Master of Science in Architecture

2 Year On Campus Masters Program

University of Miami

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Architecture at the University of Miami is a two-semester, 30-credit graduate program designed for students seeking advanced knowledge in architecture through one of six specialized tracks, with an optional third semester for a thesis. It suits students who want to develop contemporary design, research, and professional skills in areas such as digital fabrication, healthcare design, hospitality, historic preservation, classical design, or contemporary theory, while also preparing for future doctoral study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin with core architectural design and research while developing expertise through their chosen specialization. Depending on the track, coursework can include ARC 609 Architecture Design (or Research Studio), ARC 699 Directed Research, and specialist subjects such as ARC 656 Parametric Tectonics, ARC 640 Tropical Architecture, ARC 681 Special Problems, ARC 618 Documentation of Historic Architecture, or ARC 620 Responsible Architecture.

Year 2: The program's second stage focuses on advanced application, degree-level design work, and deeper specialization through courses such as ARC 610 Architecture Design Degree Project, ARC 657 Design and Fabrication Techniques, ARC 664 The Hotel: Past, Present, Future, or ARC 682 Special Problems: Hospitals, Health Care Services and Access, depending on the selected track. Students choosing the thesis pathway can add ARC 810 Master's Thesis, extending the program to 36 credits and providing an opportunity for more intensive research.

Focus areas: Digital Fabrication & Technology; Hospitality Design; Healthcare Design; Classical & Traditional Design; Historic Preservation & Adaptive Reuse; Contemporary Theory of the Built Environment.

Learning outcomes: Graduates develop the ability to advance architectural knowledge through research and practice, present evidence and conclusions clearly, formulate precise questions and evaluate alternative outcomes, communicate across disciplinary boundaries, and effectively read, write, speak, and listen in professional and academic contexts.

Professional alignment: The M.S. in Architecture is STEM-designated, supporting advanced professional application and allowing eligible international graduates to apply for OPT for up to 36 months after graduation; it is important to note that the University of Miami's NAAB accreditation applies to its professional B.Arch. and M.Arch. programs, not the M.S. in Architecture.

Reputation: The University of Miami's official M.S. Architecture sources do not publish a specific QS, Guardian, or program-level employability ranking for this degree, so no external ranking is substituted. The university does highlight Miami's rapidly growing metropolitan environment as an important laboratory for advanced architectural research and study, with significant conservation and development challenges creating demand for skilled professionals.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Master of Science in Architecture (MSA) at the University of Miami is structured around applied design and research, allowing students to work across six specialized tracks and combine joint, track-specific, and interdisciplinary courses. Depending on the track, students develop practical expertise through Architecture Design, Architecture Design Degree Projects, Parametric Tectonics, Design and Fabrication Techniques, Directed Research, field research, and an optional master’s thesis, connecting architectural investigation with contemporary professional challenges.

Practical design and research experience: Students can undertake substantial design projects and directed research, while the Digital Fabrication & Technology track specifically develops skills in parametric design and fabrication techniques. The program also supports thesis-based investigation, while the School’s research environment connects students with contemporary architectural research and interdisciplinary work.

Design projects: ARC 609 Architecture Design and ARC 610 Architecture Design Degree Project provide substantial studio-based project experience across the MSA tracks.
Digital fabrication: The Digital Fabrication & Technology track includes ARC 656 Parametric Tectonics and ARC 657 Design and Fabrication Techniques, giving students focused experience in computational and fabrication-oriented architectural methods.
Research: ARC 699 Directed Research is incorporated into the MSA curriculum, while several tracks include an optional ARC 810 Master’s Thesis, enabling students to develop an independent research project.
Field research: The Contemporary Theory of the Built Environment track specifically includes a Field Research Elective, providing an opportunity for investigation beyond conventional classroom study.
Research institutes and labs: The School of Architecture is home to research units including the RAD-UM, Littoral Urbanism Lab, Community, Housing & Identity Lab, Center for Urban and Community Design, and O Lab, supporting research and project-based architectural exploration.
Architecture Research Center: The Architecture Research Center (ARC) houses the Paul Buisson Architecture Library, with more than 22,000 books, DVDs and microform materials, more than 80 current architecture-related journals, digital collections, archives, and research services.
Digital resources: The ARC provides access to digital architecture collections, archives, research guides and databases, supporting students undertaking design and thesis research.
Computing and software: University library facilities provide Windows and Mac workstations with multimedia and design software, while Adobe Creative Cloud is available free to students. The Digital Scholars Lab also provides software including ArcGIS, SPSS, SAS, R/RStudio, Stata, NVivo, Ansys, COMSOL, PTC-Creo and SolidWorks.
Printing and scanning: Architecture students have access to the ARC’s UPrint color printing station and dedicated 11×17 scanners, in addition to the School of Architecture’s computer lab and the Creative Studio.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Science in Architecture at the University of Miami develops advanced, interdisciplinary knowledge for professional application and future doctoral study. Students can specialize through six tracks, work across disciplines, and optionally complete a written thesis, making the degree well suited to careers combining architectural design, research, technology, and emerging built-environment challenges.

Typical job roles: Architectural Designer, Design Researcher, Architectural Consultant, Urban/Design Strategist:

Career services: University of Miami’s Toppel Career Center provides career coaching, Handshake access, Career Circles, internships, job opportunities, and architecture-specific listings for UM students and alumni.
Employment statistics and salary: Toppel provides access to real-time employment trends, top employers, job titles, and annual earnings through its Lightcast-powered career data. The official University of Miami sources reviewed do not publish a specific M.S. in Architecture graduate employment rate or salary figure, so no unrelated figure is substituted.
Industry connections: Students benefit from the School of Architecture’s professional engagement and events with practitioners; for example, the School has hosted Lateral Office, a research-driven architecture practice focused on experimental design and the intersection of architecture, culture, technology, and environment.
Professional value: The M.S. in Architecture is STEM-designated, allowing eligible international graduates to apply for OPT for up to 36 months after graduation. Importantly, the M.S. itself is not listed among the University of Miami’s NAAB-accredited professional architecture degrees; NAAB accreditation applies to the B.Arch and M.Arch programs.
Graduation outcomes: The program is designed to provide a contemporary skills and knowledge base for professional application as well as future advanced doctoral study, with the optional thesis providing an opportunity for deeper independent research.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can progress into doctoral-level study, as the University of Miami specifically identifies future advanced doctoral study as an intended pathway for the M.S. in Architecture. Students seeking professional architectural licensure can also consider the University of Miami’s NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture, while those interested in related built-environment fields can explore graduate options such as the Master of Urban Design.