31 An Accredited Bachelor of Architecture Program in the Making at TMCC The accredited Master of Architecture program at UNLV is a six-year degree. There is no accredited Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) program in Nevada and none closer to Reno than a four-hour drive to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and seven others farther away along the California coastline. To the north, the nearest accredited program is at the University of Oregon. South of Nevada, the nearest accredited Bachelor of Architecture program is at University of Arizona in Tucson. Faced with these limited options to study architecture in or near northern Nevada, the need to create an accredited BArch at TMCC stemmed from the voices of our students. The idea was presented to TMCC’s architectural advisory board in 2018. Since then, and after several years of feasibility studies, meetings, and presentations, our community of students, educators and architects have organized a viable curriculum and structure. During the Fall 2021 academic year, TMCC submitted a proposal for establishing a professionally accredited Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) degree path. This was the first offering in the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), which is the governing system in our state that oversees the Nevada public system of colleges and universities. On March 3, 2022, under a majority vote rule, 13 Regents who approve policies, budgets and new programs for the entire state voted unanimously in favor of a five-year degree. This degree would extend the existing Associate of Applied Science in Architecture (60 credits) and a stackable Architectural Drafting Skills Certificate (24 credits). The curriculum will build upon and add to the existing framework by adding 90 additional credits for a total of 150 credits. The proposed five-year degree path and its 150 credits will align with the accreditation requirements for the Bachelor of Architecture professional degree defined by the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB). Beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year, TMCC has put in motion the start of Nevada’s first Bachelor of Architecture program. While currently accepted as eligible for candidacy by the NAAB, once accredited (see projected timeline), it will also be the first of its kind in the United States at a community college level. Today, many qualified professionals and educators are contributing to the momentum and level of excellence required to make the future TMCC’s Bachelor of Architecture program a resounding success. We invite you to learn more about the program, curriculum, instructors and our next generation of problem solvers. Curriculum Focus If we want a nation where leaders and workers can understand the complex challenges of today and tomorrow and meet the demands of the dynamic and evolving workforce, we must recognize that building our people skills, knowledge, and fluency begins in the classroom. TMCC’s College of Applied Sciences is determined to provide the highest teaching and learning environment for those interested in the field of Architecture. Architecture is about generating solutions for a vast array of issues in the built environment. In order to inspire critical thinking for these future professionals, the foundation of TMCC’s future BArch program emphasizes addressing local and worldwide issues, including but not limited to the national housing crisis, wildfire protection, and sustainability. For instructional projects, TMCC’s staff integrates
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==