Master of Architecture Program Overview
Architecture is primarily about dwelling the earth. In an era where Earth is facing major transformations due to climate change, pollution and resources' exhaustion, the architecture profession should also evolve to respond to these changes. In fact, architecture, and more largely the construction industry, have a large share of responsibility in the overall environmental deterioration. However, as is shown by countless successful examples of sustainability-oriented architecture in the last decade, architecture could also hold a major role in mitigating environmental degradation and maintaining the livability of our built environments through adaptation strategies. It is in this light that the architecture department at
Dar Al-Hekma wishes to take its responsibilities in this regard through offering a master’s degree in architecture that contributes to raising the knowledge and skills of architectural professionals, so they would be able to produce more sustainable bioclimatic architectural designs and to better optimize the ecological performance of buildings. The master's program equips students with the principles and methods of bioclimatic architectural design and the technical knowledge and skills - including the use of proper simulation software - to assess and optimize the performance of buildings in terms of energy and material consumption, greenhouse gases' emissions, and quality of indoor environments. For those interested in getting scholarships, the University offers different types of
graduate scholarships. Students can also major in architecture and get a
bachelor’s degree in architecture that the University offers.
Program Mission
To graduate sustainability-committed and innovative professionals able to produce adept climate-responsive design solutions to the challenges of the ecological transition in architecture.
Master of Architecture Program Goals
- Provide a rigorous intellectual atmosphere, which fosters inquiry through illustrating advanced design abilities and the competencies needed in the architectural field.
- Maintain and raise the quality of teaching in the program through building on quality assurance assessments and obtaining accreditation for the program by an international accrediting body specialized in architecture.
- Develop a solid students' support system that would help students raise their performance and achievements.
- Ensure that faculty and students are involved in quality research activities related to the different domains covered in the program.
- Support faculty's professional development in both fields of architecture and educational techniques.
- Develop partnerships with local and international academic, public, private and associative institutions to encourage exchange and joint projects and support the transition to the workplace.
Why Choose the Master of Architecture Program at Dar Al-Hekma University?
- The Master in Architecture program supports students to become highly skilled professionals in the increasingly in-demand fields of sustainability and climate-responsiveness. Sustainability is at the core of not only Vision 2030 but also at the core of most of the Saudi Public Investment Fund projects and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- The program offers studies that equip students with the principles and methods of bioclimatic architectural design and the technical knowledge and skills to assess and optimize the ecological performance of buildings.
- It also provides students with hands-on training on specialized simulation software tools to analyze and assess energy and climatic and life cycle attributes of buildings.
- The program prepares students to comfortably sit for specialized sustainable architecture certification exams like the Leader in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
- An internationally diverse faculty graduating from top universities in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East teach at the program. This diversity provides students in the program with the opportunity to be exposed to a rich multiplicity of architectural cultures.
Master of Architecture Program Admission Requirements
Programs
| Linguaskill Score
| Required Bachelor
Degree
| Bachelor GPA
| Other Admission Requirement
|
|---|
Master of Architecture
| 176
| A Bachelor Degree in Architecture,
a Bachelor Degree in Interior Architecture
or a Bachelor Degree in Interior Design
| 3.75 out 5
| Digital Portfolio
|
Master of Architecture Program Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
Knowledge
- Outline a variety of bioclimatic and green architectural design principles that would respond to challenges of the ecological transition in the architectural field.
- Discuss a diversity of innovative building technologies that would raise the ecological performance of buildings.
Skills
- Examine critically stakeholders’ discourses on sustainable architecture and urbanism and identify appropriate bioclimatic and ecological approaches to specific contexts.
- Analyze contextual social and environmental factors and identify challenges to socio-ecological transition at multiple spatial scales by resorting to a diversity of methodological approaches.
- Use relevant analysis and simulation tools to assess a building’s ecological performance at the level of its life cycle, energy performance, and indoor environmental quality.
- Develop innovative bioclimatic architectural designs to answer contemporary social and environmental challenges.
- Communicate efficiently and creatively bioclimatic architecture design solutions.
Values
- Demonstrate a professional attitude, with a propensity for independence, curiosity, and collective initiative.
- Demonstrate strong commitment to sustainability at both the social and the ecological levels.
Master of Architecture Plan of Study
|
Year One (1) |
|---|
|
Semester – One |
Semester – Two |
|---|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit
Hours |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit
Hours |
MARC 1311
| Socioecological Transition, Climate Responsiveness and Circular Metabolism
| 3 | MARC 1332
| Passive and Net-Zero Energy Buildings: Principles and Tools
| 3 |
MARC 1321
| Principles of Bioclimatic Architecture
| 3 | MARC 1333
| Sustainable Construction Technologies for Green and Bioclimatic Architecture
| 3 |
MARC 1331
| Buildings’ Life Cycle Analysis
| 3 | MARC 1334
| Indoor Environmental Quality
| 3 |
| MARC XXXX
| Program Elective
| 3 |
|
Total Credit Hours |
9 |
Total Credit Hours |
12 |
|
Year Two (2) |
|---|
|
Semester – One |
Semester – Two |
|---|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit
Hours |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit
Hours |
MARC 2341
| Capstone Research
| 3
| MARC 2443
| Capstone Project Studio 2
| 4
|
MARC 2442
| Capstone Project Studio 1
| 4
|
MARC XXXX
| Program Elective
| 3 |
|
Total Credit Hours |
10 |
Total Credit Hours |
6 |
| CODE | Elective Courses | CREDITS |
|---|
MARC 1335
| Buildings’ Informatics
| 3
|
MARC 1336
| Daylight in Buildings
| 3 |
MARC 1312
| Selected Topics in Bioclimatic Architecture and Environmental Design
| 3 |
MARC 1352
| Construction Management
| 3 |
Master of Architecture Career Prospects
The program equips students with the necessary skills that qualify them for a variety of career paths/jobs in the market including, but not limited to:
- Take higher responsibilities as architectural designers and project managers in architectural firms and offices.
- Act as independent consultants in architectural sustainability, providing tailored consultancy services to firms and offices.
- Join, as highly skilled professionals, specialized local and national public institutions working on issues of sustainability in the frame of Vision 2030.
- Become entrepreneurs and developers in a growing market where ecologically more performant buildings are in increasing demand.
- Join local and international research units working on building sustainability.
- Seek a PhD degree in the field of architecture.
