Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Waterloo's School of Architecture provides students with a creative, international education and 2 years of paid co-op work experience with design firms in Canada and abroad. The program is recognized as one of the best in North America and offers a small community with a vibrant intellectual atmosphere.

Program Details

• The program includes cultural history courses, which examine the close relationship between architecture and society, and environmental courses that add depth to core courses in design.
• Students spend the fall of 4th year at the university's studio in Rome, one of the world's great cities for culture and architecture.
• The professional Master of Architecture, in conjunction with the pre-professional Bachelor of Architectural Studies degree, compromises an accredited professional education.

Accreditation Information

The Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) is the sole agency authorized by the Regulatory Organization of Architecture in Canada (ROAC) to accredit Canadian professional degree programs in architecture for the purposes of architectural licensure. The CACB recognizes two types of accredited degrees offered at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture: the Master of Architecture (professional) and the Bachelor of Architecture (pre-professional). The program in Architecture at the University of Waterloo received accreditation for a 6-year term by the CACB in 2024 and is scheduled for its next review to continue maintaining its accredited status in 2030.

Program Structure

• The program consists of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education.
• The pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

Research Areas

The program includes research areas such as:

• Areas of expertise
• Labs
• Funding Opportunities
• Resources

Student Experience

• The program offers a small community with a vibrant intellectual atmosphere.
• Students have access to various resources, including:
  • Academic Advising
  • Courses
  • Student resources
  • Awards and opportunities
  • Scholarships
  • Thesis resources
  • SWAG

University Information

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of its work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. The main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. The university's active work toward reconciliation takes place across its campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.