Graduate Admissions

Admission to our M. Arch. programs is determined by an Admissions Committee of graduate architecture faculty. Admission is very competitive and based on an evaluation of the candidate's potential to respond successfully to the rigors and creative challenge of graduate study in architecture.

The most important materials reviewed to estimate this potential are the applicant's design portfolio; prior academic work (GPR/GPA); Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores; and, in the case of international students, TOEFL score. As described below, the most important part of the application is the portfolio, which is required of all applicants, regardless of prior experience and degree track. However, since graduate students at Clemson University must maintain a B average in their coursework, above average GRE scores and undergraduate GPA are also considered important factors for admission. Satisfactory performance (see below) on the TOEFL examination is required of international applicants.

Additional information about admission is available on Clemson's Graduate School web site at www.grad.clemson.edu and gradspace.editme.com/admissionsindex

The Application Deadline is January 15

The deadline for the receipt of the application and all supporting materials, including the portfolio, is January 15 for the following academic year, which begins in mid-August. The School of Architecture does not offer mid-year (spring semester) admission. The online application form and supporting documents must also be completed and received by this date. The review of candidates will begin immediately after the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will be at a disadvantage; late or incomplete applications may not be reviewed or may be disqualified if required application materials are not available.

The Admissions and Matriculation Calendar

Initial offers are made to candidates six to eight weeks after the deadline, around March 1, at which time a wait list is also determined. Offers of admission extended by the School of Architecture are not official until approved and processed by the Dean of the Graduate School. Offers of admission will be made first by the Graduate School upon recommendation of the School of Architecture, second to the Master of Architecture program at large, and subsequently to specialized programs including the Architecture + Health program and Architecture + CommunityBuild certificate program; the directors of those programs will contact those offered admission at large about placement and their program's waitlist in the week or weeks following the initial offer of admission.

Those extended initial offers and waitlisted are encouraged to come to the Spring Open House for prospective admitted and waitlisted students on Friday, March 29, but are welcome to visit as their schedules permit. Waitlisted applicants will not see an indication of this status in the Application Status Check, but will be notified by the School of Architecture. If a place becomes available, the School of Architecture will recommend admission to the Graduate School.

The deadline for replies to early offers of admission is April 15, or the date indicated on the letter from the School of Architecture. The status of wait-listed applicants may not be known until after April 15. Notification to all applicants of their admission status will be sent out as expediently as possible. Due to the volume of applications, we cannot reply to inquiries about the timing of the review process or the status of individual applications, unless there is a particular issue with an application that requires an inquiry and a reply.

Offers of admission will be conditional until official transcripts and, for international applicants, official transcript evaluations have been received. If you accept an offer of admission, follow the instructions in the letter from the Graduate School, from the School of Architecture, and follow the checklist of requirements outlined on the Graduate School's Newly Accepted Students webpage. This checklist outlines the steps required for matriculation (enrollment). To register for classes, see the M. Arch. Plan of Study or A+H Plan of Study and register for the appropriate courses indicated there; any appropriate adjustments to your course schedule can be made later, in advisement with your Major Advisor or program director over the summer or in advance of the start of classes.

The process of securing places for new M. Arch. II students in our off-campus study centers in Charleston, Barcelona, and Genoa in the spring semester of next year will begin as soon as we receive your indication of intent to matriculate in our admissions system, although final placement notification may not take place for some months.

The Academic Year begins in August. Visit the Academic Calendar to see the date for the start of classes. New students will need to find housing. New and International Students are required to attend orientation sessions in the weeks before the start of classes, so should plan to be settled in Clemson at least one week before the start of classes.

Applications are not reviewed after the Admissions Committee concludes its work for a given application cycle. As noted above, the School of Architecture does not offer mid-year (spring semester) admission.

The Online Application and Degree Track Selection

The online application can be accessed through Clemson University's Graduate School website. Navigate to the Prospective Students page and click on the "Apply Now" button.

Within the online application, you will be asked to select your degree track for consideration. It is very important to make the correct selection as we review applicants according to applicant pools by degree track. International applicants should make sure to observe the difference between the Master of Architecture (professional degree) track and the Master of Science in Architecture (non-professional degree) track. Applicants with limited studies in architecture must also take care in choosing between the M. Arch. I (three-year) and M. Arch. II (two-year) degree tracks. There is an expectation that M. Arch. II applicants will have a pre-professional degree in architecture and have had 6 to 8 semesters of architectural design coursework (studios), and it is therefore expected that portfolios of M. Arch. II applicants will have portfolios that reflect this prior coursework.

