The Professional Residency Program [PRP] is an honors program that offers upper-level architecture students a unique opportunity to expand their education through work experience in the architectural profession. PRP has provided internship opportunities to those in the Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture programs since 1974 and, over the past 25 years, our students have been linked with 300 firms in 30 countries.
The educational and professional objectives of the Residency Program are to:
- Provide students the opportunity to further develop their professional skills,
- Enrich and expand their advanced design vocabulary through practical applications,
- Explore the many aspects of the profession that are not usually available in academia and,
- Strengthen their professional profile upon graduation.
Students can choose the Spring/Summer session (January-July) or the Summer/Fall Session (June-December) for their Residency. Students are expected to work on a full-time basis for a minimum of six months and are required to register only for PRP course(s).
During the application process, the PRP Director, Administrators, and Coordinator work closely with the students to develop their portfolios and additional application materials, provide guidance on selecting firms, and support them in making connections with firms.
ADMINISTRATION
| NICHOLE WIEDEMANN | ||
| PRP Director | ||
| JUDY BIRDSONG | MARI MICHAEL GLASSELL | |
| PRP Administrator | PRP Administrator | |
| MARLA SMITH | KAREN FRAIRE | |
| PRP Administrator | PRP Program Coordinator |
LOCATION + CONTACT
Sutton 3.128
The University of Texas at Austin
512-471-2558
utprp@utexas.edu
RECENT PARTICIPATING FIRMS
| 3XN | Adept Architects | Allied Works | ||
| Anderson Mason Dale | Architecture Research Office [ARO] | Architecturestudio | ||
| Behnisch Architekten | Bjarke Ingels Group [BIG] | Diller Scofidio + Renfro | ||
| Duda Paine Architects | ennead | Forge Craft | ||
| Gensler | Guerin Glass | Hacker Architects | ||
| Herzog & de Meuron | JaJa Architects | KieranTimberlake | ||
| KOKO Architecture + Design | KPF | Lake Flato | ||
| Leroy Street Studio | Mahlum Architects | Marmol Radziner | ||
| MARVEL | Maryann Thompson Architects | Michael Hsu Office of Architecture | ||
| Miró Rivera Architects | Murray Legge Architecture | MVRDV | ||
| nARCHITECTS | Olson Kundig | Overland Partners | ||
| PAGE | PAU | Peterson Rich Office | ||
| Renzo Piano Building Workshop | RIOS | Rogers Partners | ||
| sauerbruch hutton | Shigeru Ban Architects | SHoP Architects | ||
| Skylab Architecture | Snøhetta | SOM | ||
| STEVEN HOLL ARCHITECTS | Studio Modh | Tatiana Bilbao Estudio | ||
| TEN Arquitectos | TenBerke | TsAO & McKOWN | ||
| Weiss/Manfredi | WORKac | Worrell Yeung |
PRP NOW!
PRP Now! is a series of interviews that highlight a current Professional Residency Program student every few weeks. Follow us on Instagram @utsoaprp.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for participation, students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing as well as enrolled in either the Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture degrees at The University of Texas School of Architecture and:
UNDERGRADUATE
- Have an overall 3.0 GPA in all coursework. If the student participated in a study abroad program (fall or spring term), an overall 3.5 GPA in studio courses is required;
- Have a competitive portfolio, to be evaluated by the PRP Administration, that demonstrates a strong preparation for a successful placement and a fulfilling experience in a firm;
- Must be on campus during the application semester due to the one-on-one placement process;
- Have successfully completed required coursework consistent with an advanced-level student – no incompletes or non-passing grades at the point of application;
- Have passed the portfolio review and have already, or will, successfully complete at least one Advanced Design Studio prior to the start of the Residency;
- Need at least one remaining Advanced Design Studio to be completed following Residency and;
- Must not be on disciplinary probation, suspension or deferred suspension at the time of application, prior to or during their time on Residency.
GRADUATE
- Have an overall 3.3 GPA in all coursework.
- Have a competitive portfolio, to be evaluated by the PRP Administration, that demonstrates a strong preparation for a successful placement and a fulfilling experience in a firm;
- Must be on campus during the application semester due to the one-on-one placement process;
- Have successfully completed , or waived, required coursework consistent with an advanced-level student– no incompletes or non-passing grades at the point of application;
- Have passed the portfolio review and have already, or will, successfully complete at least one Advanced Design Studio prior to the start of the Residency;
- Need at least one remaining Advanced Design Studio to be completed following Residency and;
- Must not be on disciplinary probation, suspension or deferred suspension at the time of application, prior to or during their time on Residency.
NOTE: As the Professional Residency Program is an honors program, meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee acceptance. An applicant's total educational and disciplinary record, professional attitude, level of preparedness, and interpersonal maturity may be considerations in the acceptance process.
INFORMATION FOR CURRENT STUDENTS
Learn more about how to apply to the Professional Residency Program and about available PRP courses.
FOLLOW US
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@utsoaSave the date for 40 Hours for the Forty Acres! This year, on May 7-8, we’re focusing on raising support for travel scholarships to provide students with opportunities to experience architecture, planning, and design in real-world contexts.
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@utsoaAssistant Professor Ria Bravo’s (@riabravodesign) Interiors Fabrications course introduces students to a range of fabrication techniques and materials, including sewing, 3D printing, CNC routing, and hands-on construction methods.
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@utsoaWe’re excited to welcome pioneering Thai landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom to campus next week as the School of Architecture’s 2025 Commencement Speaker.
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@utsoaYou did that: final reviews are done! 🙌 We saw incredible work throughout the week and couldn’t be more proud of your hard work this semester.
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@utsoaJoin us next Friday, May 2 for our End of Year Show, an exhibit celebrating a year of UTSOA, themed Overexposed.
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@utsoaCongrats @utsoafirstyears on wrapping up Design II final reviews yesterday!
Final review week continues tomorrow through Friday. For a list of guest critics, visit the link in our bio. And tune in and follow along on our stories all week.
Best of luck everyone!Instagram Post
@utsoaCongratulations to the three interior design students named to Metropolis Magazine’s 2025 Future 100 list: Winnie Lin @winnlin (MID), Ashley Marie Sparks @ashleysparks_ (BSID), and Nandita Warrier (MID II).
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@utsoaThe Interior Design Program at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture is hosting the Interior Provocations symposium, in collaboration with Pratt Institute, on Friday, November 7, 2025.
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@utsoaWaterloo Park is a 11-acre park and green space along Austin’s Waller Creek less than one mile from the @utaustin campus.