Architecture
Business & Technology
Degree awarded: Associate in Applied Science
Program Narrative
Architects and architectural technicians shape the built environment, creating homes, offices, schools and much more. Do you have a passion for creating on paper and with computers? A career in architecture or architecture-related fields could be a satisfying and rewarding profession. An associate's degree in Architecture from Northampton provides an affordable foundation for a traditional five-year degree program leading to a career as a licensed architect. It can also prepare you for work in the field upon graduation.
Northampton's program offers a mixture of academic, design and advanced computer technology coursework. You will receive a base of knowledge to broaden your perspective of the world. Our four semester design studio sequence emphasizes skills development in architectural conceptualization as well as design vocabulary and process. Supporting coursework in history, graphics and building technology mesh with your studio work to enhance your critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills. With computer technology dramatically changing the practice of architecture, Northampton's curriculum strives to stay on the leading edge of 2D and 3D technology across the curriculum. We also balance those technologies with traditional graphic and model making skills development.
Please note that senior architecture schools consider applicants from Northampton on an individual basis and have traditionally granted both full and partial credit depending on the abilities of the student and the requirements of the transfer school.
Program Features
Courses are scheduled both day and evening for students who want to attend full time or part time. Although many of the required courses are offered in the evening, the complete program will require some daytime attendance.
Northampton's program is a member of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, ensuring that the program stays in touch with current movements in the field. Our faculty consists of practicing, registered architects who, as members of the American Institute of Architects, are on top of developments in both architectural education and practice.
The Architecture Department has an active chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), which provides our students with leadership opportunities at the local and national level. The AIAS also offers social activities and field trips that enhance your architecture studies.
Opportunities for practical experience include a five-credit community design studio taking place in a community-wide environment. This capstone project gives students hands-on experience in the field. In addition, students who qualify may choose to complete a three credit professional internship and apply their practical office experience to their education for credit. Students will work under the direction of an employer with a professional degree in architecture. Arrangements will be made through the architecture department. Both the community design and internship learning experiences are of great value when the graduate either enters the profession or transfers to a Bachelor degree program.
"Real World Community Learning"
Northampton's architecture program offers you a 5 credit capstone community design studio which takes place in a community wide environment giving you "hands-on" learning opportunities.
Professional Internship
Students who qualify may choose the option of a three credit professional internship and apply their practical office experience to their education for credit. Students will work under the direction of an employer with a professional degree in architecture. Arrangements will be made through the architecture department. Both the community design and internship learning experiences will prove to be of great value when the graduate either enters the profession or transfers to a Bachelor degree program.
Course Scheduling
Courses are scheduled both day and evening for students who want to attend full time or part time. Although many of the required courses are offered in the evening, the complete program will require some daytime attendance.
Who Can Apply for the Architecture Program?
- High school students
- College students
- Individuals considering a career change
Individuals presently employed as technicians looking to advance their education.
Program Outcomes
Graduates of the program will:
- Be prepared for transfer into an accredited five year Bachelor of Architecture Professional Program leading to a three-year internship and NCARB Examination to practice architecture.
- Be prepared to transfer into a four-year architectural construction management technology degree program.
- Be prepared for employment as an architectural technician which assists the architect, planner or engineer in planning, designing, and inspecting the construction of buildings and related areas of design and manufacturing, such as product design, furniture design, display design, display design and product sales.
- Be prepared for employment in the fields of plant engineering, supervision, testing and product representation in the building and construction industry.
- Develop a broad exposure to both 2D and 3D architectural software such as AutoCAD, ARCHICAD, and others
- Learn to produce construction drawings and presentation drawings through traditional and computer graphics.
- Develop an understanding and ability to select and design structural, systems for low-rise buildings.
- Develop an understanding of how our physical (built) environment is influenced by our social, cultural, historical and philosophical determinants.
Associate in Applied Science Degree
| Course Code | Course Title |
Credits
|
| First Semester | ||
| ARCH 100 | Architectural History I-Antiquity to 1870 |
3
|
| ARCH 101 | Architectural Graphics I |
3
|
| ARCH 110 | Architecture Design Studio I |
3
|
| ENGL 101C | English I |
3
|
| MATH 140 | College Algebra |
3
|
|
15
|
||
| Second Semester | ||
| ARCH 121 | Architectural Graphics II |
3
|
| ARCH 150 | Architecture Design Studio II (Digital) |
3
|
| ARCH 155 | Architectural History II-1870 to Present |
3
|
| ENGL 151C | English II |
3
|
| MATH 145 | Trigonometry |
3
|
|
15
|
||
| Third Semester | ||
| ARCH 204 | Design & Analysis of Structural Form |
3
|
| ARCH 210 | Architecture Design Studio III |
5
|
| ARCH 214 | Architectural Materials & Methods of Construction I |
3
|
| ARCH 215 | Advanced Digital Analysis |
3
|
| CMTH 102 | Speech Communication |
3
|
|
17
|
||
| Fourth Semester | ||
| ARCH 250 | Architecture Design Studio IV |
5
|
| ARCH 254 | Architectural Material Methods Construction II |
3
|
| ---------- | General Education Elective (SIT or SSHB) |
3
|
| ---------- | Elective |
3
|
|
14
|
||
| Total Credits: |
61
|
NOTE: ARCH 200 Professional Internship (3 cr. optional elective) offered Fall, Spring, Summer1 and Summer 2 semesters. Please see advisor.
- For the General Education Elective, students must select one course from the list of approved courses in one of the following categories: Social Science: Societies and Institutions over Time (SIT) or Social Science: Scientific Study of Human Behavior (SSHB).
- Completion of ENGL 151C satisfies the Diversity (D) requirement for this program.
- Completion of both ARCH 210 and ARCH 250 satisfies the Writing Intensive (WI) requirement for this program.
- Computer competencies are included in various courses in this program. Thus, completing the program automatically satisfies the computing requirement for this program.
Career Potential: Leading to: Architect, Architectural Technician, Building Inspector, Architectural/Building Sales
NCC students have transferred to: Drexel University, Florida Atlantic University, Lehigh University Penn State University, Temple University, University of Arizona, University of Maryland, University of Miami, University of Michigan