In the admissions process, we will generally not recommend or admit applicants who applied to the M. Arch. II track to the M. Arch. I track instead; we generally avoid moving applicants between degree tracks.

These guidelines apply equally to the M. Arch. I and II Architecture + Health degree tracks, where offers of admission are even more competitive due to the limited number of spaces available. For more information about our degree tracks, see our Graduate Programs webpage. For additional Architecture + Health Program admissions information, see below.

The Portfolio

The most important part of the Master of Architecture application is the design portfolio. All applicants are required to submit a physical, printed portfolio of creative work. Both presentation and content are important, and all portfolios must follow the format requirements described below. (Electronic portfolios, CDs, websites, etc., will not be reviewed.)

The portfolio provides evidence of design abilities and design sensibilities, and the opportunity for applicants to demonstrate preparation, prior experiences, accomplishments, and research interests relevant to their graduate degree program goal.

For applicants to the two-year M. Arch. II programs (those with a pre-professional undergraduate background in architecture), the portfolio will include examples of studio projects, including titles, brief descriptions, and information about the date and year level when the work was completed. Any group work, whether in an academic or office setting, must be clearly identified as such, and include a brief description of the applicant's contribution. (Failure to acknowledge group or collaborative work as such will result in the rejection of the application.) Although the portfolio may present other aspects of the pre-professional applicants experiences and interests, there is an expectation that the portfolio of a pre-professional student will present a substantial amount of their work and experiences as a pre-professional architecture student.

For applicants without a pre-professional background in architecture, who are applying to our three-year M. Arch. I programs, the portfolio is equally important. Any two-dimensional creative work, or representations of three-dimensional work, such as photography, graphic design, interior design, sketching, painting, sculpture, etc., may be included. Published writing samples, website designs, and other relevant design work may also be included. Any collaborative work must be clearly identified and include a brief description of the applicant's contribution. Since the M. Arch. emphasizes architectural design, candidates who do not have any creative work and do not submit a portfolio will not present the Admissions Committee with satisfactory evidence of their design abilities or sensibilities. Applicants without art or design backgrounds should consider taking courses in the arts or design before applying.

Format Requirements: The Admissions Committee considers not just at the content of the portfolio but also presentation and the way the portfolio itself is put together—including adherence to the following guidelines. The portfolio must be no larger than 8.5" x 11" to be included with other portfolios being reviewed. (There is no minimum or maximum page requirement.) Portfolios exceeding 8.5" x 11" may not be reviewed, and electronic portfolios, DVDs, websites, etc., will not be reviewed. Although other presentations may be acceptable, the typical portfolio is a spiral-bound booklet, softcover booklet, or hardcover book. The cover of the portfolio must include the applicant's name and the degree track applied for; portfolios that do not include the applicant's name and degree track sought on the front cover risk being misfiled. Current contact information should be included on the cover or inside. The applicant's resumé or cv will be contained within, whether as part of the portfolio in the front or back of the booklet (preferred), or as an insert. All projects presented must be clearly labeled with dates, context of the work (i.e., academic studio or office environment); any group or office work must be identified as such and your role in the work described. As noted below, portfolios and application materials submitted to Clemson University become university property; however, portfolios will be returned if a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope is provided at the end of the application cycle (early summer).

For reference, here are some useful links about composing and organizing a portfolio:

According to university policies, application materials submitted to the Graduate School become property of Clemson University are are not returned. However, as a courtesy, portfolios will be returned at the conclusion of the application cycle (in May) if accompanied by a pre-paid, self-addressed return envelope. The School of Architecture will not provide postage, track packages, or be responsible for loss or damage.

Transcripts and GPA of Prior Degree Coursework

US Applicants: As indicated below and in the online application, the online application requires that you upload/attach an unofficial copy (issued to student) of your undergraduate or Bachelor's degree transcript, and any other degree-granting transcripts, to the online application. If you are offered admission, you will be required to have an official transcript sent directly from the Registrar of your prior degree-granting institution to Clemson University Graduate Admissions.

