School of Architecture and Design

The School of Architecture and Design (SA+D) offers five undergraduate programs—architecture, interior design, visual communication, multimedia design and design management—and a graduate program in urban planning. The curriculum in all programs is based on the North American model, which integrates liberal studies with professional education. All undergraduate students begin their first-year studies in the school’s highly effective Foundations Program. In the upper years, design studios form the core of the undergraduate programs.

The School of Architecture and Design is committed to providing a comprehensive education that enables its graduates to make significant contributions to the Gulf region and the broader global community through conscientious participation in practice.

The School of Architecture and Design believes that good design results from a combination of three major elements: a deep understanding of culture, ethical engagement in society, and respect for the creative skills needed to establish a sustainable built environment.

The school is dedicated to hands-on technical skills and competence in digital and other advanced media, to the pursuit of aesthetic investigations, and to fostering a regional and cultural awareness and the responsibility for creating humane environments.

SA+D prepares students for careers in the following fields:

• architecture, interior design, town planning
• graphic design, advertising, packaging design, illustration, animation, multimedia applications, computer simulations, video
• heritage and culture management, exhibition design and publicity, general design consulting

The faculty members serving in the School of Architecture and Design have been selected on the basis of their high qualifications and a familiarity with a university education based on the American model. All members of the teaching staff are practicing professionals who combine mastery in teaching with continuing growth in their respective disciplines.