BENEFITS OF ATTENDING A COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM
Recently, we posted information from ACSA on the student profile of architecture – i.e., demographics, gender and ethnicity on ARCHCareersGuide.com and social media. As a result, I received a comment from David Freeman, AIA, Program Chair, Architecture and Construction Technology at Dutchess Community College. Because of his comment, we inquired if he wanted to write an article on the benefits of Community Colleges – see below.
BENEFITS OF ATTENDING A COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM
By David Freeman AIA, Program Chair, Architecture and Construction Technology
Dutchess Community College
If you are like me, you “knew” architecture was your path by the time you were in high school. There were drafting classes, mechanical drawing classes, art classes that allowed you to explore the idea. You may have known an architect. With guidance and support from school professionals and your parents, you chose an architecture program and off you went.
In most suburban public high schools, all that still exists.
In urban and rural districts, it is mostly gone. Drafting classes are gone. Art class is half a year at best. Career Days are “free time.” In the schools that could drive diversity into the profession, the decision to spend $40,000+ a year for five years on an unknown profession is unrealistic.
Community colleges provide a perfect opportunity to diversify the profession. Diversity defines the community college experience with a 60% diverse student body. The average cost of a community college is $2400 per semester. Attending a community college program is an ideal pathway to learn, to grow and to discover the profession.
According to NAAB, there are 168 architecture programs: 112 of them are Master of Architecture degrees, 54 are Bachelor of Architecture, and one is a Doctor of Architecture. There are 122+ Community Colleges with Architecture programs according to CCCAP (Coalition of Community College Architecture Programs).
NAAB Accreditation has embraced community colleges as a partner in architectural education.
Thus, put aside the notion that CCCAP’s teach the liberal arts, NAAB Schools teach architecture, that architecture education is based on a certain piece of software, that CCCAP’s are a technical college.
Community Colleges are the pathway to diversify the profession.
RESOURCES
Coalition of Community College Architecture Program
National Architectural Accrediting Board