International Applicants: As indicated below and in the online application, you are required to upload/attach an unofficial copy of a transcript evaluation by WES (World Education Services) or another NACES-accredited evaluation service to the application. Because colleges and universities around the world, and even in the same country, use different grading systems, this evaluation is needed to provide a fair basis of comparison of applicants. This service will include a certified conversion of your prior coursework grades (GPA or Grade Point Average, aka Grade Point Ratio) to the US 4.0 grading system . This certified GPA calculation is required for the School of Architecture Admissions Committee to evaluate your application because the Admissions Committee will not make the conversion calculations. Therefore, we may reject applications that have not supplied the required credential evaluation. For more information about undergraduate GPA calculations, here is an unofficial GPA calculator for self-reported scores. See also this unofficial self-reported GPA calculator from WES.

Effective June 1, 2013: As indicated on the online application, international applicants must self-report their GPA on the online application in the US 4.0 grading system. We will not make the conversion calculations for you. If your transcript does not indicate your GPA in the 4.0 system, then you must use the unofficial self-reported GPA calculator from WES. You must also attach unofficial transcripts; unofficial transcripts are copies sent by the applicant. If offered admission, you will be required to have official transcripts sent directly from your university to Clemson University Graduate Admissions. At that time you will also be required to submit a credential verification and transcript evaluation by WES (World Education Services) or another NACES-accredited evaluation service.

Students from China: for WES, see wes.org/students/chinese/index.asp

Graduate Admission Requirements and Process

Admission to graduate programs at Clemson University follows procedures established by the Clemson University Graduate School and the School of Architecture. Please follow the procedures below and submit the requested information as follows:

Step 1: Obtain an unofficial copy of your transcripts, take the GRE and have your scores sent to Clemson University Graduate Admissions using school code 5111; prepare your portfolio; and identify three people to complete online reference or recommendation letters (forms). International applicants, go to Step 2; others go to Step 3.

Step 2, for International Applicants: i) Take the TOEFL (effective June 1, 2013, the School of Architecture no longer recommends the IELTS test) and have your scores to be sent to Clemson University Graduate Admissions, using school code 5111. ii) Have your transcripts evaluated by WES (World Education Services) or another NACES-accredited evaluation service. The credential evaluation must show a course-by-course listing and your overall academic record converted to the US 4.0 grading system. Please note that we will not convert your grades and we may reject applications that have not supplied the required credential evaluation.

Step 3: Complete an online application for admission as linked here: http://www.grad.clemson.edu/Admission.php. Attach a PDF copy of unofficial transcripts to the online application. International applicants must attach a PDF of their WES/NACES evaluation to the application. Supply contact information for your three references as part of the online application.

Note that you do not need to supply official transcripts unless you are offered admission. Similarly, international applicants do not need to supply original or official WES/NACES evaluations unless offered admission.

Step 4: Send your design portfolio, directly to the School of Architecture.

Step 5, if offered admission: If offered admission, you will be requested to supply official copies of your transcripts and credential evaluations. Official transcripts and credentials are not handled by the applicant or the School of Architecture. Official transcripts and credentials must be sent directly to Clemson University Graduate Admissions (not to the School of Architecture).

Mailing Addresses:

EXCEPT FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO, ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE SENT TO THE CLEMSON UNIVERSITY GRADUATE ADMISSIONS OFFICE AT THIS ADDRESS:
Graduate Admissions Office
E-209 Martin Hall
Clemson SC 29634-5124

ONLY YOUR PORTFOLIO IS TO BE SENT TO THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT THIS ADDRESS:
Graduate Admissions, Attn: Michelle McLane
Clemson University School of Architecture
Lee Hall
Clemson SC 29634-0503

Additional Admissions Information for Architecture + Health Program

Before applicants are considered for any specialized programs, all applicants are first considered for admission to our Master of Architecture program at large, following the same review procedure and standards. Applicants who requested admission to the Architecture + Health program are then selected for admission to the A+H program in accordance with their standing in the applicant pool. Others are automatically wait-listed for admission to the A+H program. Those admitted to the M. Arch. II track and wait-listed for A+H will be notified if any space becomes available before the first day of classes; however, since space is limited, spaces will typically be filled soon after offers of admission are made to M. Arch. II A+H applicants. Students who enroll in our M. Arch. I program who are wait-listed for the A+H program will remain on the A+H wait list throughout their first year of study (the first year of the M. Arch. I program is the same for all students) and will be notified if a space becomes available before the first day of classes in Year 2.

