Bachelor of Architecture
Program Code: Bachelor of Architecture-BARCH
This program has been granted initial candidacy status for accreditation through the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB) as of May 24, 2024.
Note: This degree/certificate leads to professional licensure in Nevada. Licensing requirements vary by state/territory and relocating could impact whether you will meet eligibility requirements for licensure. If you do not live in Nevada and/or do not intend to seek employment in Nevada, then your application for admittance will be under review to determine eligibility for licensure in your state prior to acceptance into the program. Please visit our Professional Licensure Programs page for full details on the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement.
Program Description
The proposed Bachelor of Architecture Professional degree is designed to highlight the climatic conditions found in Northern Nevada, where most of the precipitation comes in the form of snow. Focus areas of curricular study include, but are not limited to: passive heating and cooling concepts, urban development/wildland fire interfaces, sediment transport, carbon neutrality, and stewardship towards scenic resources.
Recommended Course Schedule
| 1st semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 101 | Composition I or Composition Enhanced or Composition I for International and Multilingual Students | 3 |
| AAD 101 | Design with Nature | 3 |
| AAD 180 | Design Foundation I | 3 |
| AAD 181 | Design Foundation I Discussion | 3 |
| MATH 126 | Pre-Calculus I | 3 |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| 2nd semester | ||
| AAD 125 | Construction Drawings and Detailing | 3 |
| AAD 223 | Graphic Software for Arch, Const, Dsgnr, Planners | 3 |
| AAE 280 | Design Foundations II | 6 |
| US & Nevada Constitutions | 3 | |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| 3rd semester | ||
| AAD 201 | History of the Built Environment | 3 |
| AAE 282 | Design Foundations III | 6 |
| ENG 102 or ENG 114 | Composition II or Composition II For International and Multilingual Students | 3 |
| PHYS 100 | Introductory Physics | 3 |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| 4th semester | ||
| AAD 230 | Design with Climate | 3 |
| AAD 261 | Introduction to Topo Form and Design Technology | 3 |
| Fine Arts | 3 | |
| AAD 256 | Introduction to Land Use Planning | 3 |
| GEOL 100 | Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Natural Disasters | 3 |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| 5th semester | ||
| AAD 350 | Design Studio I | 6 |
| ABS 321 | Construction Technologies I | 3 |
| ABS 331 | Environmental Control Systems I | 3 |
| ABS 341 | Structures for Architects I | 3 |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| 6th semester | ||
| AAD 351 | Design Studio II | 6 |
| ABS 332 | Environmental Control Systems II | 3 |
| ABS 440 | Structures for Architects II | 3 |
| Electives: Choose electives that apply toward your bachelor's degree. | 3 | |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| 7th semester | ||
| AAD 452 | Integrated Design Studio I | 6 |
| AAD 461 | Urban Theory and Design I | 3 |
| AAD 410 | Professional Practice for B. Arch. I | 3 |
| Electives: Choose electives that apply toward your bachelor's degree. | 3 | |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| 8th semester | ||
| AAD 453 | Integrated Design Studio II | 6 |
| AAD 413 | Professional Practice For B. Arch. II | 3 |
| AAD 462 | Urban Theory and Design II | 3 |
| Electives: Choose electives that apply toward your bachelor's degree. | 3 | |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| 1st semester | ||
| AAD 416 | Professional Practice for B. Arch. III | 3 |
| AAD 455 | Integrated Design Studio III | 6 |
| AAD 480 | Thesis (Research) | 3 |
| Electives: Choose electives that apply toward your bachelor's degree. | 3 | |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| 2nd semester | ||
| AAD 475 | Portfolio Design | 6 |
| AAD 485 | Thesis Design Studio | 9 |
| Semester Total | 15 | |
| Total Units | 150 | |
Important Statement from the National Architectural Accrediting Board
In the United States, most registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit professional degree programs in architecture offered by institutions with U.S. regional accreditation, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted an eight-year term, an eight-year term with conditions, or a three-year term of initial accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established education standards. Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may require a non-accredited undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the non-accredited degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
Truckee Meadows Community College's school of architecture offers the following NAAB accredited degree program:
Bachelor of Architecture, 150 credits.
The next accreditation site visit will occur in 2025.
