Assessment of an Architectural Engineering Technology Program

Orla LoPiccolo M. Arch, PDip (CM), Architect

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Conference: Middle Atlantic ASEE Section Spring 2021 Conference
Location: Virtual
Publication Date: April 9, 2021
Start Date: April 9, 2021
End Date: April 10, 2021
Page Count: 8
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--36286
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/36286
Download Count: 200

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Orla LoPiccolo M. Arch, PDip (CM), Architect State University of New York, College of Technology at Farmingdale

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Orla Smyth LoPiccolo is a registered architect, professor and Chair of the Department of Architecture and Construction Management, where she has taught fourteen different courses since 2008. She earned her undergraduate and professional degree with honors from the Dublin Institute of Technology, and Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Ireland, and her post-professional degree in Architecture Urban Regional Design from New York Institute of Technology. Subsequently, Professor LoPiccolo earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Building Construction Management from New York University and Passive House Designer Certification from the Passivhaus Institut, Germany. She has private sector architecture and construction project management experience in both Dublin, Ireland and New York, and she has over 10 years of public sector experience as an architect and a Community Development Project Supervisor with the Town of Islip. In addition, Professor LoPiccolo was an adjunct assistant professor in the School of Architecture and Design at NYIT for five years. She is an active member of numerous on and off campus committees including: FEC (chair), ASC, AAS, Public Art Task Force (former chair), Calendar Committee (former chair), Sustainability Committee, and the American Society of Engineering Education. She has also written and presented 19 scholarly papers on innovative pedagogy including improving student spatial reasoning, teaching sustainable construction methods, and service learning. Professor LoPiccolo was awarded the Phenomenal Woman for 2018 Award, Office of Student Activities and the Student Government Association, Farmingdale State College, the Innovative Pedagogy Award, Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology, Farmingdale State College in 2017, the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2018 and the American Institute of Architects, Long Island Chapter Educator Award, 2019. She is currently serving as Chair of the Department of Architecture and Construction Management.

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Abstract

Students applying to a four-year ABET accredited B.Sc. Architectural Engineering Technology Program often question how this program differs from a five-year pre-professional NAAB accredited Bachelor of Architecture program, other than the duration of study. Although Architectural Engineering Technology graduates have traditionally been the support staff to licensed architects, graduates from this program can also become licensed architects in many states. To reach this goal however, it takes Architectural Engineering Technology graduates four years longer post-graduation than their Bachelor of Architecture peers in New York State. This time lag places B. Sc. Architectural Engineering Technology graduates at a disadvantage, and may affect the enrollment, retention, and graduation rates for this type of program. Additionally, students from both programs have the opportunity to reduce the time to licensure by one year by completing an NAAB accredited Master of Architecture Program. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the need for architectural technicians in the job market, and to assess and compare a four-year B.Sc. Architectural Engineering Technology Program to an NAAB-accredited five-year Bachelor of Architecture program. The relative benefits of offering students different tracks to provide both options at one institution will also be evaluated. Two main questions are asked: Is it feasible to maintain a B.Sc. Architectural Engineering Technology Program and offer a pre-professional NAAB Bachelor of Architecture Program at the same institution? Alternatively, how would the addition of a NAAB accredited Master of Architecture Program to the ABET Architectural Engineering Technology Program benefit graduates? A qualitative survey of students in an Architectural Engineering Technology Program will also be presented. This assessment was funded by a Title III Students First campus grant for assessment. The relative benefit of performing a periodic program assessment of this type for programs in general will be discussed.

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LoPiccolo M. Arch, PDip (CM), Architect, O. (2021, April), Assessment of an Architectural Engineering Technology Program Paper presented at Middle Atlantic ASEE Section Spring 2021 Conference, Virtual . 10.18260/1-2--36286