This is a one-year professional degree program and not available for recent high school graduates nor for college transfers (please see the BEDA program requirements if you are applying from high school or transferring into architecture). Applications to this program from graduates of other comparable four-year pre-professional programs in architecture are welcome. Admission requirements include prerequisite courses which must be included in the applicant's undergraduate program. A transcript review will identify any prerequisite deficiencies. If accepted to the program, the applicant will be advised regarding how to comply with the prerequisite requirements. Applicants must submit the following:

Application form and fee

Download the application form and send it to the School of Architecture with a non-refundable application fee of $55 made payable to NC State University.

Official transcript

Provide an official (sealed) transcript from each college and university previously attended. This requirement is waived for students currently enrolled in NC State's BEDA Program.

Three letters of reference

Provide references from at least three people who know your academic record and potential for graduate study. Download the recommendation form and send it to the School of Architecture.

Portfolio

A portfolio — literally “carry the leaves or sheets” — is defined in the dictionary as a flat, portable case, usually of leather, for carrying loose sheets of paper, manuscripts, drawings, etc. In architecture, as in all the design professions, portfolios are regarded as the most effective way to communicate work to others. They typically are brochures containing a selection of architectural projects and other pertinent 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional work of artistic or technical interest, presented as reproductions in one of the standard paper formats. Students with an undergraduate degree in architecture applying to a graduate program and graduates looking for a first job or moving from one employer to another are expected to present portfolios to illustrate their abilities, their experiences, and their accomplishments.

A few specific suggestions for you to keep in mind as you assemble your portfolio:

• Submit your work in a bound brochure or ring-type binder, not in loose leaf form. Portfolios should not exceed 15 pages and 11" x 14" in size, the 8 1/2" x 11" format is preferred. Include only reproductions, reduced where appropriate, rather than originals. Portfolios are rarely lost, but it has happened and originals cannot be replaced. Do not submit slides, videotapes, CDs or web pages.
• It is useful to include some information regarding the context in which a work was produced, particularly whether it was done in response to a class assignment, a job-related task, or by your own initiative. It is also good to include the dates of execution as well as the size, materials, and media. If a project was done by a group of persons or in the context of a professional office, please be specific as to the exact nature of your personal involvement and contribution.
• You should give special attention to the form and craft of your submission. We are not only interested in the quality of what you show, but also in the quality of how you show it.
• Please be sure to include your name on the portfolio and on all items. If you want us to return your portfolio, please include a self-addressed, stamped mailing envelope or box of correct size with sufficient postage. Note: we cannot accept checks or credit cards to cover the expense of mailing.
• You can consult references on portfolio design. As an example, Portfolio Design, Second Edition by Harold Linton (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000, ISBN 0-393-73059-X) contains much information and many examples of portfolio design, some by NC State University students. At NC State, this book is available at the College of Design Library and the University Career Center. This book or others like it should be available at design and university libraries around the country.

Portfolios for applicants with previous architectural degrees are considered as demonstrations in ability to design architectural projects. Other pertinent 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional work of artistic, design, or technical interest may be included as supplementary to this desired purpose.

Submission of application

Mail all items to:

Bachelor of Architecture Program
Department of Architecture
NC State University
College of Design
Box 7701, Brooks Hall
Raleigh, NC 27695-7701

Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.