Architecture, MSD: Advanced Architectural Design

This three-semester Master of Science in Design with a concentration in Advanced Architectural Design [MSD-AAD] is for architecture students with five-year professional bachelor degrees from the US and around the world. This course of study does not lead to a professional degree in architecture. The MSD-AAD program builds on its success as a program focused on innovation in architecture design.

The purpose of the MSD Advanced Architectural Design program is four-fold. First, to prepare students for high level design research in the profession or academy in contemporary issues that affect the architecture discipline. Second, to develop skills in emerging design and cross-disciplinary tools. Third, to critically engage the theoretical dimensions of the contemporary architectural discourse around these tools; and fourth, to integrate advanced digital modeling techniques into a design methodology that has direct bearing on the development of material, production, fabrication and construction processes and their aesthetics.

The advanced architectural design-based program starts with a mandatory ten-day workshop in design technique. A coordinated semester of advanced architectural design and courses follow after which the students join the Master of Architecture program for one year. During this year students pursue an individually directed course of study by choosing from a wide range of options in advanced architectural design studios, and elective courses offered within the Master of Architecture program.

For more information: https://www.design.upenn.edu/architecture/graduate/post-professional-program-msd-aad

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2026 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

Curriculum

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Electives with the FMAA attribute are pre-approved to meet the degree requirements. Other electives may be approved by the MSD-AAD program director but require advance permission. (Contact the Architecture Department for details on petitioning for an exception.) ARCH courses that are core requirements for the M.Arch degree are generally ineligible to fulfill an AAD elective, unless the student can demonstrate that a comparable course was not taken during prior studies.

A minimum GPA of 3.00 is required for graduation.