The request to revise admissions requirements to Master of Architecture degree

Memo Date: 
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
To: 
College of Arts + Architecture
From: 
Office of Academic Affairs
Approved On: October 29, 2015
Approved by: Graduate Council
Implementation Date: Summer 2016

Note: Deletions are strikethroughs.  Insertions are underlined.


Catalog Copy

Admission Requirements


The following requirements are expected of applicants to the MArch I and MArch II curricula:

  1. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.  Students who do not meet this average may still submit an application, and may be considered in exceptional cases.
  2. A minimum composite GRE score above the 30th percentile.  Students whose scores do not exceed this average percentile may still submit an application, and may be considered in exceptional cases.
    1. The GRE may be waived for applicants to the MArch I program with undergraduate degrees from colleges or universities in the United States in art, art history, interior architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, planning, building science, architectural technology, or architectural studies who have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above and a in major GPA of 3.25 or above. The Graduate Program Director will identify students from programs for whom the GRE can be waived and request the waiver from the Graduate School.
    2. The GRE is waived for applicants to the MArch II program with an undergraduate BA in Architecture from UNC Charlotte who have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above and an in major GPA of 3.25 or above.
  3. All University's Graduate School application requirements, including a statement of purpose, a current curriculum vitae (CV), transcripts from all other colleges and universities attended, GRE scores, and three letters of recommendation.
  4. A portfolio of creative work.  Applicants to the MArch I curriculum should submit examples of work that offer evidence of creativity, self-motivation, analysis, and critical thinking.  Such examples are not expected to be architectural in nature.  Visual work such as painting, sculpture, furniture making, photography, etc. are acceptable, as are fiction writing, poetry, and any other reasonable evidence of sustained creative endeavor.  Applicants to the MArch II curriculum may offer similar evidence of any kind of creative endeavor but must also offer significant evidence of a mastery of architectural skill and knowledge.  Applicants for the dual MArch/M.U.D degree must meet the requirement for MArch II curriculum plus clear evidence of an interest in urban studies.
  5. Applicants to the MArch I curriculum are expected to complete introductory, college-level physics and pre-calculus courses. 
  6. Applicants to the MArch II curriculum are expected to have a minimum of 6 architectural design studios at the undergraduate level.

Students who do not meet the grade point average requirements noted above may still submit an application for admission to both programs but admission will be weighed against those meeting these requirements.