Overview
Practicing Design Professionals Lead BAC Students Through a Concurrent Academic and Practice-Based Curriculum
The Boston Architectural College (BAC) is an independent, professional college in Boston's historic Back Bay region that awards both bachelor's and master's degrees in the fields of architecture, interior design, design studies, and landscape architecture.
Originally founded as an architect's club in the 1880s, the BAC has had an ongoing, symbiotic relationship with the professional community of practicing architects and designers, both near and far, in Boston and around the world. BAC's faculty itself is evidence of this approach, as it is composed of practicing professionals that often volunteer their time.
Perhaps the most unique characteristic of the BAC approach is its "concurrent learning model," which combines academic classroom learning with actual fieldwork in a professional setting. This model is focused on connecting the theoretical with the practical. Students earn credit at more than 300 design firms during the day and then attend evening classes two or three nights per week.
In concert with the BAC's other unique strengths, which are focused on fusing the art of design with the crafts of construction, the concurrent approach has shown to be successful at preparing undergraduates to test for licensure upon receipt of their bachelor's degrees.
The Boston Area, with Its Thriving Creative Community, Is Ideal for BAC and Its Concurrent Learning Approach
From its location in Boston's famous Back Bay, BAC plays a dual role for the region and the professional practices it represents by being a hub of Boston-area design activity as well as a powerful advocate for maximizing the creation, implementation, and sharing of new ideas in education and professional design.
BAC classrooms are located at 320 Newbury Street and 100 Massachusetts Avenue, while the school's close ties to the professional design community enable students to obtain on-the-job experience at one of over 300 design firms.
To further enrich the curriculum, Boston Architectural College relates to the region on a "two-way street," that is, the school brings in creative professionals to its lectures and presentations, while also encouraging students to reach out to the various people and places that expand their educational horizons.
The BAC's location makes hosting lectures convenient and accessible for regional participants, who come to the campus to share on such topics and issues as architecture, interior and landscape design, real estate development, and urban planning, among others.
The Cascieri Lectureship in the Humanities, an annual series, brings noted lecturers in each spring to discourse on the connections between design and the humanities. In coordination with the annual Cascieri event, both design professionals and students showcase their work to the public at large in two exhibition spaces.
Degree Programs, Special Offerings Are All Brought to Life for BAC Study by Working Design Professionals
Boston Architectural College's faculty members of practicing professionals, drawn from local design firms, arrive at BAC in the late afternoon or evening for classes or studio work, following a workday spent as a professional designer. Acting as mentors and advisers on student projects, these committed instructors may also serve on one or more of the college's committees.
In the spirit of collaboration and volunteerism that has characterized Boston Architectural since its earliest days, many faculty members donate their services to BAC and its aspiring, ambitious students.
BAC offers undergraduate and graduate level first professional degree programs in architecture and interior design. In addition, a first professional degree in landscape architecture is offered to undergraduates, and the college also offers a bachelor's degree in design studies. Boston Architectural's continuing education department also offers certificate programs in design-related fields, as well as courses and seminars for both professionals and the public.
As a final special offer for undergraduates, Boston Architectural College offers unique programs online, including an eight-week series toward a certificate in sustainable design taught by green building professionals.
Boston's Rich Resources Expand the Cultural, Educational, and Recreational Horizons of BAC's Student Body
The greater Boston area is one that has a unique and rich history, along with many cultural, artistic, educational, and recreational resources that expand the horizons of BAC students. A walk along the Freedom Trail can bring Revolutionary War history alive, providing understanding of the style and substance of the Boston region. The famous Old North Church, the U.S.S. Constitution, and the Bunker Hill Monument also offer fascinating clues to the development of the American mind and heart, and insight into the evolution of regional culture.
Cultural and artistic resources abound in the region, and BAC students will find exhibits of current interest in the many area museums. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Museum of Science, the Fogg Art Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts are just a very few of the numerous rich, varied educational resources available.
Boston also offers incredible dining and entertainment options to satisfy every taste. Chinatown offers authentic Asian feasts while the North End is the place for truly classic Italian cuisine. Throughout the area, BAC students will find international cuisine, from seafood, Spanish tapas, and Irish pub fare to French-Cambodian delicacies, traditional American food, and countless other ethnic wonders.
Boston's venerable Theatre District offers numerous entertainment options, from small musical productions to Broadway-bound hits, and every taste can find satisfaction in terms of music, movies, dance, and art galleries. Recreational opportunities (spectator and participant) are nearly unlimited, with NFL football, hiking, skiing, boating, and every other activity being pursued through all four seasons.
