M.S. AUD Requirement Areas
The M.S. AUD program is embedded in New York City and grounds students in the processes by which urban transformation happens through its three instructional tracks: engaged design studios; tools and methods courses; and theory / analysis seminars.
Engaged design studios give students a chance to work on existing challenges with stakeholders and practitioners. Tools and methods courses expose students to a range of skills related to the intersection of design and data. Theory and analysis courses situate the technical components of the program in broader social, political, and economic contexts.
The M.S. AUD program is focused around a coordinated core curriculum. Additionally, students are required to take two elective courses that draw from an array of eligible offerings at The AAP NYC Gensler Center and select Cornell Tech classes. Electives must be at the 5000-level or higher.
M.S. AUD Learning Outcomes
Understandings / abilities that graduates of the program would acquire by end of program:
General understanding professional pathways
General understanding new / emerging modes of practice
General understanding the behavior of a wide range of urban systems
General understanding of current economic models
General understanding of urban real estate dynamics
General understanding of scenario planning, future
General understanding of urban tech
General understanding of digital tools and critical computational design
General understanding of sources of big data
General understanding of AI applications
General understanding of planning principles in NYC
General understanding of additional sources of cultural production in NYC (art, gaming)
Deeper understanding of contemporary urban discourse on ecology, urbanism, infrastructure, publicness
Deeper understanding of research methodology in the context of urbanism and architecture
Deeper understanding of contemporary ecological / climate change discourse
Ability to engage community / stakeholders
Ability to use scenario / future planning tools
Ability to communicate effectively through writing
Ability to engage AI / machine learning applications
Ability to engage basic coding functions
Ability to conduct field work, gather data
Advanced ability to engage mapping / visualization tools
Advanced ability to connect data / mapping (technology) with design
Advanced ability to synthesize and visualize complex systems
Advanced ability to translate research and theory to proposals
Advanced ability to produce compelling visual, physical and written artefacts in support of larger questions
Academic Standing
To be in good academic standing, a student must:
- Successfully complete a minimum of 12 academic credits each semester; and
- Earn a minimum semester grade point average (GPA) of 2.300; and
- Follow the prescribed program curriculum and comply with all university, college, and program policies; and
- Earn no letter grade lower than C in design.
Grades
All required courses (design studios, tools and methods courses, and theory / analysis classes) must be taken for a letter grade. Electives can be taken under the letter or satisfactory / unsatisfactory (S / U) grading basis. Classes completed with an audit grade cannot be applied toward any curricular requirement.
Specifically:
- A letter grade of C or higher is required for a design studio class (ARCH 7131 , ARCH 7132 , and ARCH 7133 ) to be applied toward the design studio requirement.
- A letter grade of D- or higher is required to apply tools and methods (ARCH 6131 , ARCH 6132 , and ARCH 6133 ) and theory / analysis courses (ARCH 6331 , ARCH 6332 , and ARCH 6333 ) toward those degree requirement areas.
- A letter grade of D- or higher or a grade of S or SX is required for an elective class to be applied toward the elective requirement.
- Students who fail to maintain these grading standards are not in good academic standing.
Independent Study
Students wishing to pursue an architecture department independent study course must complete an Architecture Independent Study form,which can be found online on the AAP Academic Forms page, endorsed by a faculty member in the department, and submit it to the architecture department office in accordance with enrollment deadlines. Independent study classes of 3 or more credits can be applied toward open elective requirements or when approved by the student’s advisor.
Advanced Standing / Transfer Credit
There is no advanced standing or transfer credit in the M.S. AUD program. All students must complete all curricular requirements at Cornell’s Gensler Family AAP NYC Center during the semesters specified.