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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I apply to the Master of Urban Design program and how do I follow the progress of my application?
There are two parts to the application process. The first is an online application via the University’s Graduate School (see link on this website). You will have to send in an application fee to the Graduate School to make your application official. All materials for the application process are submitted electronically (transcripts, recommendations, statement of intent, GRE test scores, etc.).
The second part is composed of a physical portfolio (digital portfolios are not accepted) that should be sent directly to the School of Architecture. Please indicate the program to which you are applying (be sure to address your portfolio to the Master of Urban Design program).
Included with this portfolio should be a resume as well as a copy of the statement of intent that you submit to the Graduate School.
Important Note: You are responsible to make sure that all of your materials have been submitted. This applies particularly to the electronic submissions you make to the Graduate School since your application will not be forwarded to the School of Architecture until all required parts of your application are received.
The School’s Admissions Committee cannot finalize a decision until these materials are forwarded to us by the Graduate School. Therefore, it is critical that you check your online application frequently after it is submitted in order to insure everything has been received. If your online record indicates a “referred status,” then your application is complete and our Admissions Committee will begin the review process.
2. I have already taken courses that are required in the Master of Urban Design program. Will I have to repeat these?
It depends. In rare cases, the School of Architecture may waive a required course if we determine that you have adequately covered that particular material. In such cases, we will need to evaluate the course by reviewing its syllabus, all assignments, as well as the final grade you received for the class. If a waiver is permitted, then you will be asked to enroll in an advanced elective course to replace the required course credit. However, courses taken at the undergraduate level or already credited towards a previous degree cannot be granted credit at the graduate level at UNC Charlotte.
3. What should be included in the portfolio and how should it be formatted?
Your portfolio is an expression and demonstration of your creative and/or professional work. It is suggested that you include visual work from courses in: architectural studios, landscape design coursework, planning coursework, visual art, sculpture, photography, personal projects, etc. You may also include samples of design work from offices if you’ve had such experience (i.e., masterplans, landscape designs, architectural drawings, etc.). In addition, you may also consider any creative work such as essays or reports that you have authored during your college/professional career(s).
The format for the portfolio is limited to a maximum size of 8-1/2” x 11”. In all cases it should be elegant, concise, and simple. A typical portfolio may have 15-20 pages (double sided) that demonstrate your accomplishments. Each piece of work featured should be described by high-quality images and a brief text description. A good quality folder with integrated clear plastic sleeves for inserting pages is often a good choice.
Please remember that the portfolio (along with a copy of your statement of intent and a resume) should be mailed directly to the School of Architecture. All portfolios will become the property of the program and will not be returned unless you specifically request that it be returned and if a self-addressed and stamped envelope is provided; therefore, please be sure to keep records of your work and be sure not to submit original copies as a part of your portfolio.
4. What scores do you expect for the GRE?
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is the preferred test that the Admissions Committee uses to evaluate all graduate students. Be conscious of the times that this test is offered since you must have the scores reported to the Graduate School prior to the deadline for admission (December 15 of each year). Hence, prepare to take this early.
There are three parts that the Admissions Committee looks at: verbal, quantitative, and analytical scores. In the past, applicants admitted typically score 500+ for the verbal and 600+ for the quantitative sections of the exam. Analytical scores are 4.5 and above.
Note that these scores are only one factor for admission. The Admissions Committee looks comprehensively at all parts of your application (portfolio, transcripts, letters of recommendation, GPA etc.) when it makes its recommendation for admission.
5. What should my GPA be when I apply?
The Graduate School at UNC-Charlotte requires an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 and higher. Typically, those accepted to all masters programs in the School of Architecture have GPAs of 3.0 and higher.
6. What scholarships, financial awards, research and/or teaching assistantships are available?
There are a number of awards that accepted applicants can be considered for during and after the admission process. These are generally awarded to the most promising new graduate students on a merit basis. For MUD applicants, awards are based on prior academic and professional experience as well as skills and achievements in their relevant discipline.
There are three types of awards:
a. Graduate Assistant Stipends: These awards provide stipends for one year of study during the regular academic year. Each award varies in amount; stipends in past years have ranged between $6,000 and $11,000/year and the number and amount of awards depends on monies available within the School of Architecture budget and external grant funding in any particular year. The awards provide a research assistantship for work within the Design+Society Research Center (D+SRC) in conjunction with the M.U.D program.
b. Non-Resident Tuition Differentials (NRTD): These awards are for non-resident applicants that reduce their tuition status to near in-state tuition levels for the first academic year of study. These differentials also include a small research assistant stipend (in past years this amount has been approximately $2000/year). These awards do not apply to summer semesters (fall and spring only).
c. Resident Tuition Waivers: These awards are given to North Carolina resident applicants. These waivers reduce a student’s tuition liability in the first semester or first year of study.
There are also endowed School of Architecture scholarships that any matriculated student may apply for. These are offered via an application process at the beginning of each fall and spring semester. These competitive awards range from $1000 to $2500 but are very much dependant on budget conditions prevailing at any particular time.
All these awards are competitive, and all funding is reserved for full-time and exceptionally qualified students. Students enrolled in the MUD program on a part-time basis do not qualify for any of these awards.
7. When may I visit the School of Architecture?
The School hosts official visitations to the program during the fall and spring semesters. These are organized events in which prospective applicants can meet graduate faculty, graduate students in the program as well as familiarize themselves with the School’s facilities, the University campus and the Design + Society Research Center in Charlotte’s SouthEnd district. Dates and times and who to contact to arrange for these visits are announced on the School’s website. Other dates specifically for MUD applicants may be arranged by contacting Prof. David Walters, Coordinator for the M.U.D. program, at drwalter@uncc.edu
8. If I’m accepted, when does the Master of Urban Design program begin?
For M.U.D. students with a prior degree in a design-based discipline (architecture or landscape architecture) the program begins in the Fall of each academic year. For students without a design background, the program begins in the “second summer term” (typically in late July) with a short and intensive design and graphics “primer” course. Admitted M.U.D. applicants with a background in planning may be asked to take this summer course; decisions regarding whether this course is required or can be waived for particular students will be made by the Admissions Committee based on a full review of the application materials.
9. May I take course work as a post-bac student in the School of Architecture prior to admission?
Yes, under certain conditions. As a rule, you must formally apply and be admitted to either the M.U.D. program before you may take required coursework. Some applicants, however, have enrolled in as Post-Baccalaureate students at UNC-Charlotte. Post-Baccalaureate status will allow students to take graduate level elective coursework at UNC-C with instructor approval and if space is available. Up to 6 credits of Post-Baccalaureate studies may be transferred into a graduate program should the student be accepted as a graduate student.
10. May I attend the Master of Urban Design program as well as work part-time outside of classroom hours?
Yes. While the School of Architecture is a full-time enrollment program in which all of our Architecture graduate students take an over-load as a course schedule, the M.U.D. program will offer a part-time course of study for those students who cannot enroll as traditional, full-time students. A normal full-time course load in the M.U.D. program is 12 credit hours each semester for 3 semesters (1 studio and 2 seminars each term). A typical part-time course plan would normally comprise 6 credit hours a semester over 6 semesters.
Additional Information:
SoA UNCCharlotte Website: http://www.soa.uncc.edu/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
Graduate Catalog: http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/images/stories/catalogs/GraduateCatalog2009-2010.pdf
Graduate School Online Application: http://www.uncc.edu/gradmiss/p_app_instructions.html
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