Master of Architecture in Architecture + Health

3 Years On Campus Masters Program

Clemson University

Program Overview

The Master of Architecture in Architecture + Health at Clemson University is a 3-year, 90-credit professional degree designed for students seeking advanced architectural education with specialized knowledge of healthcare environments, human health, and evidence-based design. Students study architectural design alongside healthcare planning, research, programming, and building design, preparing for professional practice in architecture with a focused understanding of the healthcare industry.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students on the three-year M.Arch. I track begin with Clemson’s general architecture curriculum, building core knowledge in architectural design before entering the specialized Architecture + Health studios. The broader curriculum integrates design studio, building technology, architectural history and theory, representation and fabrication, research methods, and professional practice.

Year 2: Students move into specialized Architecture + Health study examining healthcare environments and the relationship between architecture and human health. Key subjects include Health Facilities Planning and Design (ARCH 886), Architectural Programming and Pre-Design (ARCH 6880), and Architecture + Health studio work addressing healthcare design problems at different scales.

Year 3: Advanced studio and research work allows students to apply healthcare-design knowledge to complex architectural problems, with options for comprehensive or thesis projects. Graduate Studio in Architecture + Health (ARCH 8950/8970) and Health Facilities Planning and Design (ARCH 8860) develop the ability to address healthcare facilities, communities, and individual spaces through professional-level design and evidence-based approaches.

Focus areas: Healthcare architecture, health facility design, evidence-based design, healthy communities, aging in place, sustainable community design, design for health and wellness, environmental and behavioral studies

Learning outcomes: Healthcare planning, architectural programming, evidence-based design, interdisciplinary collaboration, architectural design, research methods, health-focused spatial planning, comprehensive architectural problem-solving

Professional alignment (accreditation): NAAB-accredited professional Master of Architecture; STEM-designated graduate degree; aligned with the professional education pathway for architectural licensure.

Reputation (employability/outcomes): Clemson’s official Architecture + Health alumni directory documents graduates working with firms and organizations including HDR, HKS, Perkins&Will, Page, Stantec, ZGF, NBBJ, SmithGroup, HOK, and HuntonBrady, with alumni roles including Healthcare Planner, Medical Planner, Senior Medical Planner, Project Designer, and Architectural Designer.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Clemson University’s Master of Architecture in Architecture + Health gain practical experience through intensive design studios and research focused specifically on healthcare environments. The program works closely with the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing, where students and faculty engage in evidence-based healthcare design, simulation, physical and virtual mock-ups, and multidisciplinary research involving architects, researchers, human-factors engineers, and clinicians. Students also benefit from dedicated Architecture + Health studio space, digital design and fabrication resources, and opportunities to explore healthcare architecture through study abroad experiences.

Key experiential opportunities include:

Healthcare design studios: Studio projects examine architecture-health relationships from entire communities to individual healthcare spaces, with an emphasis on design excellence and the complex requirements of healthcare architecture.
Evidence-based research: Students work with the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing (CHFD+T) on research connecting healthcare environments with clinical outcomes, patient and staff satisfaction, operational efficiency, and adaptability.
Simulation and mock-ups: The CHFD+T uses physical and virtual simulations and mock-ups to develop and test healthcare design ideas, giving students exposure to research methods used in real healthcare environments.
Multidisciplinary collaboration: Center projects bring together architects, researchers, human-factors engineers, and clinicians, providing students with exposure to collaborative healthcare-design processes.
Dedicated Architecture + Health studio: The program’s studio in 104 Lee Hall includes workstations, computers, an advanced media center, operable windows, exterior balcony access, and collaborative space located next to the research lab.
Digital design and fabrication: Clemson’s Craft + Computation Labs, Materials Lab, and Digital Design Shop support CAD/CAM, digital fabrication, rapid prototyping, material experimentation, and physical model development.
Fabrication equipment: Architecture students have access to laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC equipment, and other fabrication tools after completing the required training.
Healthcare design tools: Students can engage with research resources such as the Healthcare Work System Ergonomic Assessment Toolkit, which supports evaluation of technology integration and workstation ergonomics in ambulatory healthcare environments.
Study abroad: Architecture + Health students can participate in a three-week summer study-abroad program examining historical and contemporary examples of healthcare architecture, with graduate-level credit available.
Design-build collaboration: Clemson architecture students have completed collaborative projects involving design, fabrication, and installation, including a project developed for the Gunnin Architecture Library.
Research areas: Students can engage with research in health facility design and testing, evidence-based healthcare design, design for health and wellness, mental-health environments, special populations, pre- and post-occupancy evaluation, and VR/AR applications in healthcare design.
Architecture library: The Gunnin Architecture Library provides a dedicated resource environment for architecture students and has also served as a setting for student-led design-build projects.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Architecture in Architecture + Health prepares graduates for professional practice focused on healthcare environments, evidence-based design, healthy communities, and the relationship between the built environment and human well-being. Clemson’s alumni directory shows graduates progressing into roles with major architecture and healthcare-design firms, including HDR, HKS, Perkins&Will, Page, Stantec, ZGF, and HuntonBrady.

Career pathways and professional opportunities include:

Healthcare Architect: Design and develop healthcare facilities and environments with attention to patient safety, health, and evidence-based design.
Medical Planner: Apply architectural and healthcare-planning expertise to the organization and development of healthcare facilities.
Architectural Designer: Work on architectural projects within professional design practices, including healthcare-focused firms.
Healthcare Planner: Contribute to planning and design strategies for healthcare environments and facilities.

Career development support: Clemson’s Center for Career and Professional Development provides career counseling, resume and cover-letter reviews, internship and cooperative-education opportunities, and employer interviews through ClemsonJobLink. The School of Architecture also hosts an annual Architecture Career Expo; the 2026 event included 110 firms and opportunities for students seeking internships and full-time employment.

Industry connections and graduate opportunities: The Architecture + Health program maintains direct professional connections through faculty networks, job postings, fellowships, and its alumni network. Recent Clemson graduates have received health-focused fellowships with HDR, HKS, Flad Architects, and Tradewell, while alumni have joined organizations including Perkins&Will, Page, Stantec, ZGF, HOK, SmithGroup, and NBBJ.

Employment and salary data: Clemson’s official Architecture + Health pages do not publish a program-specific employment rate or graduate salary figure, so no salary statistic is stated here. The university does, however, document graduate destinations and professional positions through its Architecture + Health alumni directory.

Professional accreditation: The degree is NAAB-accredited, providing an important professional foundation because most U.S. architectural registration boards require an accredited professional architecture degree as part of the licensure pathway. Clemson also participates in NCARB’s Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL), which integrates academic study with architectural experience and examination preparation.

Graduation outcomes: Graduates can enter professional architectural and healthcare-design practices, pursue specialized healthcare planning and design roles, or continue into research and academic pathways. Clemson also offers a strong research progression through its Built Environment + Health area, where interdisciplinary research uses evidence-based design, simulation, post-occupancy evaluation, and virtual/augmented reality approaches.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the M.Arch. in Architecture + Health, students interested in advanced research can pursue Clemson’s Ph.D. in Planning, Design, and the Built Environment, particularly through the Built Environment + Health research concentration. Clemson also offers a Master of Science in Architecture + Health for focused research and scholarship, although this is a non-professional degree and is specifically identified by Clemson as preparation for interdisciplinary Ph.D. study and research-oriented careers.