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If the concept of designing landscapes, buildings, and other public spaces excites you, architecture may be a career path you would like to explore and prepare for at Dordt College.

Dordt’s innovative “four plus three” pre-architecture program is designed to lead to a Master of Architecture degree and a career as a licensed architect. A unique aspect of this program, says advisor David Versluis, is the choice of two paths leading to graduate school: via art or via engineering science. Both are B.A. degree programs that provide the prerequisites needed for acceptance into graduate-level accredited architecture programs. An additional three years of study are usually required at the graduate level, though some programs may require four. Aspiring architects are also required to do internships, and pass a test for state licensure.

An Art major with a Pre-architecture Design Emphasis at Dordt is designed for artistically-inclined students who want to focus on imaginative work and developing concepts. Students who choose this program develop core competencies in drawing, graphic art, and art history, while also receiving an introduction to math, physics, engineering materials and structural design.

An Engineering Science major with a Pre-architecture Emphasis at Dordt is designed for students more interested in the technical and mechanical aspects of architecture. Students who choose this program of study will concentrate on engineering principles relating to structural, foundational, and energy efficient “green building” design. These core competencies will be supplemented by fundamentals of drawing, graphic design, and art/architectural history.

"An important aspect of the pre-architecture program at Dordt is the increased career flexibility offered by earning a major in engineering science or art,” says Professor Versluis.

Today’s architecture programs are less purely technical than in the past, says Professor Tom Leslie, a guest lecturer at Dordt College who teaches architecture and serves as the director of graduate education at Iowa State University. “We still spend a great deal of time on structure, environment, materials, code compliance, etc. But we (like many other schools) try to do this more from a designer’s perspective, with less math than in previous generations and with more on basic concepts and integration. This reflects a field that has become, for better or worse, more willing to rely on consultants for the more serious technical issues.”

Leslie says architecture students still need basic trigonometry and plenty of algebra and graphing, but not at the advanced levels expected in the past, adding, “The discipline of a good math course, obviously, is helpful no matter what!”

Entrance requirements for architectural graduate programs vary, but most programs prefer students who have completed an interdisciplinary liberal arts bachelor’s degree, including courses from art, graphic design, physics, mathematics, engineering, economics, history, environmental studies, philosophy, or psychology.

Demonstrating proficient writing and communication skills is essential for admission into professional architectural programs. The reason: because architects not only create a building design, but must also communicate that project design to a team of engineers and construction managers. The architect’s responsibility does not end with the conceptual drawings, they must also play a role in the ongoing management of construction projects, monitor work progress, evaluate proposed changes during construction, and take professional responsibility for a project.

Architects must serve as visionaries who consider not only the aesthetic appeal of a structural design, but also create structures that are environmentally and culturally appropriate, as well as safe and ergonomic for those who will occupy the space.

“Dordt has equipped me in both the structural and the creative aspects of architecture,” says Brett Van Andel, a 2007 graduate from Lynden, Washington, who notes how art courses he’s taken have enhanced his creative sense of design. “Well established programs in art, engineering, history, and philosophy contribute to the emphasis and make Dordt College an excellent place to prepare for a career in architecture.”

A key aspect of the pre-architecture program at Dordt College is that throughout the program, students are encouraged to consider how their work may serve both God and his creation, by designing buildings and landscapes that reflect responsible use of spatial, material, environmental, and economic resources.

For more information about pre-architecture at Dordt College, feel free to contact Professor Versluis (versluis@dordt.edu) or the Dordt College Admissions Office at 1-800-343-6738 (opt. 1).