Department of Architecture
The UAE's #1 Architecture Program (QS Rankings, 2025)
The Department of Architecture is home to a vibrant community of aspiring architecture and interior design students studying within the dynamic context of the UAE. Our distinguished faculty of accomplished architects, designers and scholars from around the world contribute to making the department a center for academic excellence in the heart of the Middle East. With a commitment to hands-on learning, critical thinking and pushing the boundaries of design, the department provides a stimulating and rigorous learning environment in each of our two degree programs.
Our architecture and interior design programs stand out for their integration of applied learning, enabling students to understand the foundations of design with the opportunity to explore through the act of making. Design-build studio projects and a host of elective courses focused on fabrication and craft allow architecture and interior design students to understand how materials are shaped and assembled into built form. Open studio spaces, state-of-the-art workshops and cutting-edge technology form an ecosystem for experimentation and innovation. |-BREAK-|
Several international study and travel opportunities form additional components of a comprehensive education that enable our students to broaden their interests and horizons beyond the design disciplines. Students from AUS are sought after by the top firms in the region and are regularly admitted to top graduate programs around the globe. The Department of Architecture is dedicated to producing highly skilled and critically thoughtful design leaders who are well equipped to positively impact the built environment and successfully navigate the challenges of the 21st century.
Programs
Explore our degree programs:
Accreditation
The degree programs offered by the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) are accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. CAA accreditation involves rigorous and periodic self-study and evaluation by an external team.
The Bachelor of Architecture program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) of the United States. This is the first program outside of North America to receive this prestigious accreditation. NAAB is the only organization authorized to accredit professional degree programs in architecture in the United States.
In the United States, most registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit professional degree programs in architecture offered by institutions with U.S. regional accreditation, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted an eight-year term, an eight-year term with conditions, or a three-year term of initial accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established education standards. Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may require a non-accredited undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the non-accredited degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The American University of Sharjah College of Architecture, Art and Design offers the following NAAB-accredited degree program:
BArch (159 undergraduate credits)
The Bachelor of Architecture degree awarded by the American University of Sharjah is recognized by the Government of India (Council of Architecture) under Section 15(1) of the Architects Act, 1972, which governs the registration of architects in India.
Next accreditation visit: 2030
- National Architectural Accrediting Board Accreditation (NAAB)
- NAAB Conditions and Procedures
- All interim progress reports and narratives of program Annual Reports submitted since the last team visit
- All NAAB responses to any Plan to Correct and any NAAB responses to the program Annual Reports since the last team visit
- The most recent decision letter from NAAB
- The Architecture Program Report (APR) submitted for the most recent visit
- NCARB ARE pass rates
- Career Development Information
- Admissions and Advising
- Advancement in the Second Year
Formal Admission to the Major
The number of seats in interior design is limited. Formal admission is competitive. Only the most highly qualified foundations year program students will be admitted. To be considered for formal admission to the interior design major, a student must successfully complete the following minimum requirements:
- all four foundations year program studio courses (DES 111, DES 112, DES 131, DES 132)
- a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 out of 4.00 in DES 111 and DES 112
- a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 out of 4.00 in DES 131 and DES 132
- DES 121 Introduction to Architecture, Art and Design History and DES 122 Modern Developments in Architecture, Art and Design
- MTH 111 Mathematics for Architects or its prerequisite (MTH 003), or MTH 103 Calculus I
- at least one course in writing (WRI) at the 100 level or above
- a minimum of 27 undergraduate credit hours (credit hours earned including the above courses)
- a minimum CGPA of 2.30
In addition, selection for formal admission to the second year may include portfolio review.
Formal notification of admission will be announced by the College of Architecture, Art and Design by the first week of the summer term after the release of the final grades by the Office of the Registrar at the end of the spring semester.
In the event that there are more students who qualify for formal admission than available seats, candidates will be admitted based on academic achievement, and a waiting list will be established. However, if there are fewer students who qualify for formal admission than available seats, consideration will be given to students who have applied for a change of major. If seats are still available at the time of fall registration, consideration will also be given to students who fulfilled requirements during summer term. The same formal admission criteria apply.
Only students formally admitted to the major are eligible for registration in the second-year studio course.
Note: A student who is formally admitted to the second year and wants to repeat the IDE 201 studio must compete for the limited number of seats in second-year studio courses based on the criteria for formal admission to the major.
