The Master of Regional Planning program in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning and the Master of Architecture program in the Department Architecture offer a dual degree program for students to earn a dual Master of Regional Planning/Master of Architecture degree within three years of full-time study.  The professions of planning and architecture are intertwined in numerous ways.  Many positions in the municipal as well as private sector can best be filled by persons who possess the joint knowledge and skills of plan and design review.  While there is a strong relationship between architecture and planning in most other parts of the world, the connection has historically been much less institutionally strong in the United States.  This dual degree program is one of only a handful in the nation.  Students will spend two semesters of full-time study in each program, dividing remaining coursework between the two programs.  The MArch and the MRP core curricula focus on the theoretical, historical, cultural, environmental, and technical dimensions of their respective disciplines with intensive studio and skill training, applicable to a wide variety of design issues and with opportunities to serve nearby communities.  The dual degree program offers a rich educational experience in many areas of design and planning, including sustainable development, with access to and training in the use of information technology and other new tools and techniques (e.g., GIS, LEED, Environmental Modeling, etc.).  The MRP/MArch degree program will provide its graduates with comprehensive education for professional careers in policy, planning, design and development in the public, nonprofit and private sectors.  Students must apply to, be admitted to, and meet satisfactory academic progress requirements for each program.  Prior to admission, students must complete the pre-requisite requirements for the MArch and MRP, and may be required to complete a preparatory year of study at UMass prior to the start of the dual degree program.

www.umass.edu/larp/dual-degree/mrp-march

Additional information regarding M.R.P. program options is available in the Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning section of this Bulletin.

Additional information regarding M.Arch. program options is available in the Architecture section of this Bulletin.