Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
specialized_institute
Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)

Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)

SCI-Arc: Educating architects to imagine and shape the future through engaging, speculating, and innovating for great design in a changing world.

960 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA

About Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)

Center for architectural innovation & one of the country's few independent schools of the medium. The Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) is a world-renowned center of innovation and one of the nation's few independent architecture schools, located in a quarter-mile-long former freight depot in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles. Founded in 1972 on the concept of a 'college without walls,' SCI-Arc emphasizes an experimental perspective in architecture rather than traditional academic approaches. The school is distinguished by the vibrant atmosphere of its studios, fostering a fluid, non-hierarchical environment where approximately 500 students and 80 faculty members—many of whom are practicing architects—work together to rethink assumptions, create, explore, and test the limits of architecture. SCI-Arc offers undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs accredited by both NAAB and WASC, dedicated to finding radically new responses to the real needs and aspirations of today's world.
Program NameDetails
Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch)
Bachelor

SCI-Arc's B.Arch program is a five-year professional degree, accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), focusing on design intelligence, technological agility, and cultural awareness in a Liberal Arts-based education. The curriculum emphasizes both the discipline and practice of architecture, preparing students to be leaders in their field.

5 Years (10 Semesters)
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: First-Year Applicants: January 15. Transfer Applicants: February 15.
Bachelor of Science in Design (BS Design)
Bachelor

The Bachelor of Science in Design program prepares students for interdisciplinary creative careers in film, gaming, and data environments, using architecture as a platform for exploration. This liberal-arts-based program equips students to be visually sophisticated, spatially informed, and technologically literate designers.

4 Years
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Course Materials and Supplies are $340.00. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: January 15, 2023 (Likely similar in future years, confirm on official website)
Master of Architecture (M.Arch 1)
Master

The M.Arch 1 program is open to students holding a bachelor's degree in any field of study, providing them with the intellectual foundation, design expertise, and technical skillset necessary for the professional practice of architecture. It stresses excellence in design and a solid knowledge base in the discipline, history, theory, technology, and professional practice of architecture.

3 Years (7 Semesters)
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: January 15
Master of Architecture (M.Arch 2)
Master

The M.Arch 2 program is for students holding an undergraduate degree in architecture, focusing on contemporary tools, techniques, and technologies to expand their experience in digital design, fabrication, and critical thinking. This program propels speculative design exploration and new modes of communication, advancing formal experimentation.

2 Years (5 Semesters)
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: January 15
Master of Science in Architectural Technologies (MS.AT)
Master of Science

The Master of Science in Architectural Technologies program provides hands-on experience with emerging technologies of architectural production. Students develop a conceptual framework for understanding technology's influence on architecture and society, gaining expertise in robotic fabrication, computational methods, and additive manufacturing.

1 Year (3 Semesters)
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: January 15
Master of Science in Design of Cities
Master of Science

The Master of Science in the Design of Cities program investigates contemporary urban phenomena, taking an experimental approach to urban design. The program encourages students to develop new conceptions of 'the city' and its possibilities, clarifying the future of urbanized life.

1 Year (3 Semesters)
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: January 15
Master of Science in Fiction and Entertainment
Master of Science

The Master of Science in Fiction and Entertainment program builds new forms of architectural practice in the media industries, developing provocative narratives about alternative realities. Students work with professionals in film, fiction, animation, marketing, games, and documentary filmmaking.

1 Year (3 Semesters)
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: January 15
Master of Science in Design Theory and Pedagogy
Master of Science

The Master of Science in Design Theory and Pedagogy program prepares students for careers as architect-theorist-educators, experimenting with new forms of architectural scholarship. Students receive hands-on teaching experience within SCI-Arc's studio culture.

1 Year (3 Semesters)
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: January 15
Master of Science in Synthetic Landscapes
Master of Science

The Master of Science in Synthetic Landscapes program focuses on advancing knowledge and developing expertise in emerging topics of landscape architecture, with a focus on ecological design. The program merges architecture, urbanism, ecology, and landscape, addressing the realities of climate change.

1 Year (3 Semesters)
English
Tuition for 2025-2026 is $28,645.00 per semester. Additional fees apply.
Deadline: January 15

Performance & Metrics

Institutional Stats
0
Students
0
Faculty
0
Alumni
9
Programs
Accreditations & Affiliations
Accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) for its professional degrees (B.Arch, M.Arch 1, M.Arch 2). Also accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission. The next NAAB accreditation visit for all programs is scheduled for 2025-2026, and the next WASC accreditation visit is for 2023-2024.
Admissions
76.60% (for 2024-2025 admission)
Acceptance Rate
Deadlines
rolling_admissions
Applications received after priority deadlines are considered on a case-by-case basis as space permits.
priority_deadline_transfer_applicants_barch
March 15, 2026
priority_deadline_first_year_applicants_march_edge
January 15, 2026
Requirements
0: High School GPA (Required)
1: High School Record or Transcript (Required)
2: Recommendations (Required)
3: English Proficiency Test (Required for international applicants)
4: Personal Statement or Essay (Required)
5: SAT/ACT scores (Not required, but considered)
6: Portfolio (Optional for first-year applicants)
7: Application Fee: $85 (nonrefundable)

Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) Academic FAQ

Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) is SCI-Arc: Educating architects to imagine and shape the future through engaging, speculating, and innovating for great design in a changing world.

The acceptance rate for Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) is 76.60% (for 2024-2025 admission), reflecting the selectivity of its academic programs.

Applicants are typically required to submit: High School GPA (Required), High School Record or Transcript (Required), Recommendations (Required), English Proficiency Test (Required for international applicants), Personal Statement or Essay (Requ....

Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) provides a comprehensive curriculum including: Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch), Bachelor of Science in Design (BS Design), Master of Architecture (M.Arch 1), Master of Architecture (M.Arch 2), Master of Science in Architectural Technologies (MS.AT).

The institution maintains a student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1, ensuring personalized mentorship and studio culture.

Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) is situated in Los Angeles, United States, offering a vibrant context for architectural study.

Yes, Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) holds accreditations from: Accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) for its professional degrees (B.Arch, M.Arch 1, M.Arch 2). Also accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission. The next NAAB accreditation visit for all programs is scheduled for 2025-2026, and the next WASC accreditation visit is for 2023-2024..