Concentrations, Certificate Programs, and Electives (and Dual Degree information)

Our program allows for such choices as a concentration in Architecture + Health, certificate programs, off-campus study, and electives—all while completing degree requirements. A number of these choices and opportunities require the respective selection on the online application, and some cannot be done simultaneously. However, due to the coursework demands necessary to complete the M. Arch. degree, in most cases it is not practical or possible to simultaneously complete a dual degree in architecture and another field.

Previous Coursework and Transfer Applications

Transfer Applications and Transfer Credit: Transfer applicants must follow the application procedure outlined here. Transfer credit is considered only for graduate-level coursework in courses numbered 700 and above on the applicant’s transcript. Transfer credit is limited to 12 credit hours (e.g., 4 typical courses/seminars; 2 studios; etc.) Graduate transfer credit is not automatic; it is subject to review and approval by the School of Architecture and the Graduate School.

Advanced Standing and Course Substitutions: Applicants to the Two-Year M. Arch. track with an undergraduate degree in architecture are automatically considered for advanced standing in the overall Three-Year M. Arch. program. Prior coursework determines placement into the Two-Year or Three-Year tracks.

Two-Year students must have completed the equivalent of Structures II as an undergraduate or will be required to take this course with Three-Year track students in place of an elective course. This requirement will supersede elective off-campus study in the semester that Structures II must be taken.

Applicants to both the Two-Year and Three-Year tracks who have completed previous coursework equivalent to program requirements may be considered for course substitutions at the time of admission or after admission. For example, a Three-Year student with an undergraduate degree in Engineering may be permitted to substitute advanced or elective courses for the fundamental courses in structures.

To be considered for course substitutions, admitted students will be required to provide syllabi and other supporting materials related to prior coursework in order to document equivalency.

Except where graduate-level transfer credit is approved, all Two-Year track students must complete 60 credit hours and all Three-Year track students must complete 90 credit hours to earn the M. Arch. degree. In other words, course substitutions do not reduce coursework demands or the length of time to graduation.

Tuition, Costs, and Financial Aid

For information about tuition and fees, please see the Graduate Program Tuition and Fees page. Effective with Fall Semester 2013 matriculation, the Master of Architecture program is a Tier 1 program ($4,872/9,713 full time per semester).

Please note that these costs do not include such important and necessary materials as room and board, a laptop computer, digital design software (e.g., Adobe design software), the cost of purchasing and/or sharing the cost of a laser cutter lens, books, architectural drawing and modeling materials, printing costs, and other typical expenses of graduate architectural education. Be sure to factor such expenses into your financial planning.

For Off-Campus Study costs, see this page. Also note that the School of Architecture also offers a number of grants and fellowships for students who study in Italy or Spain.

Out-of-state students should also investigate the possibility of establishing In-State Residency in order to reduce the costs of their education. Residency requirements are indicated by the SC Commission on Higher Education and South Carolina state law. The linked pages provide more details; however, an independent, self-supporting person can establish state residency in twelve months.

For Financial aid information, see http://www.clemson.edu/financial-aid/.

Assistantships

The School of Architecture does not offer financial aid per se. However, the School of Architecture awards a limited number of graduate assistantships to students each year based on merit, requisite abilities, and funding availability.

Assistantships may be offered to promising program applicants based on their standing in the applicant pool. Assistantships are also awarded to continuing students on an annual cycle based on academic performance and requisite abilities. Annual announcements of available assistantships are used to identify the best fit for assistantship needs. With few exceptions, assistantships are one-year in length and are awarded only once per year: to new students with their offer of admission, and to continuing students in the summer, in advance of the start of the coming academic year.

Assistantships require 10 hours per week of service to the School of Architecture in the form of teaching, research, or administrative assistance. In return, the assistant receives a stipend and tuition remission. Students with assistantships must remain in good academic standing during the course of their assistantship and must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester. Students whose GPA drops below 3.0 and are therefore placed on academic probation will lose their assistantship. Graduate students in architecture may only accept quarter-time assistantships (10 hours per week) due to the coursework and enrollment requirements necessary to complete the M. Arch. degree in a timely manner.

Since assistantships are employment and since off-campus study locations have limited needs for student employees, students offered assistantships may be required to remain on the Clemson campus to fulfill assistantship obligations. Since assistantships cannot be deferred, this may mean choosing between off-campus study without an assistantship, or staying on the Clemson campus to receive an awarded assistantship.

Assistants are subject to performance reviews each semester; assistantships are not automatically renewed.

