The New Jersey School of Architecture (NJSOA) teaches design thinking, a cognitive process that can be applied to many endeavors. Design thinking describes a creative process of trial and error for which there is no fixed answer, only the best possible solution. The creative urge that is at the foundation of design thinking does not punch a time clock. As a result, accomplished designers are known for their commitment and rigorous work ethic. Designers today always work in teams and must be great communicators. They must be able to simultaneously zoom out to see the big picture and zoom in to consider the details.
Most students enrolling in the NJSOA intend to apply these skills to architectural practice and plan to take the licensing exam. The first step to licensure is through the undergraduate B.Arch or the graduate M.Arch degree. Architectural licensure is required to practice architecture in the U.S., and most states maintain that some, if not all principals in an architectural practice be licensed architects. As design thinking skills are increasingly appreciated by society, students are drawn to its rigor. For those students seeking a design education without the specific knowledge of how to build a building, the NJSOA offers the B.S. Arch, a non-professional degree that lays an excellent groundwork for work or further graduate education in these allied professions. Through Design Education, graduates, both with and without an architectural license, have risen to leadership positions in realms ranging from the political to the financial, from urban planning to real estate development.
While by no means limiting, the list below suggests areas that design skills (in some cases, after further study) can be applied to:
Architectural Design
Institutional
Commercial
Residential
Hospitality
Healthcare
Architectural Technology
Manufacturing
Research
Testing
Sales
Construction Management
Facilities Management
Real Estate Development
Transportation Design
Environmental Design
Lighting Design
Sustainability
Interior Design
Furniture Design
Urban Design
Urban Planning
Policy Planning
Public Service
Fine Art
Please see useful links on Career Development Information here.
