architecture program report - University of Massachusetts Amherst

was also seen as a potential program weakness because students received inconsistent
counsel pertaining to which classes they need to take, in what sequence, in order to
satisfy program requisites.
The faculty of the program is very supportive of students pursuing leadership roles both
inside and outside the school. The recent establishment of the Student Architecture
Society (SAS) within the UMass Amherst architecture program is a demonstration by the
students of their sincere interest in creating a unified voice amongst themselves. The SAS
is still in an embryonic phase, and needs to better define its goals and aspirations. The
mission and vision of this organization is vague and in need of clarification/ focus. The
founding of the SAS helps to give the architecture students an identity in the university
student population. Once fully established, the students hope to initiate a communal
chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) with students from the
five college consortium.
The students found the faculty responsive to their concerns about workloads and course
content. Students found the program flexible enough to allow them to participate in extra-
curricular activities and employment without conflicting with their course workloads.
Vertical studios and collaborative studios with students from other programs give the
architecture students exposure to working on diverse teams. However, in the case of
vertical studios, it was unclear how students at different levels were adequately evaluated
based on the amount and level of work they produced.
The program is touted as being very diverse, but based on the students with whom the
visiting team interacted, this was not evident. The demographics of the student population
demonstrated economic diversity, but fell short in the area of the ethnic diversity that was
evident in the general university student population.
1.3 Architecture Education and Registration
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Visiting Team Report
24-28 February 2007
The accredited degree program must demonstrate that it provides students with a sound
preparation for the transition to internship and licensure. The school may choose to
explain in the APR the accredited degree program's relationship with the state
registration boards, the exposure of students to internship requirements including
knowledge of the national Intern Development Program (IDP) and continuing education
beyond graduation, the students' understanding of their responsibility for professional
conduct, and the proportion of graduates who have sought and achieved licensure since
the previous visit.
WELL MET
Within the coursework, the visiting team found evidence that students are receiving
preparatory information on the career path connecting education with licensure. The
appointment of a faculty member to the Massachusetts Architecture Registration Board
provides a strong link between the program and professional regulation, assuring good
communication on current regulatory standards. This link recently provided a program
that introduced students to IDP standards and procedures. The visiting team also viewed
coursework that introduced students to the elements of the Architectural Registration
Examination, creating an awareness of the NCARB testing standard.
Students benefit from exposure to practicing professionals in the classroom, through
faculty members with private practice and membership in professional organizations.
Met
[ X ]
Not Met
[ ]
11
10
7