There are two ways that a student may receive advanced standing in the M.Arch. Program:

(1) Advanced placement into the second year of the M.Arch program

In rare instances, a student who is admitted into the second year of the M.Arch. Program may receive advanced standing for the first-year courses including the two design studios and may be eligible to receive up to 36 credits counted toward their degree, allowing a student to complete the degree in as few as two years.

M.Arch applicants who have completed, or are about to complete, an undergraduate degree in a non-professional program in architecture may apply for advanced placement into the second-year class. Accepted students who wish to be considered for advanced placement may be requested to submit relevant course syllabi to support their request. The Admissions Committee determines advanced placement after a complete review of the accepted applicant’s portfolio, transcripts, and relevant course syllabi in consideration of GSAPP’s unique pedagogy.

Incoming First Year students benefit from the diverse mix of students with and without architectural design backgrounds in all courses of the curriculum including the design studios. GSAPP believes that this creates a conducive environment for experimentation and questions regarding the entanglements of architecture with the crucial issues of our time: coloniality, climate crisis, social justice, and technological acceleration.

Applicants who are granted advanced placement must have undergraduate courses that are equivalent to and fulfill the course of study of the first year of the graduate program, demonstrating high achievement in design. Accepted students who meet the determination of the Admissions Committee for advancement into the third semester will be notified of advanced placement status by the Admissions Office.

(2) Advanced standing or waivers in individual required M.Arch courses

A student admitted into the first year with an undergraduate degree in architecture may receive credit for some courses; credit will be evaluated on an individual basis (maximum 9 points).

M.Arch students may receive up to 9 pts of advanced standing or waivers in technology and history classes. M.Arch students who have successfully completed comparable courses (grade B or above) at another university may apply for advanced standing or course waivers. Waived courses must be replaced by another 3 pt course in the same distribution. Completed applications must be supported by a syllabus, transcript, and either a set of course tests or complete course notes. Forms should be submitted during the add/drop period of the semester (during first two weeks of classes).

Once granted, advanced standing will appear as a note on a student’s transcript, but only after an M.Arch student has completed their first year (both fall and spring semesters.) Advanced standing will never appear in SSOL.

To apply for advanced standing or course waiver, complete the form.

Students may petition for waivers in Construction Technology and Management (Term II - 3pts) and Real Estate Law (Term III - 3pts). Waived courses must be replaced by one 3pt course or two 1.5pts courses.

Advanced standing and waivers are granted upon enrollment into the program.

The GSAPP does not grant advanced standing in the M.S. UP and M.S. HP Programs. Students who have completed relevant coursework corresponding to required coursework within a program, may petition for a waiver. All waivers must be approved by the course instructor as well as the Program Manager and Program Director. No requests for waivers will be considered without official copies of relevant transcripts and syllabi. Waiver or advanced standing is not possible for elective courses within the Programs.

Waivers granted to M.S. HP students for prior work in American Architecture must be replaced by an architectural history course within the GSAPP. Other relevant coursework corresponding to required core courses completed at other institutions must be replaced by a course within the same distribution area (preservation planning, design, history/theory, or architectural conserva. Waivers are reviewed on a case by case basis with the faculty and administration of the M.S. HP program in order to ensure that all students gain balanced foundational knowledge of conservation, planning, design and history/theory.

Waivers may be granted to M.S. UP students for required core courses where relevant coursework was successfully completed at another institution. Waivers from any required course will be reviewed on a case by case basis by the instructor, Program Manager, and the Program Director.

Students enrolled in the M.S. HP and M.S. UP programs must complete a studio during their first year and a thesis in their second year. For this reason, the GSAPP requires that all M.S. HP and M.S. UP degree candidates complete the program in 4 semesters, with a minimum of 15 pts per semester.