Shaksz
Studied Architecture - now I don't want to work in that field. Any related fields?
Hello.
I have finished a degree in Environmental Architecture. I have one month left to graduate, but I don't want to work as an architect. I realised that it is not the field for me around a year ago. However I thought it would be a waste to let go of the 3 years I finished when I am so close to graduating so I didn't switch programs. Now that I have a bachelors in Architecture, I don't want to start over again with another bachelor, what other fields of study can I pursue that are related to Architecture?
#health #design #architecture #environment #bachelors #talent
2 answers
Gary Petito
Gary’s Answer
Hi,
Well, sorry it took so long to figure out but I do not think all is lost or you wasted your time...here is a link with good information on Architecture related careers:
https://career.berkeley.edu/architecture/Architecture.stm
Urban & Regional Planning
Landscape Architecture
Sustainable Environmental Design
Interior Design
Since you majored in Environmental Architecture, Environmental Studies may be a good career choice for you as well as Urban/Regional Planning and any type of design careers. I think it would be good and important to figure out what you want to do and what you are interested in as well.
Good luck!
Andy Wang
Andy’s Answer
Hi Shaksz,
That definitely a good question. I know many people who work in fields unrelated to their undergraduate degrees (myself included). So what you really need to answer is what do you enjoy about architecture and what is it about that career path that doesn't appeal to you. Have you interned at a firm and found it not to your liking? Do you enjoy the artistic aspects of it or the more analytical aspects?
Video games is a big industry and always needs people who can design good virtual spaces. One of our principal artists and the artist in charge of designing the buildings and style for CityVille worked as an architect before doing games. Here's a feature article from Popular Mechanics on him:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/a6513/the-architect-who-built-cityville/
Hopefully that can give you some insight into what someone with an architecture background can do in video games.
Another option is graduate school. If you want to go into a completely different field you don't necessarily need to complete another bachelor's program. You may need to take prerequisites and standardized tests. As for myself, I got my bachelor's degree in biology but now I'm an artist. While I did enjoy the research that I did in biology, my passion was for art. So after I finished my undergraduate degree I applied to art schools for my Master of Fine Arts.
There are many options available. I encourage you to figure out what you enjoyed about architecture in the first place and try to build from there. But you needn't limit yourself if you want to try something completely different.
Good luck to you.
Thank you Andy, that was very helpful! I did take a course in games design and I did enjoy it - actually got A+ in that course. However I didn't know if people would hire someone who only has an architecture background in a field of gaming. I shall follow up on your advice and see where it takes me :)
Shaksz