Design theory emphasis

The graduate emphasis in Design Theory enables the student to study specific issues in architectural and urban theory and history. The studies are not based on a rigidly defined set of theoretical courses, but an association of the student’s academic interests and faculty expertise. In general, studies consist of the development of a theoretical framework, through selected courses and readings, which is subsequently used as an instrument for the analysis and examination of a particular architectural or urban phenomenon. The so defined inquiry ranges qualitatively from the poetic and speculative to the applicative and pragmatic. Analytical methods encompass a wide range of potential techniques from critical literature review to in-depth building design.

Ecological and sustainable design

Ecological and Sustainable Design (ESD) focuses on the theory and practice of architectural and environmental design that makes maximum use of the same renewable energy flows and material cycling processes by which all other living systems on earth are sustained. It is an approach to design that is holistic in nature, encompassing a concern for ecological systems, building technological systems, and socio-cultural/existential systems. Ecological systems are studied not only as the context for architecture but also as models for design, providing the fundamental principles by which sustainable buildings are designed and operated. Energy and resource conserving building technologies as well as healthy and ecologically benign building materials are studied so that ecological design principles can be implemented in environmentally appropriate architecture. The emphasis also stresses the socio-economic, political, and cultural/existential context of design as a complexly structured framework within which questions of sustainability must be considered and building designs implemented. The ESD option necessarily involves the development of a broad understanding of architectural and environmental design that is as much philosophical as it is practical.

Environment behavior and place studies emphasis

Environment-Behavior and Place Studies (EBPS) focuses on the behavioral and experiential aspects of person-environment relationships and their implications for environmental design and research. The program examines varying philosophic and methodological approaches to issues in environmentbehavior and place experience. Approaches to these issues range from quantitative, explanatory styles of research, emphasizing analytic philosophies, pragmatic strategies and solutions, to qualitative, descriptive styles emphasizing continental philosophical concerns. Within this framework, students’ programs of study and research are individualized to meet particular interests and needs. After completing an introductory core curriculum, students may choose to concentrate on a specific environmental problem or approach, or to work creatively to combine several approaches and issues. Within environment-behavior and place studies, areas of focus can include community and facility design for special populations, experience of place and landscape, project planning and programming, or a special focus meeting the particular educational and career goals of an individual student. Students, in consultation with the advisor, combine elective courses within and outside the College to meet the needs of their specific areas of focus.

Graduate emphasis in gerontology

An optional interdisciplinary program, the Gerontology emphasis is designed to be taken concurrently with or in addition to a disciplinary graduate degree program. Six of the thirty required hours for the MS Arch degree can be applied to this emphasis. This program requires an additional six credit hours taken within the curriculum of the Center for Aging.

Application Procedures

In addition to the online application and transcripts required by the Graduate School, the following items are required to apply to the Master of Science in Architecture program:

• A completed statement of educational and career objectives form.
• Three letters of recommendation from professors or employers.
• Samples of academic/professional work, including a description of each project, its objectives, and your role and responsibilities. The portfolio of design work should be in a format no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches or A4 paper. Samples of written work are highly recommended. (A stamped self-addressed envelope must be included if the applicant wishes the return of the portfolio to an address within the United States. Portfolios will not be returned to other countries, so high quality xerox copies are recommended.)

There is a non-refundable application fee of $80.00 US for both domestic and international students, which includes the department and Graduate School fees. Applications will not be considered without this fee. There are instructions detailing how to pay this fee online, in step 4 of the online application, with a credit card that is issued by a U.S. financial institution. Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover are accepted. Applicants can pay by check issued from a U.S. financial institution, payable to Kansas State University Graduate School.

The online application can be found on the Graduate School website at: http://www.k-state.edu/grad/gsprospective/apply/index.htm. To be assured consideration, applications for fall should be received by February 1st. A limited number of new students may be admitted to begin studies during the spring semester. To be assured consideration for spring, application should be received by August 1st. An additional application requirement for international students is the official report of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam score. The Department of Architecture requires a score of 600 on the paper test (or 250 on the computer test) for admission into the master of architecture program, since English language proficiency is an important factor in the ability of a student to complete the degree. Students applying for graduate teaching assistantships require a minimum score of 50 on the TSE (Test of Spoken English). This test should be taken at the same time as the TOEFL.
 

Financial Aid

A limited number of graduate teaching assistantships are available for students with particularly strong qualifications. Appointment as a teaching assistant requires knowledge in the subject matter of the course, human relations skills, and excellence in spoken and written English. Appointment to a GTA is made by the head of the department in which a specific course is taught and does not guarantee successive appointments. Specific instructions and application forms are available in the graduate section of the department webpage. Limited scholarship aid may be awarded to one or two incoming M.S.Arch students each year. The amount of these scholarships ranges between $500 and $1,000.