undergraduate admissions
The School of Architecture can offer limited admission to the architecture and interior design degree programs. Students may apply for fall semester admission only.
Freshman Admission
Applications for freshman admission are available online at www.applytexas.org. Extensive information about the application process as well as estimated costs of attending the University are available from the Office of Admissions. Architecture is unable to accommodate all qualified applicants and preference is given to candidates considered to have the best qualifications. All applications will be individually reviewed and evaluated. The School's admission decisions are based on SAT I or ACT scores, class rank, essays, extracurricular activities, strength of academic background, including course difficulty, and accomplishments both in and out of school. Because the University is a state-supported institution, most places are reserved for Texas residents; admission is more competitive for non-residents.
For more information on freshman admission, read the Prospective Freshman FAQ.
Transfer Admission
Applications for transfer admission are available online at www.applytexas.org. Extensive information about the application process as well as estimated costs of attending the University are also available from the Office of Admissions. Architecture is unable to accommodate all qualified applicants and preference is given to candidates considered to have the best qualifications. All applications will be individually reviewed and evaluated. The School's admission decisions are based on portfolio of work, essays, strength of academic background, including course difficulty, and accomplishments both in and out of school. Because the University is a state-supported institution, most places are reserved for Texas residents; admission is more competitive for non-residents. Students transferring with design studio credits from other schools must submit a portfolio of their work to the Undergraduate Office for placement in the design sequence before they will be allowed to register for a design studio. Other architecture or interior design courses will be evaluated by the head of the appropriate department for transfer evaluation upon admission.
For more information on transfer admission, read the Prospective Transfer Student FAQ.
Change of Major and Internal Transfer
Change of Major admission/Internal Transfer admission to undergraduate architecture or interior design from another degree program at The University of Texas at Austin requires attendance at mandatory information sessions to be held in GOL 2.302B (Dean's Conference Room) from 4pm-5pm. The fall 2009 dates will be announced at the beginning of the Fall semester.
For more information on change of major admission, read the Change of Majors/Internal Transfers FAQ.
International Students
International undergraduate applicants should contact the Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC) for application information.
The Architecture and Interior Design Major Code
Please be sure to use the correct major code on applications. Students wishing to pursue an undergraduate architecture or interior design degree program must be formally admitted to the School of Architecture with one of the following major codes:
- Bachelor of Science in Interior Design, 908000
- Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies, 908400
- Bachelor of Architecture, 909200
- Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering, 909201
- Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Arts in Plan II, 909300
Students who intend to pursue the dual degree in Architecture and Plan II Honors must apply to both programs. Please contact the Plan II Honors Program Office in the College of Liberal Arts for further information regarding the separate and early application to the Plan II Honors Program: 512-471-1442.
Credit by Examination
Although credit by examination is not offered for architecture courses, it is possible to receive credit by examination for other courses required for architecture and interior design degrees, such as english literature, calculus, physics, american history, government, and certain electives. Detailed information about the UT-Austin testing program is available from the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment.
Students are expected to have achieved a satisfactory score on the SAT II: Mathematics Level I or II exam. Students whose scores on the SAT II: Mathematics exam are insufficient for placement into pre-calculus (M 305G) or calculus (M 408C) must take college algebra and/or pre-calculus prior to enrolling in Math 408C (Calculus). College algebra is not taught at UT-Austin during fall and spring semesters. College algebra and pre-calculus will not count toward any of the undergraduate degrees offered by the School of Architecture.
Students may wish to take the SAT II: Mathematics Level I or II exam early to determine if they should take college trigonometry or pre-calculus before entering the University in the fall. The exam is administered on the UT-Austin campus and at various high schools. Additional information is available from high school counselors or from the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment.
Texas Success Initiative (formerly TASP)
The TSI examination is a state-mandated program designed to improve student success in college. Please contact the TSI office at the University for more information about exemption or waivers at 512-471-8277.
Alternatives
Applicants who miss the deadline or whose academic record makes them ineligible for admission to the School of Architecture have at least three alternatives for pursuing an architecture degree:
- Enroll at UT-Austin in another college or school, complete the courses open to non-majors that will count toward the architecture or interior design degrees, and later apply for change-of-major admission to the School of Architecture. All freshman and transfer applicants are encouraged to indicate a second degree program choice on their UT-Austin application for admission. Students not admitted into the School of Architecture will be considered by the Office of Admissions for the second choice of major (for example, School of Undergraduate Studies, College of Liberal Arts). Students admitted to their second major choice will then be eligible to apply for change-of-major admission to the School of Architecture during the spring for the following fall semester (see Change-of-Major Admission).
- Apply to another school of architecture or interior design. Accredited degrees in architecture are offered at more than 90 universities in the United States including six other schools in Texas: Rice University, the University of Houston, Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, Prairie View A&M, The University of Texas at San Antonio and The University of Texas at Arlington. Accredited degrees in Interior Design programs in Texas are The University of Texas at Arlington, University of North Texas, Texas State University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas Christian University, and Texas Tech University.
- Complete your current undergraduate degree program and apply to a first professional graduate architecture or interior design degree program. The University of Texas at Austin, for example, offers a first-professional Master of Architecture degree for students with degrees in unrelated disciplines—a program of approximately three and one-half years in duration.