Architecture

Katz Hall Room 109
5005 Rockhill Road
(816) 235-1725
aupd@umkc.edu
 

Mailing Address
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Architecture, Urban Planning + Design
109 Katz Hall
5005 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110-2499

Teaching Professor: 
John Eck, M.Arch., R.A.

Instructor:
Dominic Musso, M.Arch., Assoc. AIA 

Adjunct Faculty:
James Amicone; Jacob Henley; Darius Hollwell

Administrator:
Stella Szymanski

Professor Emerita:
Joy D. Swallow, M.Arch., F.A.I.A.

Program Description

Architecture has two degree programs to choose from.

Our five-year professional degree program in Architecture awards students with a Bachelor of Architecture. The rigorous curriculum will prepare them for taking the architectural registration exam administrated by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (www.ncarb.org), allowing them to become registered architects in any of the fifty states. The B.Arch offers a considerable tuition cost savings over similar M.Arch programs, as it requires about 25 credit hours less over the course of the five years.

Schools of Architecture are granted accreditation by the National Architecture Accreditation Board (www.naab.org ). Because accreditation can only be granted after five years of operation, our program will start as a “candidate for accreditation”. Once we have been in operation for five years, our program will be reviewed, and when accreditation is granted, it will apply to all students who have been part of the program since its inception. We are currently in the process of applying for candidacy.

Our curriculum is centered around the Design Studio, which takes place every semester and simulates what life in a professional office will eventually be like. Our other courses are intended to support the Design Studio, teaching students about architectural history, building structure and construction, environmental systems and architectural theory. Additionally, we offer opportunities for internships and study abroad.

We are excited to offer this degree program on the UMKC campus, in the heart of Kansas City, allowing our students to engage with over 200 architecture firms and take advantage of all the lessons a major metropolitan area has to give. Our goal is to use the city as a “learning lab”, creating an engaging experience few other architecture programs can offer.

The second degree program, Architectural Studies, leads to a degree in one of the following professional areas: landscape architecture, interior architecture or industrial design. This track is a one-year program, offered in conjunction with Kansas State University's College of Architecture, Planning and Design. Students will then transfer to KSU in Manhattan, KS to complete their degree, and graduate from KSU.

Financial Aid

Many scholarships and student financial aid opportunities are available. Every year approximately 80 percent of our students have some form of scholarship. For students who qualify, UMKC can be a great resource for scholarship assistance. Contact the UMKC Financial Aid Office, phone: (816) 235-1154, website: http://www.umkc.edu/finaid for scholarship information.

Student Activities

The program supports two student organizations.

Planning and Design Students (PDS) is a student organization for students studying Urban Planning and Design. The students interact with the local APA (American Planning Association) chapter in a variety of activities. A group of students attend the national conventions that are held in various locations around the country every year.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) is a student organization that consists of a multidisciplinary group (i.e. engineering, geosciences, public administration) from across the campus.