ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
At The University of Texas at Austin, Architectural Engineering is an accredited engineering degree program within the Department of Civil Engineering, which is consistently ranked in the top five in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. The curriculum includes several architectural design courses to give the student an appreciation and a basic understanding of aesthetic design. The primary emphasis of the program is on four areas of engineering: structural engineering, construction engineering and project management, construction materials, and building environmental systems. In the senior year, the student has the opportunity to specialize in one of these areas.
- structural engineering is the design and analysis of the building for strength to resist weight of the building materials, occupants,
furniture, and forces due to wind and earthquakes.
- construction engineering and project management combines the technical education of engineering with financial, legal, and
administrative skills required in business management. This includes methods and materials for construction, cost estimating, and
planning and scheduling of construction.
- construction materials focuses on the properties and behaviors of the principal structural materials - concrete, steel and
wood - plus the architectural materials used to complete the building.
- building environmental systems engineering involves the design of the environment of the building - thermal comfort, acoustics
and noise control, indoor air quality, illumination, and plumbing and electrical systems.
Job opportunities after graduation are excellent. Many graduates find employment with consulting structural or environmental systems
engineering firms, working with architects to design building structures and mechanical systems. Some graduates work with acoustics
and noise-control specialists. An increasing number of graduates work with construction firms as field construction engineers,
project managers, or cost estimators. Large industries (such as oil companies, building material manufacturers, and railroads)
are interested in Architectural Engineers for management or sales positions. State and federal agencies involved in building design,
construction and research offer many opportunities for the graduate. Many graduates find employment with real estate development and
facilities-management firms.
Through a special arrangement between Architectural Engineering and the School of Architecture, undergraduates at UT Austin have the
unique opportunity to obtain dual degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering, and a Bachelor of Architecture.
Under the dual-degree program, students takes design courses, basic composition and architectural history in the School of Architecture,
and take their technical courses in Architectural Engineering. This program requires more hours than either degree alone, and takes about
one year more to complete.
With a BS in Architectural Engineering, qualified students can earn a Master's degree in Architectural Engineering or Civil Engineering in
about one and a half years, or a Master's degree in Architecture in about three years.
To prepare for undergraduate study in Architectural Engineering, students should study design, computer-aided design, an introduction
to engineering fields, civil engineering, physics, chemistry, and calculus.
For more information, please see the following:
