Master of Architecture Track II

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Oregon

Program Overview

The University of Oregon’s Master of Architecture Track II is a two-year, six-term, STEM-designated professional degree for students who already hold a pre-professional architecture degree, combining advanced design studios, technical coursework, professional practice, and opportunities to shape studies around their interests. Students develop the design, technical, collaborative, research, and professional skills needed to progress toward architectural licensure and contribute to more sustainable, socially responsive, and human-centered built environments.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin with ARCH 683 Introductory Graduate Design, developing advanced approaches to architectural design, while ARCH 584 Architectural Design provides successive studio experiences that integrate design thinking with increasingly complex architectural problems. Supporting study can include ARCH 633 Option II Seminar, along with required core courses and subject-area electives that build knowledge across design, technology, history, and architectural contexts.

Year 2: The second year moves into more advanced professional and integrative work through ARCH 584 Architectural Design, followed by ARCH 585 Architectural Design I and ARCH 586 Advanced Architectural Design II, where students undertake increasingly sophisticated architectural design investigations. Students also complete ARCH 517 Context of the Architectural Profession and subject-area electives, strengthening their understanding of professional practice while allowing them to develop specialized interests.

Focus areas: Architectural design, sustainable design, environmental systems, building technology, architectural computing, spatial composition, place and culture, human-centered design, professional practice, architectural history and theory, social justice, and resilient built environments.

Learning outcomes: Graduates develop the ability to integrate human experience and building systems into holistic design processes, apply innovative methods and technologies, understand architecture within diverse social and environmental contexts, collaborate and lead across disciplines, conduct research, and understand the professional, ethical, and regulatory pathways to architectural licensure.

Accreditation: The Master of Architecture Track II is NAAB-accredited, with Track II requiring approximately 87 graduate credits because students enter with advanced standing from a pre-professional architecture degree; the program is also STEM-designated.

Reputation: The University of Oregon School of Architecture & Environment reports that its architecture programs have been recognized nationally for professional preparation and sustainable design; its published DesignIntelligence results placed the architecture graduate program 29th among most admired architecture programs and 7th among graduate programs for sustainable built environments/adaptive and resilient design in the 2019 survey. The university also reports that UO architecture graduates achieved an average 73% Architectural Registration Exam pass rate, compared with a 55% national average, based on data through 2020.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

For the Master of Architecture Track II at the University of Oregon, students develop advanced architectural skills through intensive studio work, design research, architectural computing, building technology, and comprehensive design projects. The program combines dedicated individual studio work with collaborative critiques, fabrication, digital modeling, and access to specialized architecture facilities in Eugene and Portland, giving students opportunities to move from design concepts to physical and digital prototypes.

Key experiential learning opportunities include:

Advanced design studios: ARCH 683, ARCH 584, ARCH 585 and ARCH 586 provide progressively advanced architectural design experience, including two Architectural Design studios and Advanced Architectural Design I and II.
Studio-based learning: Students work in dedicated studio spaces with individual workstations, critique/pin-up areas and spaces for group discussion, supporting iterative design development and peer/faculty feedback.
Architectural computing: ARCH 610L introduces architectural computing, while ARCH 523 develops media for design development and ARCH 611 focuses on the graduate design process.
Digital fabrication: Portland students can use the Fabrication Lab, equipped with two laser cutters, a 3D printer and two CNC cutters for prototyping and digitally fabricated architectural work.
Physical model making: The Portland woodshop provides hand and power tools for woodworking and model-building, with shop personnel supporting students in fabrication and safety procedures.
Advanced building technology: Track II includes advanced building technology coursework together with Structural Behavior, Structural Design, Building Construction, Building Enclosure, and Environmental Control Systems I & II, connecting design decisions with construction and environmental performance.
Sustainable design: Students can take ARCH 633 Fundamentals of Sustainable Design as the Track II seminar option, reinforcing the program's focus on environmentally responsible architecture.
Comprehensive design projects: The professional architecture curriculum culminates in advanced studio work where students integrate architectural design, building systems and technical knowledge into comprehensive projects.
Research facilities: Portland facilities include the Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory and spaces supporting the Urbanism Next research center, providing opportunities to engage with research connected to buildings, cities and the built environment.
Virtual reality and media: The Portland campus provides access to a virtual reality lab as well as video and audio production studios, supporting immersive and multimedia approaches to architectural work.
Architecture libraries: Students have access to the Design Library in Eugene and the UO Portland Library & Learning Commons, with architecture-focused collections, research support and technology resources.
Large-format production: Output Rooms in Eugene and Portland provide large-format printing, plotting and scanning services for architectural drawings and presentations.
Exhibitions and professional engagement: Portland facilities include gallery and review spaces for reviews, exhibitions, lectures and informal gatherings, while the Portland program also hosts architecture-related lectures, special events and exhibitions.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Architecture Track II prepares graduates for professional architectural practice and related careers shaping the built environment, with a particular emphasis on design excellence, technical knowledge, sustainability, collaboration, and the pathway toward architectural licensure. University of Oregon identifies career directions in architectural practice and allied built-environment professions, while its broader architecture career information highlights roles such as licensed architect, urban designer, sustainability consultant, and design innovator.

Typical career roles: Architect, Urban Designer, Sustainability Consultant, Architectural/Design Professional

Career services: The College of Design Career Advising helps students identify career goals, develop internship and job-search strategies, prepare portfolios and application materials, strengthen interview skills, and connect with employment resources. Students can also use the University Career Center for résumé and cover-letter reviews, job and internship searches through Handshake, career coaching, employer connections, and networking opportunities with alumni.
Employment outcomes: University of Oregon’s official architecture pages identify graduates as moving into architecture, urban design, sustainability, and design careers; however, a program-specific employment rate or salary figure for the MArch Track II was not stated on the official sources reviewed.
Industry partnerships: Students benefit from UO’s architecture research ecosystem, including the TallWood Design Institute, a partnership between the UO College of Design and Oregon State University focused on structural wood products and mass-timber design, and the Urban Design Lab, which connects academic work with real-world projects involving clients, stakeholders, and user groups. The Institute for Health in the Built Environment also works with industry partners on healthy and sustainable building research.
Professional accreditation: The MArch Track II is NAAB-accredited, providing important long-term professional value because NAAB accreditation is recognized across U.S. jurisdictions as meeting the educational requirement for NCARB registration. UO states that its MArch Track II forms part of the professional education pathway toward architectural licensure, although additional professional experience and state-specific requirements apply.
Licensure pathway: UO specifically notes that MArch Track II students can progress toward architectural licensure, with NCARB guidelines and the Architectural Registration Examination forming part of the professional pathway. UO also notes that most U.S. jurisdictions require professional experience under a registered architect before licensure.
Graduation outcomes: The program learning outcomes emphasize the ability to integrate human experience and building systems, apply innovative technologies, conduct research, collaborate with diverse communities, and understand professional ethics and regulatory requirements—skills directly aligned with professional architecture and broader built-environment careers.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the MArch Track II, graduates can pursue architectural licensure through the applicable professional-experience and examination requirements, or continue into advanced research and specialized study. UO also offers an MS in Architecture, a post-professional degree intended for students who already hold a NAAB-accredited professional architecture degree or international equivalent, providing a potential route into deeper architectural research and specialization.