DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENT LEARNING GOALS

The Department of Architecture establishes learning goals for all of its programs on the basis of values expressed in its Vision and Mission Statements. The department’s Master of Architecture Program Procedures and Requirements describe general expectations for academic performance of M.Arch. students and acts as a guide for all other programs. Student learning goals are further articulated for each degree program in relation to the 34 Student Performance Criteria required of students in Master of Architecture program and described in the National Architecture Accrediting Board’s (NAAB) Conditions for Accreditation.
The curricula in both the Master of Architecture and the Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies center on the design studio; assessment in these courses is therefore particularly important. The department has established a standing Policy on Studio Culture, which outlines student and faculty expectations for design studios. Faculty for each studio course also describe specific learning goals in course syllabi. As part of the assessment for architectural design studios, students receive extensive written feedback from faculty on their conceptual understanding, working methods, representation and speaking skills. In these evaluations, students also receive advice on improving their performance in future design studios. The criteria for evaluation in all other courses offered by the Department of Architecture are described in their course syllabi. These criteria are outlined in the department’s Student Performance Criteria Matrix.
The department’s success in achieving its objectives is evaluated in a number of ways. As a matter of policy, the department requires that all courses be evaluated by students using the Instructional Assessment System materials supplied by the university’s Office of Educational Assessment. Students also evaluate their degree programs in exit surveys supplied by the department. The department evaluates its own performance through self-studies generated every six years for the NAAB and every ten years for the Graduate School.