The information below applies to Master of Architecture, MS in Architecture, Master of Landscape Architecture, and Urban Design programs, which are all run by the Spitzer School. For the interdisciplinary MS Sustainability in the Urban Environment program including its architecture track, please refer to CCNY’s Central Admissions Office.
Q: Can I visit the school?
A: Yes, please see our schedule of
tours, info sessions, and
public events. Visitors are welcome at these sessions.
Q: Can I study part-time?
A: No, all of the graduate programs at the Spitzer School are full-time.
Q: What is the application deadline?
A: Please see our
Graduate Application Instructions page for full details. New students begin in the fall only.
Q: What materials are required for admission?
A: Please see our
Graduate Application Instructions page for full details. International students should also reference the
International Students Admissions Page.
Q: What is your portfolio requirement? What should go in my portfolio?
A: A digital portfolio of creative work is required for all Spitzer School applicants. The portfolio should reflect your level of creative ability and creative process and can include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, graphic design, furniture design, photography, crafts, or other types of work. The portfolio for postprofessional programs should include design projects.Please see our
Graduate Application Instructions page for full details including the link to submit.
Q: I am a filmmaker or animated video creator. Can I include a link to this work in my portfolio?
A: Although we appreciate the skill sets involved in creating videos and animations as creative media, an architectural design portfolio is traditionally a printable PDF composed of static images. It is highly recommended that you include a series of keyframes to showcase the video in your portfolio. You may include external links in the portfolio but please understand that the admission review committee has no obligation to click on external links for network security reasons.
Q: Where should I send materials?
A:
All materials should be submitted online. You’ll find the link for uploading your portfolio within the Graduate Application Instructions page. Your portfolio should be uploaded at this link and not within the online application
Duolingo English Test scores should be submitted digitally directly by Duolingo. Credential evaluations should be submitted digitally directly by the evaluating agency.
ETS (Educational Testing Service) test score reports must be sent directly from ETS to be official. The Institutional Code for City College is 2083. City College does not use department codes.
Hard copy materials should be mailed to the Spitzer School of Architecture, Office of Graduate Affairs (120), 141 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031.
Q: Where can I fulfill the M Arch I program prerequisites of precalculus and physics?
A: You may take the classes at a college of your choosing. At City College you would take MATH 19500 Precalculus. At any other college, you should take a general 3-credit precalculus course that covers intervals, inequalities, operations on functions, inverse functions, graphing polynomial and rational functions, binomial theorem, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions and formulas. For the physics prerequisite, at City College you would take Physics 21900 Physics for Architects. At any other college, you should take a general 4-credit physics with a lab that covers vectors and forces (the most basic course). If you wish to check whether a math or physics course you are considering fulfills our prerequisite, please complete and submit
this form at least two weeks prior to the registration deadline. Submit one form for each course you are considering.
Q: Are the M Arch math and physics prerequisites available at CCNY?
A: Yes, the courses at City College are MATH 19500 Precalculus and PHYS 21900 Physics for Architects. These are both undergraduate courses, and they are available to nondegree students provided they have fulfilled any prerequisites. Please see the undergraduate nondegree
info page.
Q: If I move to New York, would I be eligible for in-state tuition?
A: Possibly. U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and individuals with certain other qualifying statuses who relocate to New York State with the intention to stay can apply for a change in residency status after living in the state for at least one year using the
CUNY Residency Form. Guidelines for completing residency form are on the CUNY website under Section IV.
Residency: “Part II.PROCEDURES TO BE USED IN MAKING DETERMINATIONS OF ELIGIBILITY FOR RESIDENT TUITION STATUS”
Q: Do you have any scholarships available? How can I apply for them?
A: We have a few merit- and need-based Spitzer Tuition Scholarship awards; these awards are competitive do not require a separate application. The maximum amount we typically award is $7,500 per semester, which covers one semester of in-state tuition. Most programs do not typically provide paid graduate assistant positions to graduate students in their first year. We are not in a position to be able to offer tuition waivers. Keep in mind that our tuition is far lower than institutions with which we compete, given that we are the only public school of architecture in Manhattan. We encourage students to apply for external scholarships, and in fact many students come in with scholarship from outside organizations or, in the case of international students, their home countries. See
Paying for School for some possibilities. U.S. citizens and permanent residents should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at
www.fafsa.ed.gov before the priority deadline of March 15 in order to be eligible for federal and state government financial assistance. CCNY’s Federal School Code is 002688. Also see
Graduate Financial Aid for more basic information.
Q: Is financial aid available?
A: If you are a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, we recommend that you file the
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in order to be considered for government low-interest loans and eligible for federal work-study positions. Be sure to list CCNY’s Federal School Code: 002688. FAFSA-based financial aid award notifications for admitted students are posted starting in March.
Q: Can you waive the graduate application fee for me?
A: As a New York State publicly funded institution, we consider application fee waiver requests from New York State residents who are eligible for in-state tuition rates only. We wish we had enough funding to offer generous support to all students in need. This is based on geography and is not a judgment regarding qualifications or potential.
Q: Any other tips?
A: We’re so glad you asked! Here are some basic but helpful tips.
- Make sure your name appears consistently on all the materials you submit. This could include your transcript, test scores, letters of recommendation, and e-mail correspondence. If your name has changed or appears differently on different documents, please alert the admissions office.
- Whenever you contact the office, specify your name and your specific program of interest. We have several different programs, so it is not enough to say “the master’s program” or “the architecture program.”
- If leaving a phone message, state your name and program of interest clearly, and leave your phone number twice.
- Be polite and use correct spelling and good grammar in all of your correspondence.
