SCHOOL SUBJECTS FOR ARCHITECTURE
What subjects should aspiring architects choose at school?
Choosing which subjects to study at school can be difficult - particularly if you don't want to close down your options.
Luckily, if you are thinking of studying architecture, the best thing you can do is to keep studying a broad range of subjects.
You will also need to achieve the minimum requirements for University Entrance, alongside any course specific requirement.
in your final years of high school, you should be focusing on developing your skills in the following three areas:
1 | MATHS & PHYSICS
Relevant subjects:
Mathematics with Calculus
Statistics & Modelling
Physics
2 | VISUAL ART
Relevant subjects:
Visual Art: Painting, Design, Photography, Sculpture.
Graphics
Technology
3 | WRITING
Relevant subjects:
English
History
Art History
Classics
As with all transitions from High School to University, it is useful to bear in mind that what you learnt at school will likely not map exactly on to what you will learn at University. The role of high school education is to provide you with a broad base from which to step out in to the world. University, on the other hand, is a place which opens up your thinking beyond high-school, and invites you to look at things in new ways.
For this reason, having taken all the most relevant subjects doesn't necessarily guarantee success at university. For example, in my experience, students who were taught hard-and-fast drawing rules in graphics often struggle to 'unlearn' and move beyond them, despite having more advanced technical drawing skills than others.
So, then, what is my personal suggestion?
Take the subjects that hold your interest.
But if in doubt, stick to subjects which will allow you engage with concepts, and thinking processes, rather than the learning of rules or specific methods of presentation. Examples of these types of subjects might be Calculus, Painting, and English. Otherwise, be aware that chances are you'll have to unlearn rules once you move past school.
