Students in the architecture schools in Canada can be regarded as the hardest-working students in various institutions in Canada offering one architectural course or the other.
Their long hours are spent almost exclusively on one class: their design studio and these students are always pulling countless all-nighters.
The rest of your classes shouldn’t take any more time than classes in other majors. You get classes on practical issues like structures and systems, but your design professors will likely (at most schools) encourage you to explore many theoretical issues you don’t often have the opportunity to delve into in practice.
So you can see, architecture is demanding. You will spend a long time working than your colleagues in other majors.
Therefore to succeed in the architecture schools in Canada, you need a combination of your effort, skills and above all resilience.
These aforementioned attributes will help you deal with the exhausting studio times, lectures and project work.
It can be utterly absorbing and rewarding. When you get it right, it’s amazing. Read on to see the top architectural schools in Canada.
Is Canada good for architecture?
Canada is good for architecture because it is one of the in-demand jobs in Canada. This sometimes is attributed to the fact that there are still cities that are fast-growing.
As far as I’m aware, Canada is a nation that is always looking for an increase in population, therefore if you are an international student and you are looking to attend the architectural schools in Canada for international students, then you are on the right path.
Also, Canada is one of the countries that is having ongoing intentional growth, this makes construction-related professionals like architects be in high demand.
If you can cope with the freezing cold winters, then go for these architecture schools in Canada.
One of my friends did move there some years ago from the UK. He made it through one winter then decided it was too cold to face the next one.
Typical responsibilities for architecture graduates might include:
- Sketching, drawing and modeling client’s designs.
- Negotiating with and hiring the appropriate contractors for the project.
- Advising the client on the feasibility of their objectives based on budget, regulation and location constraints.
- Manage project progress and resolve issues as needed.
Is there a demand for architects in Canada?
According to the report of the Job Bank of Canada, 7,800 new jobs are expected to be created in this country between 2017-2026.
How much does an architect earn in Canada?
The average salary of an architect in Canada is 154,000 CAD per annum. You can work as a Designer, Drafter, Manager, Interior Designer, Landscape Architect, etc after completing of Bachelor in Architecture in Canada.
Below are the various job descriptions and how much they earn in Canadian dollars.
Architect: 116,200
Architectural Designer: 107,900
Architectural Drafter: 91,000
Architectural Manager: 145,600
Assistant Architectural Manager: 128,000
CAD Manager: 117,000
Landscape Architect: 113,000
Interior Design Assistant: 81,500
Architectural Technician: 119,000
Architecture Consultant: 120,000
Architecture Estimating Manager: 128,000
Architecture Specifications Writer: 83,000
Design and Decoration Assistant: 98,000
Drafting Supervisor: 101,000
Facility Planner: 120,000
Interior Designer: 124,000
There is a high demand for architects, therefore there are a number of architectural schools in Canada offering the degree and there are various job prospects available for architecture graduates.
The following cities in Canada are in high demand of architects:
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Winnipeg
- Ontario
- Quebec
The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in major Canadian cities
Calgary = $1,323
Montreal = $903
Ottawa = $1,517
Saskatoon= $1,087
Toronto = $1,635
Vancouver = $1,792
How long does it take to become an architect in Canada?
Bachelor in Architecture in Canada takes 3-4 years to complete.
Masters and diplomas from Canadian universities require a duration of 1.5 to 2 years and 6 months to 1 year respectively.
Monthly Living expenses in Canada
Rent and Utilities = $550
Food = $350
Transportation = $80
Phone and Internet = $45
Miscellaneous = $200
Total = $1,225
It can vary based on people’s way of spending.
Annual tuition fees for the top universities offering Bachelor of Architecture in Canada
University of Toronto = 55,432
University of Waterloo = 51,600
Ryerson University = 36,610
Laurentian University = 34,098
Carleton University = 33,061
BCIT = 23, 931
McGill University = 23,643
The List of 12 architecture schools in Canada
This list includes the top undergraduate architecture schools in Canada and also schools that offer masters in architecture in Canada.
- University of British Columbia
- University of Toronto
- McGill University
- University of Waterloo
- Carleton University
- Université de Montréal
- Ryerson University
- University of Calgary
- Université Laval
- Dalhousie University
- University of Manitoba
- Laurentian University
University of British Columbia
Architecture and Architectural undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate advanced certificates and degrees are available in British Columbia.
Study for a bachelor, master or a doctorate (PhD) Architecture and Architectural degree program in British Columbia.
