Architecture is society’s most public, visible art. It reflects culture and participates in shaping it. Architects have deep concern for society, culture and the urban environment, a passion for turning ideas into reality, the ability to think critically and understand the relevance of history, and an appreciation for the aesthetic, social, philosophical and structural issues embodied in art and technology.

Choosing the Right Program

From the beginning, you will have the opportunity to explore ideas through making, think creatively with your hands and mind, and evaluate ideas within the context of the human experience.

In your first year of the four-year pre-professional Bachelor of Architectural Studies program, you will acquire the foundation for subsequent studies through an introduction to architecture, drawing, studio design, and multimedia applications, and general study in engineering, art history and the social sciences.

Over the next three years, you will work toward your major in:

  • Design – for a professional career in architecture with an emphasis on design;
  • Urbanism – to explore architecture in the context of the city and promote the stewardship of the built environment; or
  • Conservation and Sustainability – for the conservation of historical architecture and the principles of sustainable design.

Classes you’ll be taking in the architectural studies program are curated to give you the strongest foundation for your future. Click here to see which courses you’ll be taking.

Admission Requirements

For admission, you must have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, including a minimum of six 4U/M courses. Equivalent courses may be substituted at the appropriate 4U level.

PREREQUISITES

  • Advanced Functions
  • English
  • Physics

If you are from outside Ontario, or outside Canada, please visit Carleton’s Undergraduate Admissions website for details on your specific program’s requirements.

How To Apply →

The Carleton Advantage

Carleton University’s Bachelor of Architectural Studies degree prepares you for a career in the profession of architecture and gives you a foundation for many interdisciplinary and related design fields.

At Carleton, we emphasize discovery through making, discipline through craft, imagination through drawing and other media arts, conviction through writing and advocacy through public presentations. You will be taught by internationally renowned faculty and have the opportunity to participate in international exchanges, visiting critics’ studios and lectures by international architects, unique workshop courses (such as furniture design, stage design, advanced painting and design, urbanism, material studies and real estate development), and joint programs with other departments.

You will benefit from the proximity of organizations such as the National Research Council Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, National Arts Centre and National Gallery of Canada.

Our Laboratory and Research Facilities

At Carleton, you have access to facilities recognized as the finest in Canada and among the best in North America, including design studios with personal work space, fabrication facilities for woodworking, metal machining and welding, and an assembly room for models and full-scale projects. Make use of our extensive computer and digital
facilities, and academic resources such as a technical library and reading room, the David J. Azrieli Gallery for architectural exhibits, and the Carleton University Immersive Media Studio (a research centre for modeling and visualization using immersive, digital and hybrid media).

Interested in seeing some of the labs you’ll be working in?

Book a Tour

Your Future Opportunities

If you intend to enter the profession of architecture, you can apply to continue your studies in an accredited Master of Architecture Professional program at Carleton or equivalent professional training at another university. Carleton also offers a Master of Architectural Studies, PhD in Architecture, and a Graduate Diploma in Architectural Conservation.

Carleton graduates work around the globe in traditional and nontraditional architectural practices, founding design/build firms, participating in historic preservation and restoration teams, guiding urban planning projects and policy, teaching, or working in disciplines ranging from filmmaking and fashion design to computer animation, building science, environmental design and project management.

Carleton’s Co-Op program is a great way to make your first strides in your field. Our program is closely associated with a wide range of private and public service employers seeking Architecture candidates, giving students valuable work experience and contacts that will benefit them in the future.

Learn More about Co-Op at Carleton

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