BS Architectural Studies

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Program Overview

The BS in Architectural Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a four-year pre-professional degree that builds a strong foundation in architectural design, technology, history, structures, urbanism, and the arts and sciences, preparing students for a professional Master of Architecture or careers in allied design fields. Students develop two- and three-dimensional design abilities alongside technical and critical-thinking skills, learning to address social, environmental, cultural, political, and economic challenges in the built environment.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their architectural foundation through ARCH 101: Introduction to Architecture, ARCH 171: Introduction to Design I, and ARCH 172: Introduction to Design II. They explore architectural composition, form, space, order, design conceptualization, sketching, drawing, analytical diagramming, and physical modeling while also developing quantitative skills through MATH 220: Calculus or MATH 221: Calculus I.

Year 2: Students move into more developed architectural design and technical studies through ARCH 273: Fundamentals of Design I, ARCH 274: Fundamentals of Design II, and ARCH 231: Anatomy of Buildings. Their architectural knowledge also expands through ARCH 210: Introduction to the History of World Architecture, while ARCH 232: Structural Fundamentals introduces the structural principles underlying buildings.

Year 3: The curriculum advances into professional-level design through ARCH 371: Intermediate Design I and ARCH 372: Intermediate Design II, alongside ARCH 321: Environment, Architecture, and Global Health. Students also study ARCH 433: Design of Steel and Reinforced Concrete Structures I and ARCH 435: Structural Systems and Construction Methods, connecting architectural design with structural engineering, construction technologies, materials, sustainability, detailing, and digital modeling.

Year 4: Students complete the advanced studio sequence with ARCH 473: Advanced Design I and ARCH 474: Advanced Design II, applying their accumulated design, technical, and critical skills to increasingly sophisticated architectural problems. They also study ARCH 434: Environmental Control Systems I and complete additional upper-level architectural history coursework, strengthening their understanding of environmental performance and the historical development of architecture.

Focus Areas:

Architectural design, architectural history, structures, construction technology, environmental systems, urbanism, sustainability, health and wellbeing, digital and physical representation, and the social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental dimensions of the built environment.

Learning Outcomes:

Design thinking, architectural documentation and research, environmental and societal problem-solving, verbal and graphic communication, physical and digital representation, technological integration, structural and environmental understanding, collaborative learning, leadership, multidisciplinary teamwork, sustainable design, ethical decision-making, and critical analysis of architectural and urban contexts.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

Pre-professional preparation: The BS Architectural Studies is designed to prepare graduates to enter a two-year NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture program rather than serving as the professional architecture degree itself. The curriculum provides the design, technology, history, structures, and critical-thinking foundation needed for advanced professional architectural education.

Reputation (Employability Rankings):

Not stated: The official University of Illinois program sources do not publish a program-specific QS, Guardian, or equivalent employability ranking for the BS Architectural Studies. The School of Architecture does state that the degree's design methods, technical expertise, and critical-thinking skills are increasingly sought after in business, industry, and contemporary design practice.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BS in Architectural Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign gives students a highly hands-on design education through dedicated studios, fabrication facilities, digital production labs, and research opportunities. Students move from freshman and sophomore design workshops into full-credit junior and senior studios, where they develop and test architectural ideas through drawing, modeling, digital fabrication, material experimentation, and sustained faculty feedback.

Practical learning opportunities include:

