• Broad-based professional education encompassing environmental and social issues, art, and science.
• Hands-on studio learning includes one-on-one contact time with instructors, to prepare for professional practice.
• Real-world design problems that require a synthesis of skills and knowledge in design, graphic and verbal presentation, ethics, and environmental responsibility.
• Opportunities to study abroad for a semester through guided programs in England, Denmark, Spain, China, and other countries, in additional to a variety of week-long domestic study tours throughout the program.
• Early admission to the nationally accredited Master of Architecture program (accelerated track, for qualified applicants).
• Integrate theoretical, philosophical, and aesthetic considerations with technical considerations involving mechanical systems, building materials, site preparation, and construction.

The architecture major at WSU leads to a four-year bachelor of science in architectural studies, which is designed primarily to provide a pre-professional foundation in the study of architecture. This degree at WSU is not accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), but can lead to an accredited architecture degree. Most states require that an individual intending to become an architect hold an accredited degree.

The WSU School of Design and Construction offers the accredited NAAB-accredited master of architecture as its professional degree in architecture.

Students must successfully complete a four-year undergraduate degree in architecture or other discipline in order to be eligible for admission to the master of architecture degree program. This degree is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), allowing students to take state exams and become licensed as professional architects.

Featured courses

A few of the courses you could take as an architecture major at WSU include:

• Architectural Design Studios (5-semester course sequence)
• Architectural Structures
• Architectural and Design History and Theory
• Computational Design
• Materials and Construction

Find out more information about the architecture major, the courses you can take, and the master's program at the School of Design and Construction.

Graduation requirements

See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

Plan ahead

To certify your major in the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, you will need to complete specific prerequisite courses. Use our list of transfer equivalencies to make sure you take the right transfer courses at your current college.

Also check out the University's transfer student guide and contact the pre-certification advisor in the School of Design and Construction for more information on transferring to the architecture program at WSU. 

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs.

For all students at WSU

Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

To get all the financial help WSU can provide, start by doing these two things:

• Complete the University's general scholarship application by January 31 so you can be eligible for scholarship consideration.
• Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by February 15 so WSU can consider you for aid (scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study) based on financial need.

More about WSU scholarships and financial aid

For architecture majors

In addition to general university scholarships, students in architecture are eligible for corporate and privately supported scholarships and achievement awards offered by Washington State Universiti's School of Design and Construction, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, and College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.

• Curiosity and a broad-based general knowledge about the world.
• A desire to make the world a better place in which to live.
• An affinity for design, drawing, graphics, literature, and the humanities in general.

Architects can be individual designers in private practice or members of corporate groups. They can also serve as city planners, environmental systems designers, or members of organizations that develop commercial, institutional, or residential projects. A critical aspect of architectural education is understanding environmental issues, such as energy, materials, density, and fabrication systems.

Architects may design furniture and lighting, homes and commercial buildings, or transportation and sports facilities. They also can become architectural historians, teachers, advisors, and consultants.

Washington State University architecture graduates also work in related disciplines such as planning, technology, project and community development, and within government agencies.