Architecture
University Requirements
General Education
UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that all undergraduate students will complete. The 30-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a Culture and Diversity course; a Civic & Urban Engagement course; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; and a Math Pathway course. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum. Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found here: https://catalog.umkc.edu/undergraduate-academic-regulations-information/general-education-requirements/
Constitution Course
Every undergraduate student must take a course covering the United States Constitution and the Missouri State Constitution before graduation. Course options are included in the program requirements section below.
Exit Examinations
Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.
Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination
In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'. To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from this program will:
- Appraise the impact of the built environment on human health, safety, and welfare at multiple scales, from buildings to cities
- Relate professional ethics, the regulatory requirements, the fundamental business process relevant to architecture practice in the United States, and the forces influencing change in these subjects
- Articulate the fundamental principles of life safety, land use, and current laws and regulations that apply to buildings and sites in the United States, and the evaluative process architects use to comply with those laws and regulations as part of a project
- Analyze the established and emerging systems, technologies, and assemblies of building construction, and the methods and criteria architects use to assess those technologies against the design, economics, and performance objectives of projects
- Synthesize user requirements, regulatory requirements, site conditions, accessible design, and consideration of the measurable environmental impacts in their design decisions
- Design architectural projects that integrate building envelope systems and assemblies, structural systems, environmental control systems, life safety systems, and the measurable outcomes
Admissions
High school students planning to apply to the B. Arch. program are strongly encouraged to take a college preparatory program including:
- ½ unit of Trigonometry (may be incorporated in another course)
- Algebra
- Geometry
- 4 units of English
- History
- 3 to 4 units of science, including physics
- 3 to 4 units of social studies
- 2 to 4 units of foreign language
- Courses in both freehand drawing and technical drawing are highly encouraged
- Pre-Calculus and/or Calculus is highly encouraged
First-time college student applicants who do not meet the above criteria but do meet UMKC general admission requirements will have their applications reviewed by a committee for admission. Applicants who are not admitted to the B. Arch. program but do meet UMKC general admission requirements may be admitted to University College.
Students without the prerequisite preparation must take the needed coursework before enrolling in courses required for the bachelor's degree. Students seeking re-admission must have been in good academic standing when last enrolled. Otherwise, re-admission requires a formal review by the undergraduate program committee.
Transfer applicants must have at least 24 credits of transferable college credit, an overall 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in all coursework, which includes repeated coursework, attempted at previous institutions. Transfer applicants without a 2.0 or higher college GPA must submit a petition for admission.
For International FTC/TRN Admissions, please review admission requirements available through the International Student Affairs Office.
Progression in B.Arch Program
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Architecture program must earn a minimum grade of “C” in all Design Studio coursework.
Program Requirements
UMKC Essentials
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Semester Experience Course (GEFSE) | 3 | |
| Written Communication: | ||
| ENGLISH 110 | Introduction to Academic Prose | 3 |
| ENGLISH 225 | English II: Intermediate Academic Prose | 3 |
| Oral Communication (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Effective Speaking and Listening | ||
| Introduction to Communication | ||
| Argumentation And Debate (offered via dual credit only) | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Math Pathway (satisfied in major requirements below) | ||
| Critical Thinking in Arts & Humanities (GECRT-AH) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Natural & Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Social & Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS) | 3 | |
| Culture & Diversity Course (GECDV) | 3 | |
| Civic & Urban Engagement Course (GECUE) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
Constitution Course Requirement
Section 170.011.1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, 2015, states that all candidates for a degree issued by a college or university in the state of Missouri must have “satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions.”
Courses at UMKC that satisfy this state requirement are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process | ||
| U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| U.S. History Since 1877 | ||
| Honors American Government | ||
| American Government | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
There are a few other ways this requirement can be satisfied for students transferring to UMKC:
- Take an equivalent course from the list above at a regionally accredited institution.
- Earn credit for one of the above courses through AP, IB, or CLEP.
- Take a course that directly satisfies the Missouri Constitution Requirement at another Missouri institution.
- Have a previous bachelors degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited institution.
- Have an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Complete the 42 Hour Core at a Missouri institution and have it listed on the official transcript.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Design Studio Coursework | ||
| ENV-DSN 201 | Environmental Design Studio I | 4 |
| ENV-DSN 202 | Environmental Design Studio II | 4 |
| ENV-DSN 203 | Survey of the Design Professions | 1 |
| ENV-DSN 301 | Architectural Design Studio I | 5 |
| ENV-DSN 302 | Architectural Design Studio II | 5 |
| ARCH 303 | Design Studio 5 | 5 |
| ARCH 304 | Design Studio 6 | 5 |
| ARCH 405 | Design Studio 7 | 5 |
| ARCH 495 | Design Studio 9 | 5 |
| ARCH 496 | Design Studio 10 | 5 |
| Architectual History Coursework | ||
| ENV-DSN 250 | History of the Designed Environment I | 3 |
| ENV-DSN 251 | History of the Designed Environment II | 3 |
| ENV-DSN 252 | History of the Designed Environment III | 3 |
| Structures and Systems Coursework | ||
| ENV-DSN 347 | Structural Systems in Architecture I | 4 |
| ARCH 348 | Building Structures 2 | 4 |
| ENV-DSN 433 | Building Construction Systems in Architecture I | 3 |
| ARCH 434 | Building Construction Systems 2 | 3 |
| ARCH 265 | Environmental Systems 1 | 3 |
| ARCH 266 | Environmental Systems 2 | 3 |
| Internship | ||
| ARCH 491 | Internship | 10 |
| Electives | ||
| Take 4 Professional Support Electives (12 credit hours) | ||
| ARCH 401 | Professional Support Elective | 3 |
| ARCH 401 | Professional Support Elective | 3 |
| ARCH 401 | Professional Support Elective | 3 |
| ARCH 401 | Professional Support Elective | 3 |
| Additional Required Architecture Coursework | ||
| MATH 110 | Precalculus Algebra (satisfies Math Pathway) | 3 |
| PHYSICS 210 | General Physics I | 4 |
| ENV-DSN 274 | Digital Architecture 1 | 1 |
| ENV-DSN 373 | Digital Architecture 2 | 1 |
| ARCH 374 Digital Architecture 3 | 1 | |
| UPD 260 | History Of Planning And Urban Design | 3 |
| UPD 280 | Land Use Planning | 3 |
| ARCH 425 | Professional Practice | 3 |
| ARCH 475 | Project Programming | 3 |
| ARCH 476 | Design Communications | 3 |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Minimum GPA: 2.0 (2.5 in all major coursework)
Total Credit Hours: 150
Tools for Planning and Fulfilling Academic Requirements
UMKC's Major Maps are detailed, semester by semester plans that lead a student to complete all degree requirements within four years. Plans include benchmarks and critical courses by term that assist a student’s evaluation of progress and major “fit”. In order to ensure that the appropriate courses are taken, students are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor for this major. Please see the tab above to view the major map for this program.
UMKC’s Transfer Guides provide detailed guidance on recommended transfer coursework, plans of study, transfer timelines, and transfer contact information. To ensure a seamless transfer experience, students are encouraged to work with both their community college advisor and a UMKC advisor when planning their coursework.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Audit’ degree audit system provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for students' officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Plans’ degree planning tool enables students to develop a personalized semester by semester plan of study towards completion of degree requirements for student’s officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. Update and edit your full plan to degree completion each term and confirm accuracy each semester with your Academic Advisor(s).