MArch Architecture at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Programme overview

The Master of Architecture is the first accredited architecture degree at a public institution in New England. It is an interdisciplinary programme emphasising socially progressive, environmentally responsive and sustainable design and community-based public service.

Faculty: College of Humanities and Fine Arts | Department: Department of Architecture | Study mode: full-time | Location: Amherst, MA, United States

What you will study

The course of study has three components: core requirements, areas of knowledge exploration, and a culminating master's thesis. Courses draw on architecture, studio art, art history, public history, landscape architecture and regional planning, building construction technology, environmental engineering and computer science, and Five College classes.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Department of Architecture (MArch): transcripts evaluated for GPA and courses taken; 2 letters of recommendation; personal statement of no more than 3 pages; portfolio or documentation of creative work or research (no more than 20 pages of art, architecture and/or design work); language test for international applicants per Graduate School requirements; GRE not required. Applicants must have completed one semester each of calculus and physics (before the first graduate year for advanced-standing admits, before the second year for others). Holders of a BA/BS in Architectural Studies or equivalent may receive advanced standing. Graduate School (all UMass Amherst graduate programmes): bachelor's degree from an accredited US institution or an equivalent international degree; minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale (some programmes expect more); most programmes require at least two letters of recommendation; personal statement and resume; 600-word short essay on community; $90 application fee. Applicants whose native language is not English: TOEFL iBT 80 (tests taken before January 2026; combined score of 4 on the new scale for tests from January 2026), IELTS Academic 6.5, Duolingo English Test 115 or PTE Academic 53.

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.

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