Master of Architecture
Design sustainable buildings and spaces honed by the poetics of place.
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Learn more about the M Arch and talk with a recruiting specialist by calling 520-621-9819 or completing this form:
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CAPLA’s flexible two- or three-year Master of Architecture is an accredited, professional STEM degree devoted to the education of tomorrow’s leading architects.
Our M Arch combines place-based design cultivated in the extreme climate and exquisite landscape of the Sonoran Desert with cutting-edge material and environmental research, all delivered through hands-on learning in our world-class facilities.
As an M Arch student, you will acquire a portable design sensibility, empowering you to develop critical modes of practice, regardless of where or how you practice.
Our M Arch is a professional degree accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
What You'll Learn
- How to design for climate and place
- Techniques, both digital and analog, for design representation and exploration
- Architectural history and theory
- Passive and active building technologies
- Digital fabrication and other advanced technologies
- How design should respond to materials, fabrication and construction
- The impact of sociocultural factors on design
- How to present your work visually, verbally and materially
- How to collaborate
- Professional practices and ethics
- Social justice and design for all
You’ll graduate ready to thrive in a profession of increasing importance that is taking on climate change, growing urban populations, water scarcity and a post-pandemic world.
CAPLA is a place where I can experiment and ask big questions in a stimulating environment. It is a place with so many tools and resources to truly learn through making. And most importantly, it is a place where I can collaborate and conspire with colleagues who I admire.
Athena Myers '21 M Arch
Curriculum & Courses
CAPLA’s Master of Architecture offers a rigorous, comprehensive studio-based curriculum and dynamic core and elective courses the prepare you for professional practice as a licensed architect.
There are two tracks available: M Arch II, comprised of 4-5 semesters for those with a non-professional bachelor’s in architecture or other design field; and M Arch III, comprised of 6-7 semesters, for those with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an accredited university in any field.
View Curriculum & Courses »Admissions & Cost
Application Deadlines
FALL 2022
February 6: 1st Round Deadline (to be considered for assistantship funding)
April 3: 2nd Round Deadline (domestic/international students not requiring a visa)
April 3: M Arch III Final Deadline
May 31: M Arch II Final Deadline (domestic/international students not requiring a visa)
May 31: WRGP Applicant Deadline
Program Cost
In-state and WRGP tuition and fees per semester (7+ units):
$5,969 tuition + $1,500 program fees + $667 university fees
Out-of-state tuition and fees per semester (7+ units):
$16,033 + $1,500 program fees + $667 university fees
Subject to change. Learn more about WRGP pricing for out-of-state students from the West.
Career Outlook
Demand for trained architects is high and growing, not only in Arizona, but around the world. In spite of the pandemic, the building industry is robust. Graduates can expect to work in professional architectural practice, in allied disciplines (construction, consulting, sustainability or preservation), in related fields (computer gaming, film and video modeling and production, digital fabrication and manufacturing, civic advocacy or other sectors of the building and construction industry) or in education as teachers of design.
View Career Outlook »
The CAPLA Student Experience
Architecture culture is unlike any other collegiate experience. You’ll be part of a community of faculty and students committed to the exploration, intensity and fun of studio learning in our state-of-the-art facilities. You’ll also be part of the diverse multicultural community of Tucson.
As members of our close-knit community of graduate students, M Arch students also connect with students in CAPLA's other graduate programs, from landscape architecture to real estate development to urban planning.
Meet the M Arch Community
CAPLA Design/Build: Students, Faculty and Clients Building a Changing World
CAPLA Design/Build involves students in hands-on design and construction projects via studio courses, independent study and other courses with lab components.
In CAPLA Design/Build, you'll learn by doing—a powerful way to gain and retain knowledge because of the immediate application to tangible design and build problems.
Ready to design sustainable spaces honed by the poetics of place?
Learn more about the Master of Architecture by contacting Emilio Romero, graduate services coordinator, or begin your application now:
Header image by M Arch student Orianna Zimmerer.