Coursework

All full-time students accepted in the CUA Master's in Architecture are eligible to enter this concentration. The SSCS curriculum functions within the normal 2 (or 3) year long Master's program and demands students to take at least 2 concentration studios and 3 concentration elective classes. Concentration's courses cover SSCS content from a variety of perspectives including design, typology, semiotics, phenomenology, history/theory, religion, and science. As in most architecture programs, the design studio constitutes the central learning environment where graduate students study, apply, test, and develop architectural skills and knowledge. Although not required, most SSCS students naturally choose their Master's thesis to focus on subjects germane to the concentration interests.

In addition to the concentration electives, other opportunities exist. The two most obvious ones are the WALTON STUDIO and the SPIRIT OF PLACE program. The Walton Studio is offered every fall and involves bringing a world-class architect, the Walton Critic, to teach with Professor Julio Bermudez. The pedagogy and curriculum of this studio are designed to align with the architectural methodology and philosophy of the renowned visitor. The other unique opportunity is the award-winning Spirit of Place | Spirit of Design workshop. Led by architect Travis Price, this is an off-campus design-build intense studio exploring the spirit of place through historic and contemporary architecture and landscapes in (depending on the particular year) the Middle East, Asia, South America and Europe. Other studio-based Foreign Study programs are sometimes offered, providing students a chance to explore European cultural contexts in cities such as Rome, Barcelona and Paris. The SSCS concentration also takes advantage of the National Geographic Society, as well as courses drawn from the university's School of Theology and Religious Studies, the departments of anthropology and art, and courses offered through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

The school also offers a one-and-a-half, post-professional Master of Architectural Studies, an excellent program for individuals interested in immersing themselves in the study of sacred space and cultural issues in architecture. This Master's program gives a great deal of autonomy to each student who may customize their studies based on her/his specific goals and interests  

SSCS courses to be offered at the School of Architecture during the 2020-21 Academic Year:

Fall 2020
ARPL 601/603/701: the WALTON Studio (Prof. Julio Bermudez w/ the 2020 Walton Critic Marshall Brown)
ARPL 515: Beauty & Brains (Prof. Milton Shingberg)
ARPL 694: Independent Study

Spring 2021
ARPL 601/603/701: Graduate Studio in DC (Faculty to be defined)
ARPL 618:  Theory of Sacred Space and Cultural Studies (Prof. Julio Bermudez)
ANTH 630: Sacred Cities of the World (Prof. Anita Cook)
ARPL 694: Independent Study

Summer 2021
Classes to be defined.