Bachelor of architecture a step towards transformation

Bachelor of Architecture: A Step towards Transformation

Before you begin building castles in the air, we’ve built a rough list of an architect’s tasks below:

By 02nd Aug, 2016 | 04:39 pm

Homes, schools, colleges, malls and offices are different types of buildings. In them, we spend most of our waking, studying or working hours, and they shelter us and make our living pleasant. Buildings have marvellous designs and are magnificently made, each with their own unique layout and distinctive style.

Image source: wwwsaxondrawings.com

The design and construction of humble homes, spacious buildings and even dams, bridges and tunnels is Architecture and a skilled professional—an Architect—conceives the construction in the mind before a blueprint. He or she then shares the plan with the developer or builder, and guides the construction till completion. Before you begin building castles in the air, we’ve built a rough list of an architect’s tasks below:

Interacting with clients, understanding their needs and budget
Budget planning and cost estimation
Planning and design (paper and pencil or CAD method)
Securing raw material and manpower
Taking care of contracts and legal matters (plan approval, approval from municipal corporation etc.)
Project management
Project supervision
Project handover to the client

Course Details

Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) is a 5-year undergraduate level degree programme. It consists of a holistic mixture of classroom lectures, studio practical sessions and practical training. The 5-year course is divided into 10 semesters or two stages. The first stage (semesters 1−6) is a full-time study stage. After the 6^th semester, there is a practical training period (6 months). The second stage starts after the completion of the practical training period. After the 9^th semester, a student has to submit a thesis.

Eligibility Criteria

Students who have passed Class 12 (minimum 50%) from a recognised board with Mathematics as a subject are eligible to pursue the B.Arch. course. Students can be from any stream—Science, Commerce or Arts, but Mathematics in Class 12 is mandatory.

Admission Process

Most institutes follow a merit-based admission process where marks scored by candidates in the Board examination and/or relevant entrance tests are taken into consideration. So, seats are allotted to deserving candidates based on their marks.

Entrance Test

Entrance tests for Architecture in India include National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA), IIT–JEE and Architecture Aptitude Test. Apart from these, some institutes conduct their own respective entrance tests for admission to architectural courses.

Postgraduation and Further Studies

B.Arch. graduates can pursue their postgraduate studies and obtain a Master’s degree. Master of Architecture (M.Arch.), Master of Design (M.Des.), Master of Planning and Master of Building Engineering are a notable few. Graduates may also opt for a postgraduate diploma course.

Postgraduate courses can be pursued to specialise in

Landscape Architecture
Architectural Conservation
Housing Architecture
Urban Planning
Regional Planning
Transport Planning
Building Science
Building Material Engineering

MBA is another popular choice among B.Arch. graduates. The MBA specialisations of Real Estate Management, Project Management and Construction Management add more value to an Architect’s CV.

Career Prospects and Job Opportunities

Architects can choose from a range of diverse job opportunities. They may venture into sectors such as real estate, infrastructure, interior designing and teaching.

If you are interested in mainstream architecture, then the best way to get started is by working under an established architect or with an architectural firm. By doing so, you will get valuable work experience and learn tricks of the trade from structurally sound architects.

After gaining enough experience, you can branch out to start your own design studio or consultancy firm. Having entrepreneurship skills and access to good financial resources will come in handy during this phase.

Common architectural job profiles include