Design studios: Students complete freshman and sophomore design workshops before progressing to 6-credit junior and senior studios, where projects emphasize creative problem-solving, iteration, collaboration, and real-world settings involving communities, organizations, and firms.
Digital fabrication: The DigiFab Shop provides access to four Universal Laser Systems laser cutters, Bambu Labs P1S multi-filament 3D printers, an Onsrud CNC router, a Fanuc industrial robotic arm, waterjet and plasma cutters, and vacuum-forming equipment.
Architectural software: Students use digital production tools including AutoCAD and Rhino, with Rhino 7 specifically required for CNC fabrication workflows; the School's computer labs also provide industry-standard software for 3D modeling, rendering, photo editing, and document layout.
Woodworking and physical making: The ISoA Woodshop provides comprehensive training through a three-tier system and includes tools such as table saws, bandsaws, lathes, routers, sanders, a Shaper Origin handheld CNC, and other woodworking equipment.
Research experience: Undergraduate students can assist faculty research, including work connected to computational design, building technology, digital fabrication, sustainability, and other architectural research areas.
Digital Technologies in Architecture: The DiTA Research Lab involves undergraduate and graduate students in research on computational performance-based design, digital fabrication of building components, additive manufacturing, structures, materials, and daylighting performance.
Design-build experience: Root to Roof is a student-led design-build organization that works with locally harvested lumber and sustainability principles while planning and constructing projects for the Central Illinois community.
Professional experience: The School states that BSAS students are generally prepared for professional settings by the summer between their junior and senior years; its Placement Office circulates summer employment opportunities in architect's offices and brings employers to campus each spring for the Career Expo.
International learning: Undergraduate students have opportunities to participate in international study programs administered through the School of Architecture, providing an additional way to engage with architecture in different cultural and urban contexts.
Architecture library: The Ricker Library of Architecture and Art provides more than 120,000 volumes and 33,000 serials, covering architecture, architectural history, art, design, museum studies, and related disciplines.
Computer and printing facilities: The School maintains three computer labs with more than 50 machines, two advanced print labs with nine large-format plotters, scanners and laser printers, plus Template Studios with individual-use Wacom tablets.
Exhibitions and reviews: Students present work through design reviews, exhibitions, pin-ups and public events, including undergraduate reviews and exhibitions in the Temple Buell Architecture Gallery.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS in Architectural Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign gives students a broad foundation in architectural design while opening pathways into architecture and allied fields such as planning, construction, conservation, interior design and industrial design. The program is particularly valuable as a pre-professional degree because graduates can progress directly into Illinois’ two-year NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture, while official university outcomes show strong progression into employment and graduate study.

Typical career roles: Architectural Designer, Draftsperson, Construction Manager, Urban/City Planner.

Career progression and opportunities include:

Career services: The School of Architecture's Career Services office publicizes job openings, facilitates on-campus employer interviews, provides resume and job-search counseling, and organizes the annual Career XPO, where students meet architecture, landscape architecture and urban-planning employers.
Industry exposure: The 2026 Career XPO brought employers from across the country to campus for networking and recruitment, with opportunities for summer and full-time positions and professional interviews.
Employment and graduate study: For the Architectural Studies major, Illinois reports 97% employed or continuing education, with 34% employed and 63% attending graduate school. The university also lists an average starting annual income of $52,708 for the major.
Recent graduate outcomes: The university's 2024–25 Illini Success report records a 98% secured destination and knowledge rate for Architectural Studies graduates, with 39% employed and 59% continuing education among respondents. The report does not publish a salary figure for this cohort.
Employer connections: The School's Career XPO brings together firms and organizations from architecture, landscape architecture and urban and regional planning, allowing students to present portfolios, speak directly with practitioners and participate in interviews.
Professional accreditation pathway: The BSAS itself is not professionally accredited by NAAB; however, it is intentionally structured as a four-year pre-professional degree followed by Illinois' two-year NAAB-accredited M.Arch. This 4+2 pathway provides the educational route toward the professional architecture degree required for licensure in most states.
Graduate progression: Illinois specifically states that BSAS graduates are prepared to enter its two-year NAAB-accredited M.Arch. or most other NAAB-accredited M.Arch. programs in the United States.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BSAS, students can continue into the two-year Master of Architecture at Illinois, which is NAAB-accredited and specifically accepts students holding a BSAS, B.Arch. or equivalent. Students may also pursue graduate study in allied disciplines or research-focused architectural studies depending on their career direction.