Master of Architecture

The UNLV School of Architecture Master of Architecture Degree Program is a NAAB accredited program that offers prospective students two paths of study to the Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) professional degree; a two-year course of study for students possessing a pre-professional undergraduate degree in architecture and a three to a four-year course of study for students whose academic background is outside of architecture. Master of Architecture Program studies emphasizes the opportunities that the University and Southern Nevada settings have to inform and enrich the study of architecture and prepare students for meaningful careers and lifelong success. Whether through a research-based interdisciplinary study involving academic units across the UNLV campus or design inquiry exploring the unique qualities of Las Vegas, students that enroll in the program will be rewarded with an educational experience that is as unique and dynamic as this place.

Centering on critical opportunities for architecture to serve society, the M. Arch. the degree program is organized into three distinct courses of study or concentrations: Building Systems and Sustainability, Hospitality and Entertainment Design, and Education Facilities Research & Design. Each concentration is composed of an interdisciplinary curriculum involving academic programs across the University of Nevada Las Vegas as well as the participation of internationally significant practitioners and researchers. The M. Arch. the degree program is thematically structured to emphasize comprehensive building design during the first year of study and concentration-focused research and design during the second year of study. Concurrent to both years, students enroll in concentration-related electives that inform and give breadth to students’ individual efforts in the final year of the program.

The School of Architecture is fortunate to offer students a range of research labs and centers that enhance the graduate experience. These include the Downtown Design Center located in downtown Las Vegas, the SimLab emphasizing modes of fabrication, LIME emphasizing virtual realizations, the NEET Lab emphasizing renewable resources, and the Design-Build program which in its inaugural year competed in the 2013 Solar Decathlon.

Since our first classes were held on campus in 1957, UNLV has transformed itself from a small branch college into a thriving urban research institution.

Along the way, our urban university has become an indispensable resource in one of the country's fastest-growing and most enterprising cities.

Our mission is for UNLV’s diverse faculty, students, staff, and alumni to promote community well-being and individual achievement through education, research, scholarship, creative activities, and clinical services. We stimulate economic development and diversification, foster a climate of innovation, promote health, and enrich the cultural vitality of the communities that we serve. Our vision is that by 2025, UNLV will be recognized as a top-tier public university in research, education, and community impact.