Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program admission criteria:

• Baccalaureate Field Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Studies, Urban Planning, and other creative fields. Relevant professional experience of two or more years strongly recommended.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
• Tests Required None required for admission. 

• English Proficiency Additional information on the English proficiency test requirement for international students can be found on the UIC Admissions website. Minimum test scores for this program are:

  • Minimum English Competency Test Scores

    Exam	Score	Reading	Listening	Speaking	Writing
    TOEFL iBT (exams taken on or after January 21, 2026)	4.5	4	4	4.5	4.5
    TOEFL iBT (exams taken prior to January 21, 2026)	80	19	17	20	21
    IELTS Academic	6.5	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0
    PTE Academic	54	51	47	53	56

• Letters of Recommendation Three required.
• Personal Statement Required. The statement must address the applicant’s educational and career goals and previous pertinent work, volunteer, and/or academic experience.
• Other Requirements Applicants must submit a portfolio comprising their most important and representative visual arts, design, research, and/or professional work such as an essay, academic paper or policy report, newspaper article, photographs, handmade sketches, computer generated graphics, design proposal, or project of which they are the sole author or designer. This material may be of an academic, professional, or personal nature, and must be submitted in a PDF format and include a description of the project as well as supporting documentation, which may include images or a video. Applicants must submit a resume as well.
• Deadlines The number of students admitted is limited. Admissions are selective and competitive. Fall semester start only. Early submissions are encouraged in order to receive fullest consideration. The application deadline for this program is earlier than the Graduate College deadline; application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 36.
• Coursework A minimum 3.00/4.00 GPA is required in all work taken in the major field, and in all work accepted by the university.​

• Comprehensive Examination None.
• Thesis, Project, or Coursework-Only Options: Coursework only. No other options available.