Overview

The Master of Building Science MBS program offered at University of Southern California is intended for students with a degree in architecture, engineering or related areas. The typical program length is two years. Students with a professional five-year architecture degree may qualify for advanced standing. Studies are centered around each student’s thesis and are supported by research seminars and electives from architecture, engineering and other related fields. Students are individually guided through their study and thesis by three faculty advisors.

The faculty has academic, research and professional practice experience in architecture, civil and structural engineering, environmental control system design, and computer applications. Many papers based on thesis work have been co-authored by faculty and students have been published and/or presented at professional conferences.

The need exists for a new generation of professionals whose education has prepared them to fully participate in bringing appropriate technology to the building and rebuilding of humane and supportive cities.

Within this context, the program emphasizes:

The integration of planning, design and technology to form a coherent and interdependent force for the appropriate construction of urban places
Recognition of the ecological importance of energy-conscious design and construction as well as the high social value of places in which natural forces and systems are being utilized rather than suppressed
The development of research and design methods suited to the complexity of building in urban settings and effective in the use of extensive information.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Designing with Natural Forces
Architectural Sustainability Tools and Methods
Theories of Computer Technology
Material + Process: Material Systems
Current Topics in Building Science
Advanced Surface Tectonics: Methods in Material and Enclosure
Sustainability in the Environment: Infrastructures, Urban Landscapes, and Buildings
Conservation Methods and Materials
Sustainable Conservation of the Historic Built Environment
Descriptive and Computational Architectural Geometry
Seismic Design
Parametric Design
Sustainable Design for Healthy Indoor Environments
Lighting Design

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-24 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-01 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-07-01 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

48 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Los Angeles, United States

Disciplines

Architecture Civil Engineering & Construction Materials Science View 308 other Masters in Architecture in United States

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GRE^®

Required

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

USC Graduate Online Application
Application fee
Transcripts
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
Resume and/or Curriculum Vitae
Statement of Intent
Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
Portfolio and/or Writing Sample
English Proficiency Requirement
Financial Document(s) and Passport Copies.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

73260 USD / year

≈ 73260 USD / year
Out-of-State

73260 USD / year

≈ 73260 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

73260 USD / year

≈ 73260 USD / year

Living costs

Los Angeles

United States

1520 - 2570 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

MPOWER Financing No cosigner. No collateral. No hidden fees.

Check your Eligibility

Get the funding you need to study in the U.S. or Canada - with a process that's fast, simple, and built for international students.

Flexible loans from US$2,001 to US$100,000
Fixed interest rates -- no inflation surprises
No upfront fees or prepayment penalties
Accepted at 500+ universities across the U.S. & Canada
100% online application -- instant conditional offer
Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Master of Building Science.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Within this context, the program emphasizes:

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Los Angeles

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners