Master of Science in Architecture, History/Theory/Criticism Concentration

Program Philosophy

Advanced research in architectural history/theory/criticism contributes to the production of a critical discourse in architecture which in turn guides the field towards better models of architectural practice in the future. Advanced researchers in architectural history/theory/criticism understand that our buildings and cities have always been produced by ideas about the nature and meaning of architectural design and that to improve the way that we make our buildings and cities requires engaging in critical reflection on those ideas and a concerted effort to develop new ones.

The history/theory/criticism concentration is deeply informed by historical thought and rigorous historical research methods. Yet it is distinguished from other such programs in the United States and around the world at present by the emphasis that it places upon the critical analysis of the ideas, discourses, and ideologies that form architecture’s contemporary situation.

Research projects might include but are by no means limited to the history, theory and criticism of the following topics: the role of the image in architecture; aesthetic and artistic theories of architecture; theories of architectural representation, drawing and computation tools; philosophies of perception; discourses of race, gender and disability; discourses of affect, mood, sensation and atmosphere; debates about the critical and the projective; the phenomenon of starchitecture and iconic building; parametricism; digital fabrication; architecture’s relationship to capitalism; theories of surfaces, skins and envelopes; debates about autonomy; theories of the role of culture, tradition and meaning in architecture; the history of architecture’s relationship to phenomenology; the turn to preservation and adaptive re-use; the activist turn in architectural design culture; the material turn; contemporary post-digital aesthetics in architecture; speculative realist philosophy and Object-Oriented Ontology; discourses of care, repair, and maintenance; theories of Labor, Work, and the organization of the architectural profession; concepts of climate, planitarity, non-extractive architecture, and carbon form; Automation and BIM, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data.

The History/Theory/Criticism concentration of the Master of Science program is intended for graduates of architecture, or allied fields, who demonstrate aptitude for independent thought and skills in in-depth research, and who desire to retool their career trajectory to build skills that set them up for a non-professional career as much as a professional one. Most graduates of the program will go on to careers as critically reflective practitioners, using the period of extended historical, theoretical and critical inquiry that the coursework allows to deepen a particular area of knowledge that will inform their design work in the future. But many graduates of the program will also go on to become authors, journalists, critics and writers; curators and museum directors; advocates for the built environment in the non-profit sector; scholars, teachers, researchers and academics.

A small number of students on the program will have the option to stay at Virginia Tech to develop their research to the level of the Ph.D. in architecture. Those who graduate from the program at the master’s level and who intend to apply for Ph.D. programs elsewhere will have a competitive edge in their future applications to those programs.

Student Work

Example Plan of Study

The History/Theory/Criticism Concentration requires a minimum of 36 credit hours to complete. It is recommended that students enroll for four semesters and take 48 credits to complete their Ms degree to have sufficient time to develop their thesis.

Students in the course make their own plan of study follow these requirements:

• Methods Courses (Required 9 credit hours)
• Electives or Independent study (Required 18 credit hours)
• Thesis (Recommended 9 credit hours, maximum 10 credit hours)

Students on the program take four common methods courses in which they study such core domains as the history of architectural history, the history of architectural theory, the history of architectural criticism and the history of architectural education. It is required to take at least three of the methods courses, but taking all four of the courses is recommended. Students are then encouraged to take between one and three Independent Study courses in which they are asked to establish a list of books and articles that would be necessary to read for a given thesis topic, have the list approved by an advisor, and then read through them and write critical commentaries on those texts. Students then select from a list of Architecture and Non-Architecture electives. Below is an indicative list of Architecture and Non-Architecture courses that tend to be offered. This list suggests the kinds of areas of study and the kinds of faculty that students of the course would work with though not all of these indicated courses are offered every semester.

Towards the end of the program, students establish a committee of three advisors, one of whom is the chair of their committee. To graduate, students must submit their thesis to their committee, complete their required credits, complete a Final Exam of their Thesis, and submit their Final Thesis Documentation to the University.

For students who intend to continue to the Ph.D. they must also complete one additional foreign language (beyond English and their native language).

Faculty

Admissions

Ideally, applicants will possess a professional degree in architecture, but students without professional architecture degrees may be admitted if their transcripts and writing samples demonstrate sufficient experience and familiarity with architecture to pursue the master’s degree. Applications for admission should include:

1) A three-page-max statement of Interest

2) A Curriculum vitae

3) Two samples of writing

4) A three-page-max thesis proposal

5) Three letters of reference

For more information, contact Professor Joseph Bedford.

Campus Information

The History/Theory/Criticism program leverages the unique assets of the main Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg including the opportunity to take graduate courses in a wide range of related disciplines and departments. Students can take elective courses in English, Music, Art History, Creative Technologies, History of Science, History, Sociology, and Design, and other related fields that support their research. Being in Blacksburg gives students of the program ample opportunity to gain experience in teaching which helps to ready graduates of the program for the academic job market in the future. Also based at the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, the History/Theory/Criticism program leverages the unique assets of the WAAC, including its proximity to the nation’s capital, its diverse international student body, its robust academic community, and its close working relationships between faculty and students.