In building science, scientific and engineering approaches are used to learn about and improve the quality of buildings. Traditionally concerned with the materials and construction of the building’s structure, building science has in recent decades expanded into how the building performs in providing inhabitable space. Berkeley’s programs in building science concentrate on aspects of this latter issue: what is good environment in and around buildings, how does one design that environment, how much energy is consumed in maintaining it, and by what technical or policy means can the energy use and the environmental impact of buildings be lessened?

Programs of Study: 

• Master of Science in Architecture 
• Ph.D. in Architecture, building science emphasis 
• Master of Architecture/ B.A. in Architecture

page links:
Master of Sciences in Architecture | Doctoral Studies in Building Sciences
Application and Financial Support | List of Building Science Courses

Master of Science in Architecture

The last two decades have seen rapid growth in the complexity of buildings and the development of specialized knowledge for their design and operation. The building profession now requires a wider range of expertise in design, operation, and management than was required in the past, and new types of professional specialists have emerged to provide this expertise. Often these experts are educated outside the traditional architecture programs, frequently through studies in other disciplines. The Master of Science was developed to offer the opportunity for advanced research in these specialized areas within an architecture curriculum. 

The MS degree offered by the Department of Architecture is an academic, non-professional degree emphasizing course work and supervised independent research in one of the following areas of study: 

• Design Theories and Methods
• Building Science
• Social Basis of Architecture and Urban Design
• History of Architecture and Urban Design
• Structures and Construction
• Environmental Design in Developing Countries

The MS Arch is intended to supplement but not supplant the Master of Architecture degree, the professional degree accredited for the practice of architecture. The MS is appropriate for those wishing to pursue specialized knowledge in the ever-broadening and increasingly complex subfields within architecture. 

Requirements for Admission 

Applicants will generally hold a degree in architecture. Under special circumstances applicants from related disciplines may be accepted into the program provided they demonstrate experience related to the discipline of architecture. A statement of intent describing research interests, supported by examples of the applicant’s research work is required. 

Program of Study 

The MS Arch is earned through a one-to-two year program of study approved by the MS/Ph.D. Committee. Students with architecture degrees must complete a minimum of 32 credit units; those with degrees in related fields a minimum of 48 units. A combined research methods course taught by a team of faculty from the research-oriented study areas is required of all students; the remaining course work will be determined by the nature of the proposed research. (See Building Science List of Courses ) 

Final Research Project: the Thesis 

The Culmination of the student’s program is a research thesis carried out independently under the direction of a three-person committee.

Doctoral Studies in Building Science

The building science field focuses on how the configuration and structure of building and site affect the utility, energy efficiency , safety, and economy of buildings. The objective of Ph.D. research in this field is improved understanding of the physical basis of how a building performs. The field may be divided into the following technical areas: 

• Environmental requirements for occupant health, comfort, and productivity
• Building thermodynamics
• Building aerodynamics
• Lighting
• Acoustics
• Building structure
• Appropriate technology
• Construction

In each case the research should be based on an appropriate combination of theory, laboratory, and field testing. 

The Ph. D. Degree 

The Department of Architecture offers the Ph.D. for research in the building science study area. A student’s program of study is usually interdisciplinary, with minors in other campus departments such as Mechanical Engineering, Psychology, or Energy and Resources. For Ph.D. graduates, employment opportunities exist in government and industry research labs, consulting practices, architectural and engineering design firms, and in architectural and engineering teaching. 

Requirements for Admission 

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of the Graduate Division and the Department of Architecture. Graduate Division requirements can be found in the General Catalog of the University of California, Berkeley. 

Qualifications for admission will be considered on an individual basis, and each applicant is expected to present evidence of preparation relevant to his/her intended area of concentration. Although it is expected that many applicants will possess a degree in engineering or architecture, students with degrees in other fields are equally encouraged to apply. 

Program Requirements 

The Graduate Division requirements govern study for a Ph.D. degree. These include a minimum of two academic years in residence as a full-time graduate student, language requirements, the qualifying examination for advancement to candidacy, and a dissertation. Additional departmental requirements include a formal year-end review of each student’s progress toward the degree. Candidates not holding a degree in architecture are required in addition to complete course work in design.

Information on Applications and Financial Support

Applications are reviewed once a year for fall admission. Application forms for admission to the MS or Ph.D. programs may be requested from the: 

Graduate Secretary 
Department of Architecture 
370 Wurster Hall #1800 
University of California 
Berkeley, CA. 94720-1800 

A Note on Financial Support:
Most students enrolled in the Building Science Programs do receive some form of financial support. Although the number of fellowships and graduate scholarships available to new students is extremely limited, building science students typically can defray a substantial part of their educational expenses by working on research projects in the Building Science Laboratory or at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. The Department of Architecture also makes a few teaching assistantships available to outstanding Ph.D. students, providing them with 13-20 hours of work per week. The department also awards a number of non-resident tuition fee waivers to out-of-state students each year. Information may be obtained from the Graduate Secretary, Department of Architecture.

List of Building Science Courses

• Introduction to Energy and Environmental Management
• Advanced Study of Energy and Environmental Issues in Design
• Methods for Building Research
• Building Energetics
• Natural Cooling and Ventilation
• Mechanical Systems for Environmental Control
• Daylighting Analysis Using Physical Models
• Field Methods in Building Science
• Daylighting Analysis Using Computer-based Visualization Techniques
• Field Methods for Assessing Thermal Comfort
• Lighting and Mechanical Engineering Design Components
• Advanced Seminars on the Physical Environment in Buildings: Lighting Design, Solar Technology, Occupant Response