Baylor M.Arch FAQ
Baylor M.Arch students are cautioned not to hold outside full-time employment while completing the program, as they are expected to give their time and attention to the full-time academic demands of the curriculum and the travel requirements for onsite immersions.
We strongly encourage all students to avoid working during the first trimester to help facilitate a strong start in the program. After the first trimester, if students still want or need to work, they will be better able to create a work schedule that won't negatively impact their education.
Baylor’s hybrid Master of Architecture program is designed as a full-time program and does not currently offer a part-time completion option. Courses are developmentally sequenced, with each trimester building on the one before it. Because the program requires a substantial time commitment, prospective students should carefully consider how it will fit alongside work and other responsibilities.
Baylor Master of Architecture students who completed an undergraduate degree in a CIDA-accredited Interior Design program may require additional leveling courses before beginning the M.Arch degree program sequence. These additional requirements ensure students receive the appropriate preparation while maintaining the program’s accelerated timeline. For example, students may be asked to take Physics and/or Pre-calculus in order to gain fundamental understanding of lessons necessary to enroll in Structures. In addition, for students who need to brush up on software skills, Baylor Extended Learning provides courses across the Adobe Suite and Revit.
Online courses are largely synchronous, with some select components delivered asynchronously. Synchronous courses take place live in the virtual classroom at specified dates and times each week. Non-studio courses take various formats of lectures, peer discussion, readings, and assignments depending on the learning objectives of the course. Design studio is primarily synchronously with real-time faculty and classmates. Students are expected to be present during class sessions, with good internet connection and a video camera for class participation.
Baylor’s M.Arch curriculum includes four immersions, each paired to a design studio. The first immersion is held virtually over two days to help orient students to the program. Two immersions are held off-site at cities that align curricular goals and learning objectives, and the fourth immersion will be held on the Baylor University campus in Waco. The in-person immersions each last two to three days.
Baylor’s hybrid M.Arch degree includes four immersive experiences that take place either in person or online. These immersions, each lasting two to three days, complement the program’s online coursework while providing close collaboration among students and faculty. The two off-site immersions include field trips, site visits, professional firm visits, and tours of exemplary architectural precedents. The immersion held in Waco on the Baylor University campus gives students the opportunity to collaborate with fellow Baylor faculty and students as well as to utilize on-campus facilities and resources.
Hybrid learning does not mean learning alone. Live class sessions create space for real-time dialogue with faculty and classmates rather than relying on discussion boards or prerecorded lectures. These embedded touchpoint and intentional outreach from faculty and staff ensure every student is known, connected and supported throughout the program.
In the United States, most registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. Baylor University has submitted an eligibility application in pursuit of NAAB accreditation for its Master of Architecture program and has designed all components of its program in alignment with NAAB conditions for accreditation. Learn more about the current accreditation status of the Baylor M.Arch program.