Department of Architecture and Environmental Design
Majoring in Architecture and Environmental Design at BGSU provides a design studio-based learning experience supported by technical coursework covering topics such as computer modeling, construction methods, and structures.
- Our courses focus on student-centered teaching, community-based learning, and entrepreneurship.
- Architecture coursework offered through the Department of Architecure and Environmental Design in the School of the Built Environment in the College of Technology, Architecture, and Applied Engineering, incorporates classes from related disciplines such as construction. Elective coursework in art and related fields provide our students with opportunities for a diverse educational experience.
BGSU architecture students participate in two cooperative education experiences as part of the curriculum, enhancing students understanding of real-world architectural practice. The program offers small class sizes and individual attention to our students both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The BGSU architecture programs is accredited by the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB) at the graduate level. All undergraduate and graduate architecture and environmental design lectures and design studios are now housed in one recently renovated building, allowing for meaningful interactions and collaboration among students, just as in a quality design practice.
The faculty in the Department of Architecture have national and international practice experience and recognition. BGSU architecture students have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty on developing design competition proposals, several of which have been recognized by design review boards nationally and internationally.
At BGSU, architecture student organizations, including the AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students) and NOMAS (National Organization of Minority Architects), are active at the local, regional, and national levels.
The Architecture and Environmental Design major provides short-term study abroad tours in key locations that BGSU students want to visit. Previous tours have studied London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Vancouver, and Cabo San Lucas. The experiences enable students to develop an experiential understanding of architectural history and architecture's impact on regional culture in other locations in the world.
Your career in architecture begins at Bowling Green State University!
Architecture in the News
Can architecture impact climate change? BGSU course receives national recognition for exploring Urban Heat Islands
New studio course will feature collaboration between BGSU, University of Toledo to address complexities of Urban Heat Islands.
A state leader: School of the Built Environment director appointed to American Institute of Architects Ohio Board
Under Dr. Arsenio Rodrigues, the architecture program earned coveted NAAB accreditation and enrollment has nearly doubled.
BGSU grad student's sustainable building project earns AIA Dayton award
Grace Link, who has already been hired in her field before graduation, used her BGSU classwork as a valuable portfolio item.
Program Requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Environmental Design degree requires a minimum of 122 program hours: 2 hours of cooperative education, 9 hours of architecture foundation, 57 hours of concentration, 31 hours in other required courses, and 36 hours of BG Perspectives.
Course Requirements
- TECH 2890 - Cooperative Education
- TECH 3890 - Cooperative Education
- ARCH 1050 - Design Principles
- ARCH 1080 - Architectural Design Fundamentals
ARCH 2220 - Design Studio I~
Introduction to architecture and environmental design problem solving. Topics include anthropometrics, human-environment interaction, principles of form, style, order, proportion, scale and balance; concepts of programming and diagramming.
ARCH 2330 - History of Architecture I*~
Ancient and medieval Western architecture and traditional non-Western architecture in cultural, aesthetic, and technical aspects.
ARCH 2340 - History of Architecture II*~
Western architecture from renaissance to present and recent developments in global architecture in cultural, aesthetic, and technical aspects.
ARCH 2360 - Mechanical and Electrical Building Systems I~
Mechanical and electrical building systems including review of scientific principles used in system design. Topics include equipment description and selection, system types, system components and basic design.
ARCH 2710 - Computer-Aided Design for Architecture~
Intermediate course emphasizing the role of 3D computer applications, including parametric modeling and Building Information Modeling in architectural design, presentation, and professional practice.
ARCH 3210 - Design Studio 2
Studio course focusing on formal, theoretical, technical, and legal issues in architecture related to site design, interior and exterior spatial relationships, and building form with an emphasis on the influence of site and topography on architectural form.
ARCH 3220 - Design Studio 3
Formal design studio focusing on the design of moderately complex structures emphasizing programming and adjacency analysis, the relationship of building envelope and structure, and the relationship between built form and site.
ARCH 3310 - Theory in Architectural Design
Lecture and panel discussion sessions on topics in architectural design theory.
ARCH 3360 - Architectural Materials and Systems
Materials technical properties and construction methods and systems, incorporating expressive and sustainable design objectives.
ARCH 3370 - Mechanical and Electrical Building Systems II
A laboratory course investigating applications of mechanical and electrical building systems. Analysis of existing systems, system design, system modeling and report writing. Topics include water and sanitary waste systems, electrical distribution systems, HVAC systems and lighting design.
ARCH 4210 - Design Studio 4
The study of urbanism in the holistic context of environmental design in relationship to urban design, architecture, landscape architecture and city planning. The study of cities as a multidiscipline process integrating physical, social, economic, political and sustainable factors.
ARCH 4220 - Design Studio 5
This intensive studio course represents the culmination and recapitulation of all previous courses in the undergraduate degree program: a capstone. This design course pursues a holistic and integrated approach to architectural design. Emphasis is placed on the development by each individual student of a selected design problem.
CONS 2350 - Introduction to Construction~
Basic concepts of construction management and technology, including office organization, building construction techniques, surveying, building materials, plan reading and estimating.
CONS 3360 - Structural Design
Introduction of the principles of Statics and Strength of Materials. Standard methods of comparing actual stresses to allowable stresses will be used to size structural members. Emphasis on floor framing systems, columns and connections in steel and wood per design codes.
CONS 3380 - Steel, Concrete and Masonry Design
Sizing and massing techniques to assist the design professional in preliminary layout and design. The course will present design concepts and supplement the design process with tables and charts. Expose students to computer application used in the industry for design of structural steel, structural concrete and masonry - load and non-load bearing walls.
- ARTH 3630 - Modern Architecture
- ECON 2000 - Introduction to Economics*
- MATH 1230 - Mathematics for Architecture/Construct*~ or
- MATH 1260 - Basic Calculus*~ or
- MATH 1310 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry*~
- PHYS 2010 - College Physics I*~
Choose classes from: ART 1010*, ART 1020, ART 1030, ART 1120, ARTS 2110, ARTS 2510, ARTS 2610, ARTS 2710, ARTS 2810, ARTS 2910, ARCH 1100, ECET 2050, ID 1160, SYE 2010, VCT 1030, VCT 1040 and VCT 2820
Choose form ESHP 1010, MKT 3000 and MGMT 3050
Choose 3000-level or above ARCH, CONS, TECH, VCT or select courses form ARTS, ENGT, ENVS, GEOG, ID, QS, SYE, SEES
Coordinate selection with advisor
** ARTS 3940, ARTS 3950, ARTS 3931, ENVS 4130/GEOG 4000, GEOG 4250, ID 44180, ID 4070, QS 3610, QS 3710, QS 3550, SYE 3020, SEES 4500, SEES 3000, and SEES 4100
At least one course in each of the following:
- English Composition and Oral Communication
- Quantitative Literacy
At least two courses in each domain:
- Humanities and the Arts
- Natural Sciences - at least one Lab Science required
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
Each student enrolled in a baccalaureate program must satisfactorily complete WRIT 1120 (Seminar in Research Writing), one course approved for Cultural Diversity in the United States, and one course approved for International Perspectives.
Additional courses from any of the five categories listed above to reach a minimum of 36 credit hours.
~ All Concentration and other required courses that are in Bold and must be taken to matriculate.
* PHYS 2010, ECON 2000, ARCH 2330, ARCH 2340, ART 1010 and MATH 1230 or 1260 or 1310 count toward BG Perspective course requirements, but are only counted once in total credit hours. ARCH 2330 and ARCH 2340 meet the BGP International Perspective attribute requirement.
Updated: 07/20/2023 04:21PM