Courses of Study 2023-2024 
    
    Oct 07, 2024  
Courses of Study 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Architecture – M.S. AUD


Post-Professional Master of Science Advanced Urban Design


The New York City-based Master of Science, Advanced Urban Design program (M.S. AUD) prepares graduates to engage pressing urban, environmental and social issues with the tools of design. The program offers a specialized course of study at the intersection of urban systems, ecologies, technologies, and data in order to ask big questions, to address contemporary wicked problems, and to invigorate public realms. 

Participants in the program deepen their understanding of a range of conceptual topics while developing abilities to uncover, visualize, and translate data into designs of material, spatial, and experiential consequence. The program supports citizen-urbanists interested in making a difference through design in pursuit of new forms of engaged spatial practice. Graduates of the program will be agents of urban change, equipped with advanced skills and with expanded knowledge to apply those skills in meaningful ways.

Instruction Mode: In person

Program Location: New York City, New York (Gensler Family AAP NYC Center)

Length of Program: 3 semesters; 42 academic credits; full-time study

The M.S. AUD is designated as a STEM program in Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology (CIP code 04.0902) making international graduates eligible to extend their F-1 visas for up to three years to work in the United States.

M.S. AUD Degree Requirements


Fall Semester: New York City


Total Credit Hours: 15

Spring Semester: New York City


Total Credit Hours: 15

Total Credit Hours: 12

Total Academic Credits: 42


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

M.S. AUD Policies


Students are expected to follow all university, college , and program policies. Failure to comply with any policy or petition decision may result in review by the program committee.

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.

Studio Culture


The department’s Studio Culture Policy is available on the architecture department website.

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.