MArch Architecture at Iowa State University

Programme overview

The Master of Architecture is a NAAB-accredited, coursework-only terminal degree that provides the foundation for U.S. architectural licensure. Applicants holding a B.Arch. may receive advanced standing that can waive up to one year.

Faculty: College of Design | Department: Department of Architecture | Duration: 90 credits; median time to degree 2.8 years (about 2 years with advanced standing) | Intake: Fall or spring | Study mode: full-time | Location: Ames, IA, United States

What you will study

Learning goals cover design skills, building technologies, building envelope and structural systems, climate and ecological responsibility, architectural history and theory, and U.S. codes and regulations.

Career pathways

Path to becoming a licensed architect in the United States.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate College requirements: 4 year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) Academic Records/Transcripts Minimum 3.0 GPA (Program may alter requirement.) Proof of English Proficiency. Programme-specific requirements: For the Master of Architecture: Three letters of recommendation from individuals from your educational or professional background who can most directly speak about your ability to complete graduate level course work and teaching duties You will be asked within the application to provide the names and email addresses for your three references; when you submit the application, the three individuals will receive an email notification from ISU Admissions with a link to the recommendation form A statement of purpose detailing academic and personal interest including your career goals and reasons for applying for the program (500 word maximum) Digital portfolio (PDF or website), including five examples of your creative work Upload to the application as a PDF, maximum size of 20MB If your portfolio is web-based, upload a PDF document that indicates the website where your portfolio

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Entry terms for first-year applicants include Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027. International undergraduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted up to one year before the intended start date; applying at least six to eight weeks in advance is strongly recommended.

Graduate application fee: $60 for domestic applicants and $100 for international applicants (nonrefundable), a separate fee for each program applied to; some programs postpone fee collection until after review. Deadlines are set by each graduate program.

Apply through the official page: https://apps.admissions.iastate.edu/apply/online/

Explore more study programmes

Engineering