School of Architecture

Faculty of Architecture and Planning

BEDS & M.Arch Programs

Professional Architecture Program (BEDS + MArch)

The primary aim of the professional architecture program is to educate individuals who intend to become professional architects.

The three-part program includes two degrees, with four years at Dalhousie:

  • Years 1–2: Courses in any subject(s), at any university
  • Years 3–4: Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies (BEDS)
  • Years 5–6: Master of Architecture (MArch)

If you have completed at least two years of university in subjects other than architecture, you may apply for admission to BEDS, the second part of the professional architecture program. Sixty-five students are admitted each September. Priority is given to applicants with a good academic record and creative design ability. Each incoming class includes students with diverse academic backgrounds from across Canada and abroad.

The BEDS program develops a basic knowledge of architecture in Years 3 and 4. The MArch program enables students to pursue specializations, culminating in a graduate design thesis in Year 6. Each year of the program includes courses in five architectural subject areas:

  • Design: building design, urban design
  • Representation: drawing, modeling, computer applications
  • Humanities: history, theory, research, criticism
  • Technology: construction, structure, environmental systems
  • Professional practice: professional responsibility, office management, co-op work terms
Students who complete the four-year BEDS degree but do not continue into the MArch program are well prepared to pursue other academic and career options.