Architecture at Woodbury University

On October 15, 2018
In Careers, Choosing A College, Choosing a Major, College Admissions Process, College Planning, College Success, Colleges, Professor's Roadtrip, What to do in College

The Professor is starry-eyed in Los Angeles, and it’s not just because of the Hollywood glamor. This pulsing conglomerate of dozens of cities and suburbs is characterized by every style of food, fashion, art, and music The Professor can imagine. And the region is a veritable 35,000-square-mile museum of architectural styles.

Drive around the Southland and you’ll see building styles such as Folk Victorian, Beaux Arts, Craftsman, Cottage, Mission Revival, Neoclassical, Spanish Colonial, Bungalow, Egyptian Revival, English and Tudor Revival, Art Deco, Modern, Contemporary, Postwar, Ranch, and many more. Not to mention styles with eclectic names such as Dingbat and Googie, and buildings shaped like a donut, a hot dog, or a gleaming silver abstraction.

In such a stylistically diverse urban area, it seems fitting that students in Woodbury University’s Bachelor of Architecture program learn about architecture from all angles. They study architectural practice, technique, theory, technology, and policy. As explained on the School of Architecture‘s web site, “Graduates don’t just learn to design buildings. They learn to effect positive change in the built environment, to tackle theoretical debates, and to take on architecture as a critical practice.”

Woodbury has two campuses: a grassy oasis replete with palm trees in Burbank, and an urban warehouse in San Diego‘s Barrio Logan district. At both locations, there’s a strong emphasis on leadership and creativity.

The architecture degree program is rigorous, requiring 160 semester hours over five years, as well as 300 hours of work experience. Woodbury’s architecture students are expected to produce innovative, high-quality models, prototypes, and designs. To help make this possible, each campus has a digital fabrication laboratory outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment such as 3D printers, CNC mills, and laser cutters. Facilities also include a library of building materials, the WUHO gallery, and wood and metal shops.

While Southern California is indeed rich in visual resources, Woodbury students also know there is a vibrant world to explore. With that in mind, the university offers semester-long study-away programs in Buenos Aires and Rome; summer programs in Spain, Germany, China, India, Tahiti, Latin America, and the American Southwest; and exchange programs with South Korea and Germany.

The Career Development & Alumni Center offers career planning and job-finding assistance for students and graduates, who often place in design competitions and scholarship awards, go on to elite graduate schools, and work in all areas of architecture, planning, and design.

Woodbury admits about 75% of applicants, has about 1,500 students, and its 10-to-1 student-faculty ratio allows for a lot of individualized attention. Incoming architecture students must submit portfolios and are expected to be prepared for college algebra and college-level writing courses. Woodbury has several academic and cultural clubs, as well as fraternities and sororities, but does not have a sports program.

The university offers 16 additional undergraduate programs in fields such as business, media, design, and interdisciplinary studies. Woodbury ranked 48^th on US News & World Report‘s Best Colleges list.

To learn more about Woodbury University’s application requirements and deadlines for architecture and other programs, please visit www.woodbury.edu.