Belmont is establishing a Bachelor of Architecture degree through the O’More School of Design, starting in the fall of 2020, university President Dr. Robert Fisher announced Friday morning.
“Over the past few months, we’ve been intensely considering how we might create an opportunity for our students and others in our community to become licensed, credentialed architects,” Fisher said.
The five-year program will be offered to freshmen starting in the fall of 2020, allowing students to seek a license after achieving their professional degree.
Belmont’s new program will bridge a gap in the community, being the first of its kind in Middle Tennessee and the second in the state.
“We think this five-year program is right for Belmont and especially right for Nashville,” Fisher said.
Provost Dr. Thomas Burns is excited about meeting a growing need in Nashville as well, he said.
“In a 150-mile radius from Nashville, you can’t find an architecture program,” Burns said.
Following their degree, students will be prepared to attend the required three-year Architectural Experience Program and will be able to take the Architectural Registration Exam, Burns said.
The university is also seeking accreditation from the National Architectural Accrediting Board, he said.
When compared to other cities such as Austin, Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina, Nashville appears behind the curve in its number of employed architects, according to a press release from Belmont.
“The region seems ripe for more creative architects who are well equipped to plan, design and construct homes, businesses, places of worship and so much more.”
Because of all this, Dr. Fisher expects the program to be a success for Nashville, he said.
“We feel like it’s time for the aspiring architects, such as myself, to get officially credentialed.”
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Photo by Sam Simpkins, courtesy of Belmont’s Office of Communication