Main Navigation
Main Content
Online Degree Path
The online Master of Architecture program may be your key to fulfilling the education requirement for an NAAB-accredited degree program in architecture. The Master of Architecture degree at SIU is fully accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board as a first professional degree in architecture. It meets the education requirement to become a licensed architect in all U.S. states and territories and the provinces of Canada.
Through distance education and limited campus-based instruction, you can earn the Master of Architecture degree over 16 months. While primarily a distance education experience, there are two studios that use in-person sessions, which are conducted on weekends, and are held twice a semester in our sister campus at Edwardsville, IL. Also required is the attendance to Final Presentations on these two studios, which are held on a Saturday at the Carbondale campus. We use Zoom or Teams conferencing to eliminate the need to come to campus more regularly.
Program Format
The online Master of Architecture program uses a cohort-based education model. A cohort is a group of students who begin the program together and stay in one unit until graduation. This allows students to develop deeper professional relationships with each other as they pursue their shared interest in obtaining a professional degree. Each cohort will be encouraged to use online chat rooms, email, and instant messaging to stay in touch with each other and to assist each other in answering questions, posing issues to professors, and other class matters. Although separated by distance, the cohort model for education can bridge the divide and create lasting, working relationships.
The online program consists of the same courses as our on-campus program. Each term includes a six-hour studio course. There are six 3-credit hour lecture or seminar classes.
All courses last a full term. At any given point in the program, students are actively completing a studio and two lecture courses (except in the summer term when only a studio course is completed).
The traditional semester-based time frame is used in this program. Students who begin in the fall of one year may complete the program in December of the following year, or in May two years after their start date. SIU offers a graduation ceremony in both semesters, and we encourage online students to attend graduation, if possible.
Curriculum and Courses
The online Master of Architecture degree requires 42 graduate credit hours. Four studios at six credits each and six three-credit lecture/seminar courses comprise the program.
The first studio concentrates on regional architecture. Since the online program attracts students from many places, this studio presents an excellent overview of regional architecture in the US. The second studio is comprehensive design. It is paired with one of the three-credit lecture courses to allow students to explore design solutions much more deeply.
The final two studios are design thesis studios. In these studios, students select the project and spend two semesters developing an architectural solution.
Complementary lecture courses cover such topics as global perspectives on architecture, research methods and programming, architectural systems and technology, and professional practice. Check out the online program’s curriculum (PDF) and courses for an idea of what to expect.
Admission Requirements
The online Master of Architecture program requires a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies or its equivalent. If your degree counted as a pre-professional degree in architecture, it is acceptable for application to this program. A minimum grade point average of 2.7 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work is required.
This program offers enrollment in the fall and summer semesters. Part-time enrollment is available, though students are cautioned that course sequencing and prerequisites may mean a delay of a year while waiting for a course to be scheduled again.
The Application Process
To apply for the online Master of Architecture program, you will need to visit the Graduate Admissions website and apply to SIU. A PDF portfolio file and a statement of intent are required to be submitted to the School of Architecture.
Check out the program admission page for more detailed information on other requirements for this program.
Program Costs
View our tuition and fee structure through the Off-Campus Tuition and Fees Calculator for additional information. Some courses will require the purchase of additional materials.
Please estimate the travel costs of attending two weekend-long studio intensive sessions in the first two semesters of the program. Those visits occur normally in St. Louis instead of Carbondale to minimize travel time and costs for students
Financial aid and scholarships may be available. Please visit the SIU Financial Aid website for more information.
Additional Information
View the Graduate Catalog for more information about the University and Graduate School’s policies and requirements.
Contact Information
Rolando González-Torres, PhD
Associate Professor
311G Quigley Hall
Mailcode 4337
875 S. Normal Ave.
Carbondale, IL 62901
Ph: 618-453-1982
E-mail: rgonzalez@siu.edu