Program Overview

Introduction to Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation

Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) offers a wide range of programs for students interested in pursuing a career in architecture, planning, and preservation. The school is committed to providing students with the highest level of disciplinary expertise, as well as the critical and technical skills necessary to succeed in their chosen field.

Programs at GSAPP

• Master of Architecture: A three-year professional degree that weaves together the highest level of disciplinary expertise with the critical and technical skills necessary to recast the boundaries of the discipline.
• M.S. Advanced Architectural Design: A three-term program that provides outstanding young professionals who hold a B.Arch or M.Arch the opportunity to enter into an intensive, postgraduate study.
• M.S. Computational Design Practices: A program that focuses on the use of computational tools and methods in architectural design.
• M.S. Critical, Curatorial & Conceptual Practices: A two-year, full-time course of intensive academic study and independent research.
• Ph.D. in Architecture: The doctoral program addresses the development of modern architectural form and ideas as they have been affected by social, economic, and technological change.
• Intro Program: A summer pre-professional program designed to introduce students to the field of architecture.

The Shape of Two Cities: New York / Paris Program

The Shape of Two Cities: New York/Paris Program is a two-semester program designed for undergraduate students and recent graduates from colleges and universities around the country. The program's goals are to introduce the fields of architecture, planning, and preservation, and to encourage their exploration in the contexts of history, theory, and practice.

Curriculum

The program offers a two-semester curriculum that immerses participants in the rich physical and intellectual urban environments of New York and Paris. Instruction draws on the resources of Columbia University and its faculty, and the architectural communities of New York and Paris.

First-Term Core Courses

1. A4000 Design Studio or A4043 Workshop in Urban Studies
2. A4027 Architecture, Planning and Preservation: New York
3. History Requirement: New York or American History elective

Second-Term Core Courses

1. A4030 The Development of Paris
2. A4029 Architecture, Planning and Preservation: Paris
3. A4031 History of the European Cities

Options

Students in the program enroll in either the Architecture Option or the Urban Studies Option and share in a core of courses while embarking on their specializations.

Faculty and Research Areas

The faculty at GSAPP are renowned experts in their fields, with research areas that include:

• Architecture: The development of modern architectural form and ideas as they have been affected by social, economic, and technological change.
• Planning: The study of urban planning and design, with a focus on the social, economic, and environmental factors that shape cities.
• Preservation: The preservation of historic buildings and landscapes, with a focus on the technical, cultural, and economic aspects of preservation.

Courses

A wide range of courses are offered at GSAPP, including:

• Design Studios: Hands-on design courses that focus on the development of architectural design skills.
• History and Theory: Courses that explore the historical and theoretical context of architecture, planning, and preservation.
• Building Science and Technology: Courses that focus on the technical aspects of building design and construction.
• Visual Studies: Courses that explore the visual aspects of architecture, including representation, visualization, and photography.

Recent News

• Incubator Prize recipient Adam Susaneck '20 M.Arch publishes "Mr. Biden, Tear Down This Highway" in NY Times
• Faculty Thomas de Monchaux writes "The Original Shock of the Pompidou Center" for the New Yorker
• Faculty Thomas de Monchaux publishes "Notre-Dame and the Paradoxes of Historical Preservation" in The New Yorker
• MArch student Jared Payne selected as a 2019 Kraft Global Fellow
• Faculty Michelle Young '12 MSUP contributes to Columbia Magazine's "Welcome to Manhattanville" feature
• Faculty Amina Blacksher interviewed by Madame Architect
• "How Parks Lose Their Playfulness" New York Times Op-Ed by faculty Thomas de Monchaux
• GSAPP Incubator Member Michelle Young featured on Stephen Dubner's Tell Me Something I Don't Know