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 | JUDY BIRDSONG | |
| PRP Director | PRP Administrator | |
| STEFAN BRITS | CHARLES DI PIAZZA | |
| PRP Administrator | PRP Administrator | |
| MARLA SMITH | AMY DAVIS | |
| 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
| Adept Architects | Allied Works Architecture | Architecture Research Office [ARO] |
| Architecture Studio | Behnisch Architekten | Bercy Chen Studio |
| Bjarke Ingels Group [BIG] | Deborah Berke Partners | Dick Clark + Associates |
| Diller Scofidio + Renfro | Duda Paine Architects | Ennead |
| Forge Craft Architecture | Gensler | Guerin Glass |
| Hacker Architects | JaJa Architects | KieranTimberlake |
| KoKo Architecture and Design | KPF | Lake | Flato |
| LA-N-D [Lemmo Architecture and Design] | Leroy Street Studio Architecture | Mahlum Architects |
| Marmol Radziner | Maryann Thompson Architects | Michael Hsu Office of Architecture |
| MVRDV | nArchitects | Olson Kundig Architects |
| Overland Partners | Page | Peterson Rich Office |
| ShoP Architects | Skylab Architecture | Smith Holt Architecture |
| Snøhetta | Specht Architects | Steven Holl Architects |
| STG Design | Studio Modh | Tsao McKown Architects |
| Weiss Manfredi Architects | Work AC |
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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@utsoaThis fall, work by Associate Professor @phoebelickwar and landscape architecture students was displayed at the 2024 International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) exhibition, “Nature of Hope.”
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@utsoa“It Takes a Village: A Cooperative Housing Project Through Aggregation” by Olivia Bowness @olivia_bowness for Martin Hättasch’s Horizontal Studio // 2023-2024 Design Excellence winner
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@utsoaIf you’re interested in environmental planning, green infrastructure planning, or water resources planning, meet Associate Professor Katherine Lieberknecht.
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@utsoaIn response to Austin’s density initiative and in consideration of the city’s rich natural resources, students in Danelle Briscoe’s (@danellebriscoe) “Other Nature” studio are proposing habitations for both human and non-human species to counter the effects of development that put fauna at risk.
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@utsoaLooking for something to do this weekend? Kory Bieg’s (@kory_bieg) and Clay Odom’s (@studiomodo) latest public art collaboration is on display this week at the Waterloo Greenway for the 2024 Creekshow.
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@utsoaJoin an interdisciplinary community of designers, planners, and scholars committed to creative exploration, ambitious scholarship, and critical practice.
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@utsoaCongratulations to Assistant Professor Tara Dudley, Lecturer Mark Wolfe, and the Hogg Memorial Auditorium renovation team on their 2024 Preservation Austin Merit Awards!
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@utsoaOne of our favorite days every year: Masonry Day. With the help from local contractors and suppliers, students get to work hands-on with building materials and construction practices that will be essential to any future project.
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@utsoaTomorrow, Master of Historic Preservation student Elizabeth Edwards (@ribo.flavin) is taking over our Instagram to share what she’s learning about material conservation during a site visit from Izabella Nuckels' (@IzNuckels) Lab Methods course.