M.E.D.
History/Theory Research-Based Program
The M.E.D. program is a two-year research-based program of advanced architectural studies culminating in a written thesis/independent project. This full-residency program leads to a degree of Master of Environmental Design. The M.E.D. is a nonprofessional degree, which does not fulfill requirements toward the professional licensing examination.
The program is intended for students, including postgraduate and mid-career professionals, who seek an academic setting to improve scholarship and research skills, to explore a professional or academic specialization, and to sharpen critical and literary expertise. The program provides the foundation for a career in writing, teaching, curatorial work, or critically informed professional practice, or may provide a foundation for Ph.D. studies. The alumni of this thirty-year-old program include Steven Izenour, who was a partner at Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates; Blair Kamin, architectural critic of the Chicago Tribune; and William Mitchell, former dean of the MIT School of Architecture.
The M.E.D. program is aimed at qualified applicants with a graduate or undergraduate degree in architecture or a related discipline who exhibit a strong capability for independent research. The main criterion for admission to the program is a well-defined research proposal for independent study which should engage one or more of the study areas listed below. The proposal should outline a study plan that the candidate can accomplish in four academic terms and that can be supported by faculty expertise available to students in the M.E.D. program.
Applicants interested in the M.E.D. program are encouraged to contact the program director and/or other committee members to discuss their educational goals and proposed research topic area well in advance of the application deadline. An interview is not required, but is strongly recommended.
Areas of Study
Environmental Design is broadly defined as the study and research of the aggregate of objects, conditions, and influences that constitute the constructed surroundings. Those studying in the M.E.D. program are encouraged to understand the larger cultural and intellectual factors—social, political, economic, technical, and aesthetic—that shape the environment. The M.E.D. program fosters an interdisciplinary approach to architectural research, which takes advantage of the extensive array of resources at Yale University.
The program supports research at the intersection of theory and practice. The three areas listed below indicate recent research topics as well as the scholarly expertise of students and faculty in the M.E.D. program. Students are encouraged to engage in a wide array of methodologies, tools, and topics.
History, Theory, and Criticism of Architecture and Urbanism: History and theory of architecture and urbanity; architectural criticism; history of building types; study of design methods; contemporary architectural culture.
Ecologies and Economies of the Built Environment: Study of the ecological, economic, and cultural forces that shape the environment; globalization and its effect on built landscapes; infrastructures and settlement patterns; urban geography; notation and mapping techniques.
Multimedia Research: Digital media as a tool for research, design, and visualization; motion picture documentation; use of digital tools in fabricating building components; study of network geography.
Course of Study
In course titles, a designates fall term, and b designates spring term. The School reserves the right to change the prescribed course of study as necessary.
The program of study is a combination of required classes, electives, and independent research. A total of 72 credits is required for completion of the M.E.D. program, allocated as 18 credits each term. A minimum of 21 credits is assigned to electives and 6 to the required M.E.D. courses. A maximum of 45 credits is assigned to independent research (3092a or b). The electives and course distribution are determined in consultation with the student’s primary adviser and the director of the program.
Course Requirements for the M.E.D. Program
M.E.D. students are required to take a course in research methodologies (3091a) in their first year, fall term and a course in architectural theory (3022b) in their first year, spring term. All other course work is distributed among electives chosen from School of Architecture and other Yale University courses. (See descriptions of courses in the M.Arch. curriculum as well as in the bulletins of other schools of Yale University.) All M.E.D. students are required to take 3092a or b each term to develop their independent project.
Note: Design studios offered in the M.Arch. program are closed to M.E.D. students. Exceptions are considered only if the design studio is directly related to a student’s research, and are subject to approval by the M.E.D. chair, the dean, and the studio instructor.
M.E.D.: Total Requirement: 72 credits
Summer Preparation Courses for Incoming M.E.D. Students
In the week before the beginning of the fall term, the School offers the following two summer preparation courses for incoming M.E.D. students.
- Incoming M.E.D. students are required to take a half-day Summer Digital Media Orientation Course. This orientation covers accessing the School’s servers, the use of the School’s equipment, and the School’s digital media policies and procedures.
- The Arts Library Research Methodology Course is required of all incoming students. This course covers research methodologies and tools specific to the M.E.D. curriculum.
Advisers and M.E.D. Program Committee
Students work closely with one or two advisers on their independent project. Advisers are primarily drawn from the School of Architecture faculty; additional advisers are drawn from other departments at the University as appropriate to the field of study. The following faculty members serve on the M.E.D. committee, which reviews all independent work each term.
Peggy Deamer, Acting Chair
Karsten Harries (Department of Philosophy)
Academic Rules and Regulations
Four terms must be spent in residence. Under exceptional circumstances, and with permission of the dean and the School’s Rules Committee, students may apply for half-time status (9 credits per term), after successful completion of the first term (18 credits). Additional procedures and restrictions for the M.E.D. program can be found in the School’s Academic Rules and Regulations section of the School of Architecture Handbook. This handbook can be found online here.