Environment Behavior and Place Studies Emphasis

Environment Behavior and Place Studies (EBPS) focuses on the behavioral and experiential aspects of person-environment relationships and their implications for environmental design and research. The program examines varying philosophic and methodological approaches to issues in environment behavior and place experience. Approaches to these issues range from quantitative, explanatory styles of research, emphasizing analytic philosophies, pragmatic strategies and solutions, to qualitative, descriptive styles emphasizing continental philosophical concerns. Within this framework, students’ programs of study and research are individualized to meet particular interests and needs. After completing an introductory core curriculum, students may choose to concentrate on a specific environmental problem or approach, or to work creatively to combine several approaches and issues. Within environment behavior and place studies, areas of focus can include community and facility design for special populations, experience of place and landscape, project planning and programming, or a special focus meeting the particular educational and career goals of an individual student. Students, in consultation with the advisor, combine elective courses within and outside the College to meet the needs of their specific areas of focus.

Required coursework

All MS Arch students will be required to take a class that provides them with the tools to facilitate in-depth academic research. This class, Research Methods in Architecture, also includes graduate students in Landscape Architecture and Regional and Community Planning. Other coursework will be determined by the selected area of emphasis and individual programs of study.

Non-thesis Option

ARCH 720         Environment and Behavior                        3
ARCH 704         Topics in Environment & Behavior          3
ARCH 725         Research Methods/Architecture              3
ARCH 830         Advanced Architectural Studies               5-8
Electives                                                                                  13-16

TOTAL CREDITS                                                                     30

Or

Thesis Option

ARCH 720         Environment and Behavior                        3
ARCH 704         Topics in Environment & Behavior           3
ARCH 725         Research Methods/Architecture               3
ARCH 899         Thesis                                                            8         
Electives                                                                                   13

TOTAL CREDITS                                                                      30

Recommended Elective Credits

ARCH 703 Environmental Aesthetics                                   3
ARCH 710 Topics in Design Methods                                   3
ARCH 715 Topics in Architecture                                         3
ARCH 730 Environment and Aging                                      3
ARCH 740 Building-Related Health & Safety Health           3
ARCH 680 Development Analysis                                         3
IAR 730 Facility Management                                                3

Any of the thirteen elective credits in the Environment-Behavior and Place Studies Emphasis may be taken outside the Department. Courses in other Departments including Philosophy, Anthropology, Art and History may be considered, pending approval of the student’s advisory committee.

Graduate Emphasis in Gerontology

An optional interdisciplinary program, the Gerontology emphasis is designed to be taken concurrently with or in addition to a disciplinary graduate degree program. Six of the thirty required hours for the MS Arch degree can be applied to this emphasis. This program requires an additional six credit hours taken within the curriculum of the Center for Aging.