The Master of Architecture program at UBC is constructed to allow students with undergraduate degrees in unrelated subject areas to fulfil the expectations of a professional degree in three and a half years.
Those admitted with significant accomplishments in related design disciplines are granted advanced standing in the program up to one year of credit. They have the following programs:
- Architectural and Building Engineering Technology
- Architectural and Building Engineering Technology
- Architectural CADD and Graphics Technician
- Architectural Drafting Technician
- Architectural Science
- Architecture
- Landscape Architecture
- Building Design and Architectural CAD
School of Architecture
6333 Memorial Road
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6T 1Z2
Fax: (604) 822-3808
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is one of the world’s leading universities, but you don’t have to take our word for it. They’re consistently ranked among the world’s top 20-25 universities.
The University of Toronto is one of the architecture schools in Canada whose faculty of architecture is the second most renowned among other architecture schools in Canada.
Program(s):
Comprehensive Stream (Specialist)
Design of Architecture, Landscape, and Urbanism Stream (Specialist)
History and Theory of Architecture, Landscape, and Urbanism (Specialist)
The technology of Architecture, Landscape, and Urbanism Stream (Specialist)
John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design
230 College Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 1R2
Fax: (416) 971-2094
McGill University
The McGill School of Architecture is one of the oldest in North America. Established in 1896, the School is part of the Faculty of Engineering and has strong links with the School of Urban Planning.
Programs in Architecture at McGill University :
The School of Architecture offers programs leading to five different degrees at the Bachelor, Masters and PhD levels:
- Bachelor of Science in Architecture: B.Sc. (Arch.)
- Professional Master of Architecture: M.Arch. I
- Post-professional Master of Architecture: M.Arch. II
- Diploma in Housing: Dip. (Housing)
- Doctor of Philosophy: Ph.D. (Architecture)
The School of Architecture offers research-oriented post-professional graduate programs also leading to the Graduate Diploma in Housing, the Master of Architecture (M.Arch. II), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees.
School of Architecture
Faculty of Engineering,
Macdonald-Harrington Building
815 Sherbrooke Street West
Montréal (Québec)
H3A 0C2
Fax: (514) 398-7372
University of Waterloo
The School of Architecture at Waterloo is a leader in design education and research.
It offers a fully cooperative professional program and has been rated the greenest architecture curriculum in Canada.
It is also the only Canadian school of architecture to have a permanent international facility, which has operated since 1979 in Rome, Italy.
The school attracts top students from across Canada and around the world.
The School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo is a nationally and internationally respected design school.
It attracts top students and is dedicated to educating the best architects in the world.
Working with colleagues in related professions, our professors and students have made Waterloo Architecture a dynamic centre of research and teaching in construction, development, built heritage, “green” architecture, visualization, prototyping, and computer-assisted design.
They have the following programs:
- Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS)
- Master of Architecture (MArch)
- Co-operative Education
- Rome program
School of Architecture in Cambridge
7 Melville Street South
Cambridge, Ontario
N1S 2H4
Fax: (519) 622-3525
Carleton University
Carleton is one of the architecture schools in Canada that offers the finest architectural studies facilities in Canada.
You can take advantage of design studios with personal workspace; professionally staffed fabrication facilities for woodworking, laser and CNC cutting, and welding; an assembly room for models and full-scale projects; a technical library and reading room; and extensive computer labs.
You will take courses in architecture, design, drawing and multimedia applications, as well as specified general studies in engineering, architectural history and social sciences.
You will focus your architectural studies on one of the following: BAS Design, BAS Urbanism, or BAS Conservation and Sustainability.
Azrieli School of Architecture
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 5B6
Fax: (613) 520-2849
Université de Montréal
The School of Architecture offers two-degree programs: a Bachelor of Science in Architecture (B.Sc.Arch.) and a Master of Architecture (M.Arch.).
This is one of the architecture schools in Canada that has an individualized PhD program in architecture for those looking to further their academic studies.
The University Campus and the School of Architecture are both located in Montreal, the second-largest city in Canada.
They are situated on the north side of Mount Royal, ten minutes from Montreal’s vibrant downtown.
École d’architecture
Faculté de l’aménagement
2940, chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine
Montréal (Québec)
H3T 1B9
Ryerson University
Ryerson’s Department of Architectural Science (DAS) is the only school in Canada with a unique interdisciplinary model that integrates across three disciplines: architecture, building science and project management.
Their undergraduate program (BArchSc) enables you to choose the specialty that best suits you, and our highly selective graduate programs in architecture (MArch) and building science (MBSc, MASc and PhD) give you the opportunity to become a skilled professional and design leader.
