BArch Architecture

5 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Auburn University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) at Auburn University is a five-year professional program that combines architectural design, technical knowledge, history, theory, digital media, structures, and professional practice through a progressive studio-based curriculum. It suits students who want to develop the creative, technical, collaborative, and problem-solving skills needed for professional architecture, with opportunities to participate in Auburn’s Rural Studio, Urban Studio, and international study programs.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build their architectural foundation through ARCH 1010 Introduction to Architecture Design, ARCH 1060 Visual Communication, and ARCH 1420 Introduction to Digital Media. These courses develop visual communication, design-process skills, drafting, sketching, diagramming, and the use of 2-D and 3-D digital media in architectural design.

Year 2: The curriculum moves into more developed architectural design and technical studies through ARCH 2010 Studio 1, ARCH 2210 Conceptual Structures, and ARCH 2310 Tech 1: Materials & Ecology, alongside ARCH 2110 History of World Architecture I and ARCH 2020 Studio 2. Students begin integrating architectural design with structural concepts, materials, ecology, history, and building systems.

Year 3: Students progress into advanced studio work through ARCH 3010 Studio 3 and ARCH 3020 Studio 4, supported by BSCI 3440 Structure of Buildings II and ARCH 3700 Seminar in History and Theory. The year also allows students to explore design through optional Urban Studio, Rural Studio, and study-abroad experiences.

Year 4: Architectural work becomes increasingly professional and integrated through ARCH 4010 Studio 5, ARCH 4020 Studio 6, and ARCH 4110 History of Urban Architecture. Students also study ARCH 4500 Professional Practice and advanced technical/environmental content through ARCH 2220 Environmental Controls II or ARCH 4310 Tech 3: Integration, connecting design decisions with professional and building-performance considerations.

Year 5: The final year centers on independent architectural investigation and thesis development through ARCH 5010 Studio 7, ARCH 5990 Thesis Research, and ARCH 5020 Thesis Studio. Students develop a substantial thesis project while continuing architectural seminars and core studies, with Urban Studio and Rural Studio available as optional experiences by application.

Focus Areas

Architectural design, visual communication, digital media, building structures, materials and construction, environmental controls, architectural history and theory, urban architecture, professional practice, community-based design, research, and thesis development.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop design creativity, collaborative problem-solving, technical competence, communication skills, historical and contextual understanding, social responsibility, environmental awareness, and preparation for professional architectural practice.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

NAAB accreditation: Auburn University’s five-year Bachelor of Architecture is a National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)-accredited professional degree requiring 159 credits. Auburn states that graduates who subsequently complete the required internship experience are eligible to begin taking the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), subject to applicable licensure requirements.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

DesignIntelligence: Auburn reports that its Architecture Program has been ranked among the top 20 architecture programs nationally for the last decade by DesignIntelligence, while earlier DesignIntelligence practitioner surveys placed the undergraduate architecture program in the national top 10 and recognized strengths including construction methods and materials, sustainable design, and interdisciplinary teamwork.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Auburn University’s Bachelor of Architecture gain practical experience through studio-based design, community engagement, travel-based field studies, and hands-on fabrication. The five-year professional program connects architectural education with real projects through Auburn’s Rural Studio and Urban Studio, while dedicated studios, fabrication facilities, computer resources, and the Library of Architecture, Design and Construction support students throughout their design work. Students can also work with digital tools through CADC’s virtual lab and use laser cutters, CNC equipment, printers, plotters, and scanners for developing and presenting architectural work.

Students gain practical experience through the following program-specific opportunities:

