Scott Poole, Dean
Scott W. Wall, Director, School of Architecture
George Dodds, Chair, Graduate Architecture
J. David Matthews, Chair, Interior Design Program
Gale Fulton, Chair, Landscape Architecture Program
http://www.arch.utk.edu
Mission Statement:
To See and Understand.
To Envision and Create.
The mission of the College of Architecture and Design is the education of future design professionals. A professional education is characterized by integrity and responsibility, and informed by knowledge and orientation.
Our college is brought together to promote and sustain the built and natural environments, locally and globally, through the development of design skills and the pursuit of knowledge, and the application of both.
We are committed to the development of individuals with creative imagination, intellectual curiosity, and technical knowledge.
We educate students in the design disciplines who can form independent judgments grounded in the broader contexts of intellectual traditions.
The faculty, students, and staff of the College of Architecture and Design strive to make the college a community of inquiry, energy, and excellence, integrating research, creative activity, public service, teaching, and learning.
Professional Accreditation
The College of Architecture and Design offers three professionally accredited programs of study at the undergraduate and graduate level. The college also offers a new professional landscape architecture program at the graduate level and anticipates accreditation of this degree with the first graduating class.
Bachelor of Architecture
A professionally accredited five-year undergraduate first professional degree program of study.
Bachelor of Science in Interior Design
A professionally accredited four-year undergraduate program of study.
Master of Architecture
A professionally accredited first professional degree for students from any academic background, including students with a degree from a four-year undergraduate architecture program. The college also offers a post-professional Master of Architecture (see Graduate Catalog for more information).
Master of Landscape Architecture
The landscape architecture program offers three different graduate degrees and four paths in landscape architecture, including a professional degree path, the Master of Landscape Architecture. Landscape architecture is an intercollegiate program jointly supported by the College of Architecture and Design and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (see Graduate Catalog for more information).
Accreditation
Architecture
In the United States, most state 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 U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted a 6-year, 3-year, or 2-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.
Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The College of Architecture and Design at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs:
B. Arch. (150 undergraduate credits)
M. Arch. (pre-professional degree + 42 graduate credits)
M. Arch. (non-pre-professional degree + 60 credits)
Next accreditation visit for all programs: 2014
Interior Design
Most states require that an individual intending to become a licensed interior designer hold a professionally accredited degree. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. It is professionally accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in interior design.
Admission
Due to the limited size of the design studios and college resources, admission to the College of Architecture and Design is highly selective, based on test scores, high school record, student application, and portfolio. In making its decisions, the college also requires a portfolio from applicants (see information below).
Required Portfolio
All applicants must submit a portfolio of personally produced graphic or visual work. The purpose of the portfolio is to demonstrate visual talent and abilities as well as to provide insight into the creative thought process of the applicant. The portfolio must contain at least three required images as follows:
- An instrument
- A visual description of where you live
- Hand(s)
One of each of the three required images must be executed in black ink, one in graphite, one in color. At least two of the three images must be executed freehand.
Aim for quality rather than quantity in selecting work. An ideal number would be eight to ten examples of personal work. All work shall be neatly assembled in an 8½ x 11 portfolio or organized folder/notebook. Submittals not adhering to this size requirement will not be reviewed.
The following guidelines have been established to assist applicants in selecting additional samples of personal work for the portfolio.
- Consider including examples of drawings, artwork, photography, or anything else that may demonstrate visual and creative abilities.
- Consider including examples of creative work such as graphic design, fashion design, industrial design, furniture design and/or other examples of creativity and invention.
- Consider including work from course assignments (if any), as well as work completed independently.
- Only submit mechanically-drafted or computer-aided drawings if they are illustrative of personal design work.
- Submission of the original item is not necessary. Inexpensively reproduced drawings, photographs, reductions, and photocopies are acceptable. Digital design work must be submitted as a hard copy (no slides or disks). For work that does not lend itself to representation in an 8½ x 11 format, such as films, websites, or recordings, include appropriate information, such as a labeled CD.
- Label all work with name, date when work was executed, and media. Indicate if it was part of course work.
- The cover or cover page of the portfolio should include the student name and contact information as well as the program to which the application is made (Architecture or Interior Design).
- Include a hard copy of the application to UT and personal information in the portfolio.
- Submit the portfolio by the published deadlines.
The portfolio will be reviewed by faculty members of the College Admissions Committee. Include a self-addressed stamped mailer for the return of the portfolio. Otherwise, portfolios will not be held nor returned.
Advice to High School Students
High school students are encouraged to take physics, art, and calculus. Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses should take the national AP exam. Extensive drafting, mechanical drawing or architecture courses based on drafting are not recommended.
Transfer Students
It should be noted that due to the strong sequential character of the curriculum, entry in any semester other than fall may be difficult. A course of summer study is usually offered which would allow transfer students to proceed to the second year course of study for the fall for intercollegiate students. Transfer students are required to submit a portfolio and to have at least a 2.3 grade point average to be considered. The average grade point average has been 3.5 for students accepted in recent years. Transfer students should apply by November 1 and should discuss their options with the Director of Student Services.
Readmission
A student may apply for readmission to the college if the student left in good academic standing and is within one calendar year of departure of leaving the program. If the time period has been longer than one year, the applicant for readmission will be considered by the college’s Academic Standards Committee.
Returning dismissed and probationary students will not be readmitted to a major in the College of Architecture & Design and will need to seek readmission to the University before reapplying to the College following the formal admissions process as outlined on the College’s website.
Academic Policies
Advising
Students must plan their schedule in consultation with the college’s Student Services Center. In addition, entering architecture and interior design students will be assigned to an upper-class student who will serve as a peer advisor. The Director of Student Services is available to answer additional questions and to oversee questions related to admissions, advising, and career placement.
All academic policies of the College of Architecture and Design are summarized on the college website.
Computer Requirement
Students enrolled in Interior Design and Architecture are required to purchase a computer, software, and supporting components meeting technical specifications provided by the College of Architecture and Design. The computer specifications are typically provided at the end of the first year of study and purchased during the summer between the first and second year of the respective programs. Students are strongly advised to wait until they receive their program computer specifications as created for their class and cohort prior to making a significant investment in a computer.
Course Load
The average course load in any semester is 17 credit hours. The minimum which may be taken by full-time students is 12 hours. The maximum which may be taken without approval of the dean is 19 hours.
Satisfactory/No Credit Courses
Courses that are a part of the specific requirements of the college cannot be taken as Satisfactory/No Credit.
Credit hours over and above the specific graduation requirements may be taken Satisfactory/No Credit. A student who desires to take a course Satisfactory/No Credit should indicate this at the start of registration. Courses evaluated as Satisfactory will count as hours toward graduation but will not be calculated in the student’s GPA.
uTrack Requirements (for first-year students)
Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester known as milestones. Milestones may include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect first-time, first-year, full-time, degree-seeking students entering Fall 2013.
Academic Programs
No active programs available.
