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Department of Architecture and Urban Design

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Undergraduate Admissions

Degree - B.A. in Architectural Studies

PLEASE NOTE: The B.A in Architectural Studies is only available to transfer students either at UCLA or from an outside institution

Step 1 - Complete the Application
Transfer students from outside UCLA who wish to apply for the B.A. in Architectural Studies must complete the University of California's Transfer Application for Undergraduate Admissions. Students may apply directly online or download the application from the University of California website. In California you can also get an application from a local UC campus or community college counseling office. If you are outside California, you must use one of the Web-based options. For more information, please contact the UCLA Undergraduate Admissions Office at (310) 825-3101. Current UCLA second year students who would like to be accepted into the major must go to the Department of Architecture and Urban Design located in 1317 Perloff Hall and pick up and submit a "Undergraduate Petition For Change of Academic Program" form. This form must be submitted along with your Supplemental Requirements by January 15th.

Step 2 – Department of Architecture and Urban Design - Supplemental Requirements
(DO NOT complete the supplemental requirements without first completing the Application in step one.)
After the UC Application has been filed, applicants are required to submit a Department of Architecture and Urban Design supplemental application. The supplemental application, due January 15, will include the following specific departmental requirements:

  • Questionnaire
  • Statement of interest and goals
  • Portfolio consisting of three 8X10 images of creative work. Please submit these three images as prints, not slides, CDs, DVDs, etc. Also note that these images will not be returned.
  • Unofficial transcripts. If you are a transfer applicant applying from outside of UCLA, send a copy of all college-level work you have completed since high school. We recommend that you acquire a copy of your transcript for yourself and send us a photocopy of that copy.

Graduate Admissions

Degrees - M.Arch I, M.Arch II, M.Arch I/Urban Planning MA (joint degree), MA, Ph.D.

A complete outline of admissions and degree requirements, are available on the Architecture and Urban Design website and accessible on the Graduate Division web page.

The Department of Architecture and Urban Design accepts applications for the fall quarter only. Admission to the department is based on acceptance by the UCLA Graduate Division and a faculty review of the applicant's work. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an acceptable institution, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the last two years of upper-division coursework.

The UCLA Application for Graduate Admission is due by January 5.

Supplemental Requirements
(To be completed after the application for graduate admissions has been filed)

1. Statement of Purpose

In addition to filling out Part C of the AGA, applicants should submit a detached written statement of purpose, which gives applicants the opportunity to explain to the Admissions committee how they selected architecture as a career and why they consider UCLA the best place to pursue this goal. Be explicit in stating reasons for application to graduate study, particular area of specialization within the major field, plans for future occupation or profession, and any additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for study. A brief resume would also be helpful. In addition, all M.A., and Ph.D. applicants must specify their intended area of concentration, and Ph.D. applicants must discuss specific research interests and possible plans for dissertation.

2. Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required. These letters should be from individuals who are able to judge your academic and professional abilities as they would relate to graduate study in the Department of Architecture and Urban Design. Use Part D, “Letters of Recommendation” of the AGA. Fill in the top section of the forms and send them directly to the persons from whom you are requesting statements. They in turn should mail the completed forms directly to the Departmental Admissions Office. Alternatively, you can mail the letters to us yourself as long as they are sent in envelopes that are signed and sealed by the recommender.

3. Academic

Records - Two official copies of transcripts from each college or university attended in the U.S. and abroad must be submitted to the Departmental Admissions Office directly from each institution. Use Part E “Cross Reference Sheet” of the AGA if applicable. The Graduate Division of the University sets a minimum grade-point requirement of 3.0 (B) or its equivalent for the last two years of undergraduate and any post baccalaureate study.

4. GRE

- Applicants to all programs are required to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of their application. These scores must be received by the department by the deadline, therefore schedule your exam at least 3 weeks prior to the deadline.

5. Portfolio

(M.Arch Applicants Only) - A portfolio is required as a central part of the application to the professional Architecture and Urban Design degree programs. Content is not restricted to any particular subject area, but the material should be in the form of a cohesive presentation and should be representative of your previous experience and creative abilities. It may include both graphic and written material. Images should be in the form of prints, not slides. We recommend that the portfolio not exceed an 11–by–17 inch format, and that any loose pages be marked plainly with your name. If applicants wish to have the portfolio returned they must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Because of the large volume of material received, we cannot guarantee the safe return of all submitted work. Although every effort is made to protect these submissions, applicants are urged to keep duplicate copies of all of the work contained in their portfolios. UCLA and the Department of Architecture and Urban Design are not responsible for the loss or damage of this material.

6. International

Applicants - Students whose native language is not English are required, for admission, to score at least 580 (paper and pencil test) or 237 (computer-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a 7 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. Because processing, sending, and receiving TOEFL and IELTS scores often takes several weeks, international students must schedule the TOEFL examination no later than October in order to meet the Departmental deadlines. TOEFL scores should be sent directly to the Departmental Admissions Office. In addition, students whose native language is not English must take the English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE) on arrival at UCLA and, beginning in their first term in residence, take any English as a Second Language courses needed as determined by the results of the ESLPE. Because such courses may not be applied toward the minimum course requirement, students who are required to take them should expect to spend additional time in residence.

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