Why I Pursued An M. Arch Degree In USA? Angana Choudhury
The School of Planning and Architecture or SPA in New Delhi is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in India for pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Planning, or Architecture. In the year 2000 – when these institutions were still able to conduct their independent entrance exams – I was lucky to get accepted into the B. Arch program, after having performed satisfactorily through two rounds of very challenging and interesting exams that skillfully identify latent potential and aptitude for the design program. Through the 5-year bachelor’s program, I learnt a lot; not only because of what my coursework demanded, but also due to my active participation in the projects of seniors as well as my participation in various extra-curriculars that honed my multi-faceted thinking which is necessary in the field of design.
At the core of Architectural design is the requirement of looking at space – both habitable and experiential – through the senses of the user. Thus, the understanding of how a human body uses space – anthropometrics – is a key attribute that informs all exercises of spatial design. The rigors of the bachelor’s program adeptly prepares one to understand the relationship of ‘form’ and ‘function’ in any design proposal – i.e., the balance of the visual and the experiential. However, in the real world, these are not the only facets that matter. Which is why, after my B.Arch. graduation, I chose to gain some professional experience in the field by working at the design firm of a prominent architect.
With the exposure that I gained from various design projects at the firm combined with mentoring from my employer and guidance from my college seniors, I understood clearly what I lacked and thus was able to decide on what aspect of Architectural design I wanted to focus on- for my further education. This is how I arrived at the decision to study Urban Design, and began to research the best universities in the US that offered such course(s). I simultaneously prepared for GRE and TOEFL exams and put together the design portfolio and other documents that were expected to be submitted as part of the application process for the five universities that I had short-listed after my research. Doing all of that independently while also working full time, was a very challenging enterprise back then in 2006. I’m glad that students nowadays can avail well informed guidance in this process.
The offer of a ‘full scholarship’ – which included health insurance and a Teaching Assistantship (TA) position – from The University of Arizona (UofA) in Tucson, made the decision for me when I was finding it hard to choose between the three universities that had granted me admission. So, armed with a B.Arch. degree, 1.5 years of architectural work experience and a conflicting mix of excitement and apprehension; I left India for the first time, to enrol in the M.Arch. program at the UofA. Little did I know then, how stimulating the experience would be.
I had applied for on-campus university housing and was happy that I took that decision because it pushed me out of my comfort zone, connected me with students from many different nationalities and gave me the chance to make friendships that allowed me to explore local experiences such as snowboarding, canyon hikes, native American fair visits etc. I have currently begun to learn Spanish as a result of a latent desire to do so since my days of exploring the city of Tucson during my education at the university.
The TA job that was part of my scholarship package allowed me to work with the first year B.Arch. program students at the ‘University of Arizona’. I was able to apply some of my own experiences from my undergraduate days in guiding them and unexpectedly was later on able to draw from my TA work experience when I was offered a teaching role at a College of Architecture in India, a few years later. The depth of one’s knowledge is put to test through the endeavour of teaching as that can offer immense clarity of one’s own skill – I am fortunate to have experienced this in two different continents.
Apart from studying, I was able to use my time in America to travel, experience and learn from many well designed Architectural and Urban design projects and that knowledge proved beneficial later in developing case studies and reference data for work that I did for a top design firm in India. The case studies and design projects that comprise the academic coursework, along with impressive methods and standards of visual and verbal presentations, help in fine tuning one’s approach to design and one’s ability to convincingly talk about the merits of the same. The approachable nature of the professors at the University of Arizona, who even encouraged students to contradict their viewpoint with cogent counter arguments was a refreshing change in learning method that bolstered my confidence immensely. I assume this was a valuable experience that later on shaped my thought process and guided my presentation skills while working with discerning clients during my professional career in India. I noticed many times that having a Master’s degree from a reputed American university featured on my resume gave me an advantage over my colleagues when important considerations were being made by employers or clients. The push towards acquiring working knowledge of newer design software at the university, also enhanced my resume.
I can state with conviction that my decision to study abroad has rewarded me with numerous enriching experiences and has given me a better understanding of design conceptualization and presentation. The presence of many multi-national design firms in India, as well as the discerning requirements of several mid to large sized local firms means that there is promising employment potential for a candidate armed with an impressive degree and complimenting skill set.
In a creative field such as Architectural design, the most compelling reward and moment of pride is in seeing one’s ideas and hard work standing tall in three dimensions, for the visual and spatial experience of all those who interact with it.
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