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Academics • College of Architecture • Dual and Joint Degrees

Master of Architecture OR Master of Urban Design + Master of Social Work

Offered in conjunction with the Brown School, this unique joint degree program, which has a long tradition at Washington University, links the concerns of physical design with social welfare and practice. The intent is to educate and prepare architects and urban designers to understand the built and urban environment through the lens of social work values, and to be responsive to the emotional, social, and physical needs of individuals, families, and communities.

Questions about the MArch or MUD portion of this program should be addressed to:

samfoxgradadmissions@wustl.edu

Questions about the MSW portion of this program should be addressed to:

Office of Admissions & Recruitment
Brown School
314.935.6676
brownadmissions@wustl.edu

Curriculum Requirements

Students from this joint-degree program earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the Brown School and a Master of Architecture or a Master of Urban Design (MUD) degree from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.

  • Students entering the MArch 2 program who have also been admitted to the MSW program will need three-and-a-half to four academic years of study split between the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design and the Brown School.
  • Students entering the MArch 3 program who have also been admitted to the MSW program will need four-and-a-half to five academic years of study split between the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design and the Brown School.
  • Students admitted to the MUD/MSW program spend a minimum of two semesters in the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design completing the MUD requirements and four semesters in the Brown School meeting the MSW requirements.

Architecture courses such as urban planning, decision theory and design methods, and social and behavioral factors in planning and design may apply toward the social work degree.

Students may start their initial year in either school for both the MArch/MSW and MUD/MSW joint degree programs.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of these joint degree programs are prepared to work in community development and planning, housing rehabilitation, and residential design for at-risk populations, such people who are elderly, economically disadvantaged, or have developmental disabilities.