Theory vs. practice, model-making vs. 3-D modeling, energy efficiency vs. formal invention—such are the fundamental tensions as architectural education evolves. School accreditation hinges on a combination of core curricula, student and faculty diversity, the incorporation of a mutually respectful “studio culture” training, and more, says AIA director of education Catherine Roussel. Overall, the number of students has inched upward since 2001, with fewer pursuing B.Arch. degrees and more choosing the B.S.Arch. path instead. In 2001, the number of schools with a B.Arch. and at least one M.Arch. program (either I or II) was 73, but those numbers have diverged: Today, just 54 schools offer B.Arch. degrees, while the number of M.Arch. I and II programs has grown to 94. The AIA continues to analyze and improve the education process, says Roussel, but “we still need to work on improving the transition from student to practitioner. They’re expected to be productive the minute they get into the office.”
48,256
The total number of architecture students in 2007. Of those, 9,994 were M.Arch. (I and II) or D.Arch. students.
915
The number of African-American students enrolled in B.Arch. programs in 2007.
3,018
The number of Hispanic students in B.Arch. programs in 2007. The AIA is constantly reviewing diversity issues in the field, says Roussel. “Our goal is to reflect the society we build in.”
8.5%
The 2001–2007 increase in faculty members with a nonarchitecture Ph.D. or D.Arch.; 2007 total: 500 faculty members.
38%
The percentage of total architecture faculty who work in the Northeast (1,877 of 4,942). Just 368 faculty are in the East-Central region—at 7.4 percent, the smallest concentration in the country.