Rural Studio: Architecture students can participate in Auburn’s off-campus design-build program in West Alabama, where they work on community-focused projects and transform architectural concepts into built solutions through direct engagement with local communities.
Urban Studio: Selected third- and fifth-year architecture students can study in Birmingham and work on professional seminars and studio projects involving community development, urban planning, neighborhood master plans, and public-use buildings.
Team Projects: Urban Studio operates in a collaborative, professional-firm-style environment where students work on multiple team projects with milestone deadlines and receive feedback from architects, planners, and other professionals.
Architecture Internships: Fifth-year students participating in Urban Studio can complete internships with local architecture firms during the final part of their program, providing direct exposure to professional architectural practice.
Design-Build Experience: Rural Studio gives students the opportunity to work on actual community projects, including designing and constructing buildings and other structures for underserved communities in Alabama.
Field Studies: Architecture students participate in travel-based field studies at multiple points in the curriculum, allowing them to study buildings, urban environments, materials, and architectural contexts outside the university.
International Exposure: Auburn’s architecture program offers enrichment opportunities associated with locations such as Rome and Scandinavia, alongside other field-study opportunities.
Dudley Shop: The dedicated fabrication shop adjacent to Dudley Hall provides APLA students with equipment and trained personnel to produce scale models, prototypes, and other physical work.
Digital Fabrication: The Dudley Shop includes three laser cutters and a CNC router, with dedicated computers for operating the equipment.
Virtual Lab: CADC maintains a Windows Virtual Desktop lab that students can access from personal Windows or Macintosh computers and that is configured with specialty software for the program.
Digital Production Equipment: Students have access to high-end color printers and plotters, regular, wide-format and large-format scanners, and digital/A/V equipment available through the Library of Architecture, Design and Construction.
Architecture Studios: Dudley Hall contains dedicated design studio spaces, critique spaces, classrooms, a dark room, and computer laboratories, providing the environment for iterative design development and reviews.
Architecture Library: The Library of Architecture, Design and Construction (LADC) provides approximately 37,750 volumes, 97 periodicals, 1,450 student theses, blueprints and floorplans, videos, slides, and online access to the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals.
Research Facilities: The CADC Research Commons provides 8,000 square feet of design studios and teaching and collaboration spaces supporting research-centered undergraduate and graduate coursework.
Community-Based Learning: Auburn’s architecture education connects students with community organizations, professional partners, and real urban issues through Rural Studio and Urban Studio, giving students experience with architecture beyond conventional classroom projects.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BArch Architecture at Auburn University prepares graduates for professional practice through a five-year, NAAB-accredited curriculum, with pathways into architecture, urban design, design visualization, digital modeling, facilities planning, and related fields. Auburn also connects architecture students with employers through CADC Career Services, career fairs, internships, interviews, and industry engagement, while its alumni network includes professionals working across the U.S. and internationally.

Typical career directions include Architect, Urban Designer, Design Visualization/Digital Modeling Specialist, and Facilities Planning and Management Professional.

Students can build their professional pathway through these opportunities:

Career Services: CADC Career Services specifically supports architecture students with industry engagement, internship opportunities, and pathways to full-time employment.
Architecture Career Fair: Auburn’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture hosts a dedicated career and internship fair where students can meet architecture firms, network with industry representatives, and participate in one-on-one interviews.
Industry connections: Davis Architects, a long-standing Auburn partner, has recruited Auburn architecture graduates and participates in mentorship and Career Day initiatives; the firm reported in 2025 that more than half of its employees were Auburn graduates.
Alumni network: Auburn CADC alumni work across architecture, design, and construction in the U.S. and internationally, creating a broad professional community for current students and graduates.
Professional preparation: Auburn states that after completing the BArch and successfully completing the required internship experience, graduates are eligible to begin taking the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) toward professional licensure.
Employment data: Auburn provides university career-outcomes resources and labor-market information, but an architecture-specific employment percentage or architecture-specific salary figure is not stated on the official BArch sources reviewed. The university’s official Career Discovery and Success system provides occupation-level employment trends, annual earnings, employers, technical skills, and job titles.
Salary information: A program-specific BArch starting salary or median salary is not stated by Auburn on the official architecture pages reviewed, so no unsupported salary figure is provided.
Accreditation value: The BArch is NAAB-accredited, which is important because Auburn notes that most U.S. registration boards require an accredited professional architecture degree as a prerequisite for licensure.
Long-term professional value: Auburn’s current program documentation identifies the BArch as an accredited professional degree, giving graduates an established educational foundation for progressing toward architectural licensure through the required experience and examination process.
Graduate outcomes: Auburn’s architecture alumni include leaders and principals at firms such as Davis Architects, ArchitectureWorks, Meyer Davis, RIM Architects, Perkins&Will, and McKinney York Architects, demonstrating the range of professional directions pursued by graduates.

Further Academic Progression: After the BArch, students can continue into advanced architectural and related graduate study. Auburn currently offers graduate programs through the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, including the Master of Science in Architecture, while the BArch itself provides the professional architecture foundation for graduates pursuing licensure and further specialization.