The department's mission is to educate future design practitioners, advance research of the built environment and disseminate knowledge of architectural studies to improve quality of life for people. The philosophy of the Department of Architectural Studies embraces the synergy created between architecture and interior design. Having a symbiotic relationship, both fields explore the design process and its final products. Promoting the meaning and value of physical settings and responding to the human condition, the program investigates the interaction between people and their surroundings to create a more beautiful and sustainable world.
The program encourages an interdisciplinary, scholarly climate celebrating aesthetic values and the human sciences. Consistent attention is placed on planning and designing physical environments that support human needs and aspirations. Course work may include courses in supportive areas such as the human and physical sciences, art, humanities and allied design professions.
Graduate programs offer two emphases: 1) in environment and behavior studies with a creative project leading to an MA degree and with research leading to the MS and PhD degrees and 2) in design with digital media studies leading to the MA, MS and PhD degrees. The graduate program builds on Architectural Studies course work and a core of courses in design theory, research methods, graduate seminars, research and readings in environment and behavior.