Ryerson University isn’t just considered one of the best architecture schools in Canada it is one of the top schools in the country as well.
Department of Architectural Science
350 Victoria Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5B 2K3
Fax: (416) 979-5353
University of Calgary
This is one of the architecture schools in Canada that is committed to research and teaching that prepares architects for the future through responsive architecture, generative design, digital fabrication and integrated techniques – to be critical thinkers who engage with emerging forms of design practice in an increasingly interconnected design environment.
School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape
2500 University Drive N.W.
Calgary, Alberta
T2N 1N4
Fax: (403) 284-4399
Université Laval
As the oldest French-speaking university in North America, with over 35,000 students, Université Laval is firmly established not just as one of the top architecture schools in Canada but also as a leader among large universities worldwide.
Located in the heart of Old Québec, on the walls of the Seminary, a 17th-century architectural landmark, the School of Architecture offers a rich physical and cultural environment.
The School is well-served by public transport and numerous services. Students can find housing nearby or lodge in the campus’ residences. They offer the following programs:
- Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
- Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
- M.S. Urban Design
École d’architecture
Faculte d’aménagement, architecture
et arts visuels
1, Côte de la Fabrique
Québec (Québec)
G1K 7P4
Fax: (418) 656-2785
Dalhousie University
Of the twelve architecture schools in Canada, Dalhousie may be suited best to your academic ambitions and personal interests.
They’re located in the centre of a historic port city on the Atlantic coast.
They’re also part of the largest and most diverse university in eastern Canada.
Their school values hands-on experience in drawing, modelling, and building.
They value the integration of design, humanities, technology, and professional practice.
They also value local projects that are informed by international and historical insights.
Faculty of Architecture
5410 Spring Garden Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 1E7
Fax: (902) 423-6672
Website
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Architecture is the first faculty in Canada to offer four post-graduate, built-environment degree programs.
Through its focus on design excellence, teaching and research, the faculty demonstrate its commitment to improving the quality of the built environment and associated ecological, economic, physical and social well-being of the global community. The University of Manitoba is therefore among the 12 top architecture schools in Canada.
They offer the following programs:
- Undergraduate program
- Environmental Design
- Graduate programs
- Architecture
- City Planning
- Interior Design
- Landscape Architecture
- PhD in Design and Planning
Faculty of Architecture
201 Russell Building
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3T 2N2
Fax: (204) 474-7532
Website
Laurentian University
Experience a unique architecture program that highlights design and culture for northern Ontario with an emphasis on developing expertise in wood and sustainable materials in this university.
Focus on design, culture, technology and professional practice.
Enjoy courses on the main Laurentian University campus, and at the McEwen School of Architecture, Laurentian’s downtown satellite building.
Architecture students take electives on the main Laurentian University campus, while Design Studio and other mandatory architecture courses are held at the McEwen School of Architecture, Laurentian’s downtown site
McEwen School of Architecture (initial accreditation granted July 1, 2021)
935 Ramsey Lake Rd.
Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6
1-800-461-4030
Website
Study architecture in canada international students
As you must have known, architects are involved in the planning process of construction and must make sure that the project is completed.
Admission to architecture programs is generally competitive, and a portfolio of examples of one’s creative and/or design work is usually required.
Because architecture is a unique mixture of engineering and art, students must have a strong background in mathematics, physics, communication skills and fine arts.
Since there is now a strong reliance on computers in architectural design, students should be computer-literate as well.
Some architecture schools in Canada offer certificate degrees or diplomas in drafting; this is a similar but separate program with more emphasis on technical rather than design competency. Its admission requirements are less stringent.
Scholarships For Masters In Architecture In architecture schools in Canada
The following scholarships can be found in some architecture schools in Canada.
Teaching/ Research Assistantships:-
The University of Waterloo offers various positions to graduate students who are in good standing in the Master of Architecture.
An announcement related to the amount of TA positions available will be released before the start of each academic term.
Ontario Graduate Scholarships:-
The OGS is a merit-based scholarship where students in all disciplines of academic study are eligible to apply.
For more information, students are encouraged to visit the Graduate Studies Office Ontario Graduate Scholarship webpage.
Ontario Association of Landscape Architects Scholarship:-
The University of Guelph offers an award of 1,000 CAD to students who have completed semester three of the master of landscape architecture program.
Students will be selected on the basis of academic achievements and overall performance.
Architecture schools in Canada recommendations
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What do you think about these 12 architecture schools in Canada?