The NAAB grants candidacy status to new programs that have developed viable plans for achieving initial accreditation. Candidacy status indicates that a program expects to achieve initial accreditation within six years of achieving candidacy, if its plan is properly implemented. In order to meet the education requirement, set forth by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, an applicant for an NCARB Certificate must hold a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the NAAB; the degree must have been awarded not more than two years prior to initial accreditation. However, meeting the education requirement for the NCARB Certificate may not be equivalent to meeting the education requirement for registration in a specific jurisdiction. Please contact NCARB for more information.
Truckee Meadows Community College's school of architecture was granted initial candidacy status for the following professional degree program in architecture:
Bachelor of Architecture, 150 credits.
Year candidacy awarded: 2024
Next visit: Continuation of Candidacy, 2025
Projected year to achieve initial accreditation: 2028
Earliest graduation date projected to meet NCARB education requirement: 2028
Program Requirements
To earn the Bachelor of Architecture Degree students must:
- Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (see requirements for graduation.)
- Satisfy General Education requirements for Bachelor's degrees.
- Complete 150 units in total.
- 30 Units of upper-division units must be completed at TMCC.
- Have no financial or library obligation to the college.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements 2 | ||
| English | 3-6 | |
| Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Humanities | 3 | |
| Required: | ||
| History of the Built Environment | ||
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Required: | ||
| Pre-Calculus I (Or higher) | ||
| Science | 6 | |
| Required: | ||
| Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Natural Disasters | ||
| Introductory Physics | ||
or PHYS 151 | General Physics I | |
| Social Science | 3 | |
| Recommended: Select a course that satisfies both Social Science and U.S. and NV Constitutions requirement. | ||
| Additional College Requirements | ||
| Diversity 3 | (3) | |
| U.S. and Nevada Constitutions 3 | (3) | |
| Degree Requirements | ||
| AAD 101 | Design with Nature | 3 |
| AAD 125 | Construction Drawings and Detailing | 3 |
| AAD 180 | Design Foundation I | 3 |
| AAD 181 | Design Foundation I Discussion | 3 |
| AAD 223 | Graphic Software for Arch, Const, Dsgnr, Planners | 3 |
| AAD 230 | Design with Climate | 3 |
| AAD 261 | Introduction to Topo Form and Design Technology | 3 |
| AAD 256 | Introduction to Land Use Planning | 3 |
| AAE 280 | Design Foundations II | 6 |
| AAE 282 | Design Foundations III | 6 |
| ABS 321 | Construction Technologies I | 3 |
| ABS 331 | Environmental Control Systems I | 3 |
| ABS 332 | Environmental Control Systems II | 3 |
| ABS 341 | Structures for Architects I | 3 |
| AAD 350 | Design Studio I | 6 |
| AAD 351 | Design Studio II | 6 |
| ABS 440 | Structures for Architects II | 3 |
| AAD 410 | Professional Practice for B. Arch. I | 3 |
| AAD 413 | Professional Practice For B. Arch. II | 3 |
| AAD 416 | Professional Practice for B. Arch. III | 3 |
| AAD 452 | Integrated Design Studio I | 6 |
| AAD 453 | Integrated Design Studio II | 6 |
| AAD 461 | Urban Theory and Design I | 3 |
| AAD 455 | Integrated Design Studio III | 6 |
| AAD 462 | Urban Theory and Design II | 3 |
| AAD 475 | Portfolio Design | 6 |
| AAD 480 | Thesis (Research) | 3 |
| AAD 485 | Thesis Design Studio | 9 |
| Electives 4 | 12 | |
| Total Units | 150 | |
- 1
If you place into ENG 102 or ENG 114, the additional 3 required units will become elective credit.
- 2
See the approved General Education page for a complete of courses.
- 3
May also be used to satisfy another General Education, Degree/Emphasis, or Elective requirement.
- 4
Any approved university transfer course will fulfill the elective units. Check TMCC course descriptions for transfer status to a baccalaureate degree of arts within the universities in the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE).
Note: If you know your major, print the NSHE Transfer Agreements online. Major requirements will satisfy elective units.
Program Outcomes
Students completing this degree will:
PSLO1: Describe and develop design solutions as it pertains to environmental, social equity and cultural topics.
PSLO2: Develop, recognize and apply technical skills as it pertains to building practices.
PSLO3: Describe and develop integrative architectural design solutions.
PSLO4: Discuss, differentiate and evaluate the professional practice of architecture.