- Student Financial Information
The Design-Build Initiative
The AUS College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) is proud to be one of the few colleges in the Middle East to offer students a comprehensive studio experience alongside involvement in real-world architecture projects. Through CAAD’s Design-Build Initiative (DBI), CAAD faculty integrate hands-on construction projects into the architecture curriculum, providing students with valuable experience from design through fabrication and construction. CAAD’s completed DBI projects have garnered significant recognition, including three Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Design-Build awards, an ACSA Collaborative Practice Award, three Journal of Architectural Education publications and eight regional American Institute of Architects design awards.
Check out our latest projects in the gallery below:
Faculty
Our internationally acclaimed faculty helps develop and mentor the department’s students, working closely with them to challenge, inspire and support them with their projects and research.
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CAAD Fellowship
Advance your teaching and creative practice
Every year, CAAD invites applications for a 10-month fellowship in the Department of Architecture. This fellowship carries the title of Assistant Professor and enables early to mid-career applicants to develop their teaching and pursue a scholarly or creative project. Fellows receive mentorship, funding and access to world-class facilities, including CAAD’s labs. Teaching opportunities include beginning design, architectural design, interior design, fabrication, integrated design, building technology and computation. For more information or to apply, click here.
Alumni and Careers
AUS architecture graduates are the top choice for employers in the UAE (QS Rankings by Narrow Subject 2024). Many students secure positions with leading firms before graduation or gain admission to top graduate programs worldwide. Through our strong industry partnerships, they also benefit from valuable internships and hands-on experience, preparing them for successful global careers.
Career Development
Students in the Department of Architecture may contact the department’s internship advisor or career advisor for guidance on future employment, graduate study options and professional opportunities.
CAAD alumni may access a range of career services, including use of the free online career portal and career counseling support through the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs.
Additional regional online resources include the following platforms:
Other Alumni Services
- Transcripts
For transcripts, please contact the Office of the Registrar, which maintains all academic records and issues official transcripts. Please use this form to make your request. You may contact the Office of the Registrar at:
Tel +971 6 515 2031 | [email protected] | [email protected]
- Alumni ID Cards
For alumni ID cards, please contact the Security Department, located on the Mezzanine Floor of the Main Building. Please bring a passport-size photo with you in order for your ID to be issued. The department is open from 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Alumni ID cards are typically processed within five minutes. Early arrival is recommended.
Your alumni ID card allows access to the AUS campus and provides complimentary use of the library and Sports Complex.
- Alumni Email Account and Online Community
Alumni are entitled to a free @alumni.aus.edu email account, which also provides access to the AUS alumni online community. If you need assistance setting up your account or resetting your password, please contact [email protected].
Alumni Testimonials
Dunia Abu Shanab
MArch II | +UC Berkeley
The architecture program at AUS gave me the opportunity to be mentored by successful professionals while developing my skill set and preparing me for the industry. Being at AUS has not only taught me how to excel at my career but also taught me to love what I do and discover myself through it. The contacts I have made and experiences I have had will serve as valuable resources throughout my professional and academic career.
Amin Alsaden
PhD Candidate | Graduate School of Design, Harvard University
The lasting impact of AUS stems from the fact that, for me, it was a place and period of exploration, which perhaps reflected the early experience of the young institution. Guided while expected to go astray, we were inspired by instructors who combined the rigor of higher education and specificity of the discipline with the open-endedness and vast exposure afforded by liberal education. Aside from the theoretical and practical tools we acquired, this was a time of immense personal transformation and growth that impressed upon students the imperative of expecting more from ourselves, and from the world.
Maryam Mudhaffar
Masters of Architectural History | The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, UCL
Ever since I joined AUS in 2007, architecture and design have become an integral part of my life both as an academic and a professional. My undergraduate education has allowed me to explore and engage with the socio-cultural, political and economic factors that shape the contextual frameworks in which conceptual and tangible manifestations are materialized in the Gulf – it fundamentally developed my creativity as a designer and my curiosity as a researcher.
CAAD on Instagram
Events and News
Contact Us
General inquiries
[email protected]
Jason Carlow
Head of Department
Tel +971 6 515 2886
[email protected]
Jameela Muhammad Saleem
Senior Administrator
Tel +971 6 515 2805
[email protected]
