NewSchool of Architecture and Design

NewSchool of Architecture & Design, a globally recognized and awarded design university, is known for its forward-thinking professors, an inspiring campus community, and top industry connections and collaboration opportunities. NewSchool students are innovative designers who are passionate about pursuing exciting careers in the fields of architecture, design, and construction management. From the first day of class, students explore and break through creative boundaries, while hands-on experiences provide the foundation and tools necessary to grow and succeed as a designer.

In 1980, the late Richard Welsh founded NewSchool of Architecture in a small industrial building in Chula Vista, California. Welsh had a vision: a superb professional education program that culminated with the Bachelor of Architecture degree.

Change and growth came quickly. In 1988, NewSchool of Architecture relocated to central downtown San Diego and, in 1989, Bislin Education Corp. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Futures in Education, Inc.) purchased the school. Soon after, more architecture degree programs were added: the Associate of Arts, the Master of Architecture, and the Master of Science in Architecture. In 2001, ForeFront Education, Inc., acquired the school and changed its name to NewSchool of Architecture & Design.

From its earliest days, NewSchool offered an evening class structure to accommodate a large number of working students. In 1991, NewSchool was institutionally accredited. Many mid-career professionals interested in changing vocations were attracted to the afternoon and evening schedules available for NewSchool’s architecture degree programs.

In 1998, NewSchool’s Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) and Master of Architecture (M.Arch) were accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

In July 2008, NewSchool was acquired by Laureate Education, Inc., a global network of more than 60 institutions offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 1,000,000 students around the world. NewSchool’s highly regarded architecture and design programs complement Laureate’s global network of higher education institutions.

In 2014, NewSchool was awarded regional accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

In 2016, NewSchool received an 8-year re-accreditation by National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) for its Bachelor of Architecture, First Professional Degree and Master of Architecture, First Professional Degree.

The undergraduate architecture curriculum is organized into multiple divisions: The first year introduces students to the foundational elements of architectural design and integrative studies. The second, third, and fourth years continue to introduce and advance skills in architectural design as well as developing the core elements of building technology and professional practice. This is the case in both the Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Arts in Architecture programs, with minor changes in the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture program due to the reduced number of credits over a 4-year pre-program leading to graduate studies in architecture. The Bachelor of Arts in Architecture program is based on 183 credits versus 225 credits required for the Bachelor of Architecture degree. Additionally, the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree does not require an undergraduate thesis sequence to be completed over 3 consecutive quarters in the fifth and final year of the program.

Both architectural programs require students to complete a required number of credits in professional elective credits providing students with a range of opportunities for interdisciplinary coursework in other programs such as Construction Management, Graphic Design & Interactive Media, and Interior Architecture & Design. A minor consisting of 18 elective credits is an option for students in either program but may require taking additional elective credits.

The 5-year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) degree offers a curriculum that prepares students to become licensed architects. This program teaches both the fundamentals of the profession as well as the advanced theories and practical application of creating inspirational structures in a sustainable manner. Learn more about the Bachelor of Architecture degree program.

The 4-year Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree prepares students to enter a NAAB accredited first professional Master of Architecture program. This program opens the door to many academic options and prepares students for a variety of architecture and design-related career paths, excluding architectural licensure. Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree program.

NewSchool graduate programs in architecture are committed to exploring the dynamic and changing nature of architecture and what it means to be an architect in the world today. From the pluralistic, relativist perspective of intellectual discourse, to the expanding morphology of practice models, to the very means by which architectural design is produced, the discipline is in a state of unprecedented change. At the same time, there is widespread acknowledgement across fields of the value of design thinking and design education. NewSchool leverages that value in the development of creative thinkers who will serve society in a multitude of ways.

At NewSchool Assessment is a cyclical or continuous process that can be described in 5 stages. The first step in the assessment cycle is to establish learning outcomes. Once the outcomes are determined, a plan must be established to determine what learning outcomes will be assessed and when they will be assessed (see below for sample of NewSchool’s 3-Year Assessment Plans). The next step in the cycle is teaching, or provide learning opportunities (e.g. assignments, projects, lectures, readings). Once teaching has occurred, assessment of student learning occurs, this is the fourth step. This critical step ensures that students are learning what we teach. The final step in the process is to close the loop and ensure that the results from the assessment of student learning is being used to make programmatic, curricular, or co-curricular changes.

NewSchool of Architecture & Design is committed to making college and graduate school affordable for students through our scholarship programs and we’re proud to award more than $1 million in scholarships each year. We offer a robust financial aid program for our domestic undergraduate and graduate students, consisting of our institutional scholarships and grants, state and federal financial aid, federal work-study opportunities, loans, and military benefits!