Important Additional Information for International Applicants

Degree Track Selection: International undergraduate degrees in Architecture may differ from US Bachelor degrees in Architecture. However, regardless of the title of the degree, a M. Arch. II applicant's major course of study must be in architecture, with an emphasis on architectural design. International applicants should compare their course of study to Clemson's undergraduate degree program for a general comparison; the Admissions Committee also uses this as a general benchmark for a pre-professional undergraduate curriculum (for the purposes of a preliminary assessment of advance placement). All M. Arch. II applicants, whether international or not, must consider whether their portfolio will be competitive in the Two-Year applicant pool, where applicants will have up to four years of architecture design studios and other pre-professional studies in architecture.

Language Requirements: All coursework is in English and there is no time within the demands of the Master's degree curriculum to add coursework in English language study. Therefore, international applicants are required to submit their TOEFL scores, and the Admissions Committee looks at scores for strong language abilities. The examination must have been taken no more than 24 months prior to application. A TOEFL score of 90 or better is an indication that the applicant will be able to satisfactorily understand and complete coursework in English. The IELTS examination is accepted; however, 97% of applicants submit TOEFL scores and we convert IELTS to TOEFL scores for comparison. In order to ascertain language abilities, international applicants may be requested to participate in a Skype interview. (Free software for Skype is available at www.skype.com). After admission, any enrolled student whose English language abilities are found to be insufficient will be required to take supplemental language instruction although this may delay degree progress.

Effective June 1, 2013: The School of Architecture does not recommend the IELTS test. The reason for this is that an IELTS score of 6.5 can be converted to a TOEFL score of 79 to 93. However, a score of 79 is not acceptable for admission, while a score of 93 is acceptable. Therefore, unless your IELTS score is above 7.0, your language abilities will not be considered acceptable. For conversion information, see http://www.ets.org/toefl/institutions/scores/compare/.

International Transcript/Credential Certification: As noted above in the application instructions, international applicants must have their international transcripts evaluated by WES (World Education Services) or another NACES-accredited evaluation service. The credential evaluation must show a course-by-course listing and your overall academic record converted to the US 4.0 grading system. Please note: we will not convert your grades; we may reject self-reported GPAs; we may reject GPA conversions provided by international universities or other sources that do not adequately document their calculations; and we may reject applications that have not supplied the required credential evaluation from a NACES-accredited evaluation service. Students from China: for WES evaluation, see http://www.wes.org/students/chinese/index.asp.

GPA Conversion Tool for Self-Reported GPA: WES has an International GPA calculator that can be used for unofficial, self-reported GPA scores. There is a cost of $5 US for this service. See http://www.wes.org/students/igpacalc.asp.

Visiting the School

Prospective graduate students are welcomed and encouraged to visit, and it is suggested that prospective students visit during the school year, when students and faculty are present. (Studios are in session Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons.) The Architecture Graduate Programs host Graduate Open Houses in the fall (typically in October) for prospective graduate students and in the spring (in late March or early April) for prospective admitted and wait-listed applicants.

Visitors must get a parking pass from the University Visitor's Center and must make an appointment if you wish to speak with a program director. Campus maps will direct you to Lee Hall. Campus tours are arranged by the Visitor's Center. For more maps see our Google Maps "Fluid Campus" webpage.

Fall Graduate Open House: Friday, October 26, 2012

The 2012 Fall Graduate Open House for prospective graduate students will be held on Friday, October 26 at 10:30 am. It will be followed by a lecture by Belinda Tato of Ecosistema Urbano, Madrid, Spain, at 1:30 pm in the Lee Hall Auditorium (Lee 2-111).

Spring Graduate Open House: Friday, March 29, 2013

The 2013 Spring Graduate Open House for prospective admitted and wait-listed applicants is scheduled for Friday, March 29 at 11:00 AM in the Lee III reception area, followed by lunch at noon. The open house will provide an informal opportunity to meet program directors, students, and faculty, ask questions and learn more about our programs, tour our Clemson facilities, and get a sense of life in Lee Hall and in Clemson. We encourage you to use the morning or afternoon to tour the campus and town, and view housing options. If you are an admitted or wait-listed applicant, please RSVP to Michelle McLane, Student Services Coordinator, at wking(at)clemson.edu. Please see Visitor's information above for directions and parking information.

More Information

Graduate School Information:

Graduate School Application Information:

Tuition and Financial Aid:

For International Students: