History & Theory

This study area explores the relationship between design, history, and theory through a broad range of courses in which the analysis of buildings, cities, landscapes, and texts supports the articulation and criticism of fundamental concepts, methods, and issues. Historical and contemporary projects and writings are studied in context and as part of the theoretical discourse of architecture.

For entering M.Arch. I students who have not had significant prior architectural training, the pre-first-year visualization course (1001c) includes a broad survey of western architectural history. For all M.Arch. I students, there is a first-year required survey course of nineteenth- and twentieth-century architectural history (3011a) followed in the second year by two required courses on architectural theory (3021a and 3022b). In addition, M.Arch. I students must satisfactorily complete two of the elective courses from this study area. One of the electives should be in a non-Western subject. Note that the elective courses 4211b, 4212b, 4213b, 4214b, and 4217b from the Urbanism and Landscape study area will satisfy one of the History and Theory elective requirements, although they cannot be used to satisfy both the History and Theory and the Urbanism and Landscape elective requirements. Courses offered outside of the School not listed below may fulfill this elective requirement provided permission from the study area coordinators has been granted.

For the M.Arch. II program, there is a second-year required course dealing with issues of architecture and urbanism (3071a).