Bachelor of Architecture in Canada: A Complete Course Guide

Bachelor of Architecture in Canada is a three to the four-year program offered at top universities like UToronto, McGill University, etc. It is designed to help the students in building a foundation in architectural studies. Some of the subject areas covered by universities for architecture in Canada are Design and Construction, Sustainable Design, Structural Engineering, Architectural History, and Regulations and Safety.

• Bachelor of Architecture in Canadia is available as a Bachelors of Science (BS), Bachelors in Arts (BA), and Bachelors in Architecture (BArch).
• Total tuition fees of bachelor of architecture in Canadian universities ranges between 94,500 CAD to 230,000 CAD.
• Average salary of an architect in Canada is 154,000 CAD per annum.

Why Study Architecture from Canada?

• 7800 new job openings are expected in Canada for architects in the time frame of 2017-2026. Around 7400 new job seekers including immigrants will enter in the market around same time frame. Thus, there’s going to be a gap between supply and demand. 
• More than 50% of jobs from the replacement of old architectures will ensure generation of vacancies for new graduates.
• The basic per hour wage for architects ranges from 20.00 CAD to 59.49 CAD. 

Bachelor of Architecture in Canada: Top Universities

Some of the top universities offering Bachelor of Architecture in Canada, according to the QS News World University Ranking of 2019, are tabulated below: 

Following are some of the universities offering short courses in Canada at the undergraduate level in architecture:

Thompson Rivers University: Architectural and Engineering Technology Diploma

New Brunswick Community College: Diploma in Building Engineering Technology

Algonquin College: Ontario College Diploma in Architectural Technician

Bachelor of Architecture in Canada: Course Curriculum

Bachelor of Architecture focuses on teaching students techniques of construction and building material. Domains like cultural history, green architecture and social context are now also included as an integral part of the program.

Some of the courses which you can study in Canada are:

• Design Studio
• Visual and Digital Media
• Introduction to Cultural History
• Building Construction
• Architecture of the Urban Environment
• Digital Fabrication

Bachelor of Architecture in Canada: Admission Process

The admissions to universities in Canada offering architecture at bachelors level require international applicants to complete high school (senior secondary level). International applicants are also required to ensure that they have proof of language proficiency to submit.

The details of university-specific eligibility are discussed in detail in the sections below:

English Proficiency Requirement for International Students

International students are required to submit one of the following test scores as proof of English proficiency for admission in Bachelor of Architecture in Canada:

• IELTS: 6.5
• TOEFL (iBT): 80 to 92

Bachelor of Architecture in Canada: Admission Decisions 

Admissions to Bachelor of Architecture in Canada are highly dependent on the high school grades, portfolios, and fulfilment of core subject requirements. This means that international students should ensure that subjects like maths, physics, calculus, and English are a part of their high school curriculum. If this requirement is not met the chances of admissions to the program are reduced.

Bachelor of Architecture in Canada: Cost of Study

The major costs experienced by study abroad aspirants include the cost of undertaking various exams, tuition fees and cost of living. The detailed cost bifurcations are given below.

Pre-arrival Cost

Students have to undertake a few tests for applying in Canadian universities such as IELTS, GRE, etc. Their registration, airfare and visa fee are listed below:

• IELTS Fee: 245-250 CAD
• TOEFL Fee: 210-330 CAD
• Canada Study Permit Fee: 311 CAD

The cost of the exam varies depending on the place of application. Study permit cost includes biometric fees.

Bachelor of Architecture in Canada: Tuition Fees

Given below is a graph that compares the annual tuition fees for the top universities offering Bachelor of Architecture in Canada:

Cost of Living in Canada

The cost of living in Canada for international students contributes drastically to their expenditure. This cost is highly dependent on the type of accommodation one chooses. Given below is a table detailing the costs of living in various accommodation types:

Housing contributes to 25% of the expenditure. The remaining is books & material costing around 1800-2000 CAD (yearly). The food & beverages cost around 3,000 to 4,000 CAD monthly (depending on the lifestyle).

Bachelor of Architecture in Canada: Scholarships

The Canadian Universities offer a wide range of scholarships and prize awards to international students studying Bachelor of Architecture and thus supports them financially.

Some of these scholarships in Canada for international students are mentioned below:

For details on other scholarships available for studying in Canada, click here.

Bachelor in Architecture in Canada: Scope

Once you have completed a bachelor's in architecture, you can plan your masters in architecture from Canada or you can choose to work in Canada. As per the salary trends for the past 4 years, the average annual salary for architects has increased by an additional 4% annually (2016-2019).

Some of the high paying jobs in Canada post your bachelors are listed below with the average salary band: 

Some of the best cities in Canada, like Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Winnipeg, Ontario, and Quebec have a particularly high demand for this occupation. This is because of the construction driven economic boom experienced by these cities.

With the high demand of architects, a number of universities offering the degree and various job prospects available after pursuing it, studying Bachelor of Architecture in Canada appear to be a promising and rewarding degree for the students interested in building a career in this field.

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