Bachelor of Architecture: Find here the course’s duration, eligibility criteria, syllabus, top universities, top recruiters and career opportunities

By- Akanksha Yadav

 

About B.Arch:

The Bachelor of Architecture commonly known as B.Arch is an undergraduate-level course for aspirants wanting to build their career in the architecture field. The duration of this program is five years. During this course, students get to learn about the art of planning, designing and constructing various kinds of physical structures.

After completion of this degree, graduates can work as architect consultants or architect designers etc. The architecture field is growing very fast and it is providing various career growth opportunities to individuals wishing to work in this industry. 

To get admission into a top architecture college/institute, students need to first appear for the entrance exam. Some of the top architecture entrance examinations are NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture), JEE Main Paper 2 or AAT (Architecture Aptitude Test). 

Individuals who are passionate about designing and the creative field should go for this course. The architecture industry is expected to reach $395 billion by 2023, increasing at a 4.2% CAGR between 2020 and 2025.

B.Arch is available in full-time mode and distance education mode. Distance education mode is offered by colleges like IGNOU, for students who have less time for regular classes. 

 

The duration of B.Arch:

A Bachelor of Architecture is a 5 year long UG course. During these 5 years, students study various aspects of architecture. 

 

The eligibility criteria for B.Arch:

As a student, it is important to check the eligibility criteria of the course before going for admission as failing to fulfil the eligibility criteria, the student’s application will be rejected and he/she will not get admission to the desired college. The eligibility criteria for Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) are mentioned below for students.

• The candidate should have completed his/her class 12th or its equivalent with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for reserved category).
• Students who have completed their class 10th and 3 years of the diploma program are also allowed to apply for the course.
• The candidate should have cleared the NATA exam with 80% of the marks. Although this point is not compulsory if the student wants to get admission to top B.Arch colleges then he/she should appear for this exam. 
• In some B. Arch colleges, admission is given based on university/national/state level entrance exams. 

What are the subjects in the B.Arch course?

B.Arch syllabus is usually divided into 2 stages. First is stage 1 and second is stage 2.

Stage 1- In stage 1, semester 1 to 6 is included. In this stage, students learn about foundation and exploration subjects.

Stage 2- In this stage, one semester is dedicated to practical training and the rest are for depth synthesis and ideation studies.

The semester-wise subjects are given below.

Semester 1:

• Architectural design I
• Visual Arts and Basic design I
• Computer applications I
• Building Construction I
• Theory of structures I
• Environmental studies
• Model making and workshop
• Human settl. And vernacular arch.
• Professional communications I

Semester 2:

• Architectural design II
• Visual Arts and Basic Design II
• Computer Applications II
• Building construction II
• Theory of structures II
• Climate responsive design
• Surveying and levelling
• History of architecture I
• Sociology and culture
• Professional Communications II

Semester 3:

• Architectural design III
• Visual Arts and Basic design III
• Computer Applications III
• Building construction III
• Theory of structures III
• Water, waste and sanitation
• Site planning and landscape studies
• History of architecture II
• Art and architectural appreciation I
• Research elective I

Semester 4:

• Architectural design IV
• Visual Arts and Basic Design IV
• Computer Applications IV
• Building construction IV
• Theory of structures IV
• Electrification, lighting and acoustics 
• Solar active and passive systems
• History of architecture III
• Art and architectural appreciation II
• Research elective II

Semester 5:

• Architectural design V
• Building construction V
• Theory of structures V
• HVAC. Mech. Mobility and fire safety
• Energy systems and renewable
• History of architecture IV
• Design methodology II
• Art and architectural appreciation III
• Arch. Research elective III
• Arch. Research elective IV

Semester 6:

• Architectural design V
• Building construction V
• Theory of structures and design II
• Green systems integration
• Sustainable urban habitats
• Specifications and contracts
• Contemporary architecture
• Architectural theories
• Art and architectural appreciation IV

Semester 7:

• Architectural design VII
• Working drawings
• Project management
• Architectural appreciation IV
• Arch. Research seminar
• Arch. Research-elective V
• Arch. Research elective VI

Semester 8:

• Practical Training

Semester 9:

• Architectural design IX
• Professional practice
• Urban design studies
• Arch. Research Dissertation/ art thesis
• Arch. Research-elective VII
• Arch. Research elective VIIII

Semester 10:

• Architectural design thesis
• Thesis design research
• Professional practice

Top B.Arch entrance examinations:

Some of the architecture entrance exams are

• NATA- National Architecture Aptitude Test 
• JEE Main Paper 2- Joint Entrance Exam Main
• AAT- Architecture Aptitude Test

Scope after B.Arch:

After B.Arch, individuals can work in the industry or go for higher studies as well. Some of the job profiles are mentioned below.

• Architect
• Architectural Assistant
• Architectural historian/journalist
• Project assistant manager
• Architecture designer
• Interior designer
• Manager
• Landscape architect
• Building Contractor

Individuals can also work in government sectors. 

 

Top colleges offering B.Arch:

There are around 860 architecture colleges in India. Some of the top-ranked colleges are given below.

• IIT Roorkee
• NIT Calicut
• IIT Kharagpur
• SPA Delhi
• IIEST Shibpur
• SPA Vijayawada
• VNIT Nagpur
• Jamia Milia Islamia University, New Delhi
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai