

I'm still involved through an alumni advisory board, although I am not able to participate as much as I would like.

Which ever you choose, best of luck to you!

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Keep in mind, it has been a while since I attended NC State... Dean Malecha tells me that they have hired a lot of new young teachers since I left so I'm sure it is a much different place now but...

Do either of the schools have a focus on urbanism within the curriculum of architecture?

UNCC has an urban studies minor and it is well integrated into the architecture department. Their program seemed to be a bit more well defined than State's. NC State had classes and incorporated urbanism into the curriculum... they may have had an Urban Studies minor but, in those days, it was not well integrated.

Given NCState's other design disciplines, can you do an interdisciplinary study between 2 programs like arch and ind. design or arch and landscape arch?

Very difficult... The Art and Design major allows for interdisciplinary study between Industrial (Product)Design, Art, and Graphic Design... The Architecture and Landscape Architecture Programs are much more rigid.

What is the quality of the students at the 2 schools? Are they curious, ambitious, eager and well-rounded intellectually?

Student populations change so much year to year, but at State the student body was MUCH more diverse. As for academic rigor... State has higher admission standards, so the students in that program were generally more rigorous I suppose.

Is there a quality difference in the grad students v. the undergrads?

There is always a quality difference within a program between the undergrads and the grad students. As for comparing the two grad programs

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Thanks for all of your responses. Although I'm originally from NC, I hadn't ever really heard anything about either school. The only schools I know much about are the Ivy League schools, UVa, Cooper Union, Pratt, Parsons, etc. For the purpose of full disclosure as to my interest in this topic, I am considering applying for teaching positions in NC and since those are the only 2 architecture schools in the state, they are the logical starting point for my search.

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A short historical note for you.... NC State is considered a BAUHAUS legacy school. It was founded in the Mid 50's and many of the early teachers and visiting scholars were of or from the BAUHAUS community. Much of their prestige comes from that era. They consider themselves (and rightfully so) a participant in the BAUHAUS immigration and modernist movement.

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A short historical note for you.... NC State is considered a BAUHAUS legacy school. It was founded in the Mid 50's and many of the early teachers and visiting scholars were of or from the BAUHAUS community. Much of their prestige comes from that era. They consider themselves (and rightfully so) a participant in the BAUHAUS immigration and modernist movement.

I wasn't aware of that. I had heard that there was a Bauhaus connecting to Black Mountain College, but didn't know about State. Is there any vestige of that legacy in the school today?

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I wasn't aware of that. I had heard that there was a Bauhaus connecting to Black Mountain College, but didn't know about State. Is there vestige of that legacy in the school today?

The school was originally modeled after the bauhaus and its curriculum. Over the years they have put a high priority to maintaining basic fundamental ideals as the structure of the curriculum evolves.

I don't remember all the details of the bauhaus, but I think it basically focused on an introductory fundamentals of design course and then integration of disciplines through the extent of the education.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have heard many times that UNCC's program is one of the best in the country and that is far exceeds what you can find at NC State.

I attended the College of Architecture at UNCC for a couple of years in the late 1990s. UNCC does have an excellent program and by now is probabally a better architecture school than State. However that wasn't the case about a decade ago. If you were going in the field of Architecture, NC State was first choice, then UNCC. NC A&T State in Greensboro has an Architectural Engineering Program but lacks a design program. Some people like to go to either State or UNCC to get their design education and then go to A&T to learn the engineering side of Architecture.

I read in the news a while back and it said that an architect was the lowest paid high skilled occupation. There saleries are pathetic. I decided to change my major from architecture to commercial design.

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That might just be because you live in Charlotte ;)

No, I have heard this people in the industry. NC State is a bit more rigid in its thinking in it's architectural and engineering programs which tends to hold it back in taking new approaches to solving problems. There is less emphasis on practical utilization on what was learned as well.

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No, I have heard this people in the industry. NC State is a bit more rigid in its thinking in it's architectural and engineering programs which tends to hold it back in taking new approaches to solving problems. There is less emphasis on practical utilization on what was learned as well.

Most architecture schools place "less emphasis on practical utilization" in favor of design, theory, etc. A lot of people in the profession complain about schools focusing more on the intellectual side of architecture over the practical side. I would argue that a more academic program is better for advancing architecture and urbanism than knowing the nominal dimension of a wood stud versus its actual dimension...but, that's just me.

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I agree, but that is beyond what I think you can do in a Bachelors program.

It depends on the school and the students. I have come across some really bright students at places like UVa, Berkeley and Rice as well as Columbia and Yale (though they're undergrad architecture is more of a concentration than a full-fledged degree) who seemed reasonably comfortable communicating on a theoretical level. But, I would probably prefer to teach at the graduate level in most other schools.

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Here is the deal with the two Architectural Schools. I got into both of these two architectural schools and opted for Savannah College of Art and Design's 5 year Masters of Architecture program. But from what I know the most prestigious of the two programs is NC State. NC State is much harder to get into, and from what I heard looks better on your resume, but resume is not everything for a job. UNCC is better for building your portfolio, which is also a key part in getting a job. Really it doesn't matter what school you go to as long as your have a strong portfolio. You could go to Jo Shmo College, make the worst grades, and have an amazing portfolio and becoming the best architect since umm Philip Johnson, theres a name for you.

I read in the news a while back and it said that an architect was the lowest paid high skilled occupation. There saleries are pathetic. I decided to change my major from architecture to commercial design.

This Statement is true, I dropped outta architecture after a year (I continue you to sell house designs online), and switched to fashion design, then I switched to where I am now, Advertising design, because I was more money hungry, and also Architectural Physics is like the hardest class ever.

What kind of architorture (what we called it in college) are you into?

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Without a doubt, if you're deciding between the two, go to UNC-Charlotte. Three or four years from now, it may be a different story; however, right now, NC State's Architectural School is going through a significant and rocky transition period, as older faculty are phased out, very little attention is given to the currently enrolled students.

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Interestingly enough, I think one is offered at UNC-CH where there is no architectural school.

That's right, the Department of City & Regional Planning. I have an undergraduate degree from NCSU's School of Design (landscape architecture) and a master's dgree in Regional Planning from UNC-CH. The planning program there is not at all design-based, and is more focused on social science; that is starting to change somewhat, I think. Similarly, the Design School was not that contextual/planning based when I was there; this is also starting to change.

I think I posted here previously that when I was at DCRP, there was a student in a self-crafted dual degree program in LAR at NCSU and planning at UNC. I think each program has its own rich traditions, but the more integrated each could become with the other, the better.

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