Master of Architecture (MArch)

The program information below was valid for the winter 2023 term (January 1, 2023 - April 30, 2023). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

• Admit term(s) 
  • Fall
• Delivery mode 
  • On-campus (Cambridge campus)
• Length of program 
  • The Master of Architecture is a two-year degree program. The program accepts applicants from pre-professional architecture programs, in which students are expected to have completed the majority of the courses required for professional accreditation. Students holding a pre-professional Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) from the University of Waterloo (or an equivalent degree to the BAS from another university) can complete the Master of Architecture degree requirements in a minimum of three terms and up to a maximum of six terms. All other students with a pre-professional Architecture degree admitted into the Master of Architecture, will be required to complete two terms of transitional coursework in preparation for the thesis year and are expected to complete degree requirements in a maximum of six academic terms.
• Program type 
  • Master's
  • Professional
• Registration option(s) 
  • Full-time
• Study option(s) 
  • Thesis
• Additional program information 

  • The professional Master of Architecture in conjunction with the pre-professional Bachelor of Architectural Studies degree from the University of Waterloo together constitute an accredited professional education.

  • In Canada, all provincial/territorial associations/institutes/orders recommend a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit Canadian professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes two types of accredited degrees: the Master of Architecture (MArch) and the Bachelor of Architecture (BArch). A program may be granted a six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards.

  • Master’s degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

  • The program in Architecture at the University of Waterloo received accreditation for a 6-year term by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) in 2017.

• Minimum requirements 
  • A four-year, honours pre-professional undergraduate Architecture degree or professional Bachelor of Architecture degree with a minimum overall average of 75%.
  • Applicants being considered for admission to the Master of Architecture who have not completed three or more years of post-secondary work at a Canadian institution, or at an institution at which English was the language of instruction may be required to verify English Proficiency which may include a written exercise or interview as instructed by the School of Architecture. Details will be communicated when required after initial assessment of applications is complete. This is an additional departmental requirement and not a substitute for the English Language Proficiency Certification.
• Application materials 
  • Portfolio
    • Portfolio of design work – uploaded directly to applicant Quest account.
  • Résumé/Curriculum vitae
  • Supplementary information form
    • Including a statement of the students proposed research interest.
  • Transcript(s)
    • From each post-secondary institution attended (past or current) showing all courses and marks, along with the transcript legends/keys/grading scales uploaded using Quest. Degree certificates (if obtained) must be uploaded with the transcripts.
• References 
  • Number of references:  2
  • Type of references: 

    academic

• English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Thesis option:

The Master of Architecture curriculum covers six key areas: Design; History; Theory; Building Technology; Media and Methods; Professional Practice.

Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)

Courses 

• Students must complete the following courses:
• Year 1:
  • ARCH 690 Design Studio
  • ARCH 673 The Science of the Building Envelope
  • ARCH 642 Modernism To The 21st Century
  • ARCH 671 Technical Report
  • ARCH 691 Design Studio - Comprehensive Building Design
  • ARCH 662 Steel & Concrete: Design, Structure and Construction
  • ARCH 640 Contemporary Theory, Culture and Criticism
• Year 2: Fall
  • ARCH 692 Thesis Research and Design Studio I
  • ARCH 610 Architectural Research and Analysis
  • ARCH 6XX Open graduate elective
• Year 2: Winter
  • ARCH 693 Thesis Research and Design Studio II
  • ARCH 655 Architectural Professional Practice: Ethics, Business, Legal Issues, and Contract Administration
  • ARCH 6XX Open graduate elective
• Year 2: Spring
  • ARCH 6XX Open graduate elective
• Students are encouraged to use elective courses to explore areas of specialization in support of their thesis research. Up to 1 half credit (0.50) elective may be taken in other departments. 1 half credit (0.50) course may be an independent Reading Course.

Link(s) to courses

• Architecture (ARCH) courses

Master’s Thesis in Design

• Students must undertake and complete a research and design thesis (in Year 2: Spring). The thesis is developed within ARCH 692 and ARCH 693 and completed within the spring term. The thesis is supervised by a faculty advisor, and supported by a committee of one to two additional faculty members. The thesis must be presented and defended successfully before an Examining Committee composed of a minimum of the student's supervisor, one committee member and one reader as per the requirements listed in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.