Dunwoody Architectural Drafting & Design

Dunwoody’s Architectural Drafting & Design program prepares students for careers in architecture, building design, and construction industries. Learn a wide array of design technologies, including sketching, physical modeling, and digital fabrication.

Through hands-on projects and service learning opportunities, you’ll acquire a strong knowledge of building systems, codes, policies, documents, and integrated design techniques.

Frequent interaction with industry professionals, local and national competitions, and off-campus events and jobs will help you build your resume, portfolio, and network. Available study abroad and travel study programs will also increase your exposure to cultural and global design.

Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared to use your architecture technology degree to assist architects in developing architectural plans and creating designs.

Dunwoody’s Architecture program is structured as a two plus three associate’s and bachelor’s completion degree program. Students earn an associate’s degree in Architectural Drafting & Design after two years of coursework. Students who pursue an additional three years of study earn a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and acquire the capacity to become leaders in the profession.

Explore Architectural Drafting & Design in the College Catalog

Ready for more detail? Explore degree requirements, course descriptions, and program outcomes for Architectural Drafting & Design in the College Catalog. You can also find a sample academic plan for each semester of your college journey.

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Fatima Abdirashid Adam 09242018

Childhood travels inspire designs, career goals for Architectural Drafting & Design student

Fatima Adam looks to bright future at Dunwoody and beyond.

 

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Class topics include:

  • Drawing Mechanics
  • Building Codes & Regulations
  • Material Strengths
  • Design Development
  • Project Management
  • Economics of Building

Student Organizations

Opportunities to get involved outside of the classroom include:

  • American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
  • Women In Architecture (WIA)
  • National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMA)
  • Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)
  • Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK)

Learn more.

Recent Employers of Graduates

Companies that hire our graduates include:

  • Alliiance
  • RSP Architects
  • Van Sickle, Allen & Associates
  • Kodet Architectural Group, Ltd.
  • LHB

Common Job Titles

Possible job titles upon graduation include:

  • Architectural Intern
  • Computational Designer
  • BIM Manager
  • Digital Fabricator
  • Architectural Technician
  • Revit Draftsperson
  • AutoCAD Technician

Facilities

Architecture Studios

Work in open concept studio spaces designed to foster collaboration and learning.

  • Individual work spaces
  • Drafting kits
  • Physical modeling kits
  • Large format printer
  • Wall and table spaces for displaying/reviewing architectural plans

Fabrication Lab

Create products, prototypes, and projects by using computer-aided design tools and then producing them in cardboard, plywood, plastic, and other materials.

  • 2 laser cutters
  • Stratsys 3D printer
  • 3-axis CNS router, belt sanders, scroll saws, drills, wire cutters
  • Spray booth with utility sink

Architecture Faculty

Photo of Korrin Howard

Korrin Howard

Director, School of Design and Associate Professor

khoward@dunwoody.edu

Photo of Paul Strother in the driver's seat of a classic car. He is leaning his head arm out of the window and smiling.

Paul Strother

Associate Professor

pstrother@dunwoody.edu

Photo of Andrew Blaisdell

Andrew Blaisdell

Associate Professor

ablaisdell@dunwoody.edu

Spaces that are well-designed are memorable. We talk about them, revisit them, and tell others. As an educator, Korrin inspires students to find their passion in designing spaces that immerse the visitor in a sensory experience. Teaching has been her passion for the last 16 years. She’s taken her experiences as a designer and a public artist into the classroom and beyond. Korrin engages students in community projects, design events, and study trips. She has a master’s in industrial design and a master’s in ecological architecture. Korrin’s central focus is teaching students to design and build spaces that are in tune with their environment and ignite interest in the community.

Paul Strother is an assistant professor at Dunwoody College of Technology and a practicing architect. Paul has focused on technical excellence in his teaching and practice. He believes that design study predicated on sound technology produces building design that is credible and is essential for sustainable building design. Further, it prepares the graduates for success as architects. Paul is committed to develop the potential of every student and enjoys igniting the spark of enthusiasm and confidence.

Paul is a member of CSI. Recognition includes the Rotary Paul Harris Award for Community Service.

Andrew Blaisdell is an Architect with a background in prefab modern, historic restoration, relief housing, and urban planning. He is the founder of Studio Andhow, an Assistant Professor at Dunwoody College, and has taught studios, seminars, and workshops at the University of Minnesota, where he received a Master of Architecture degree in 2010.

Photo of Jessica Ainsworth-Truong

Jessica Ainsworth-Truong

Associate Professor

jainsworthtruong@dunwoody.edu

Photo of James Wheeler

James Wheeler

Senior Instructor

jwheeler@dunwoody.edu

Photo of Erin Moren

Erin Moren

Fabrication Manager

emoren@dunwoody.edu

Jessica teaches the architecture and interior design history sequence, as well as evidence-based design and sustainability courses. She was awarded the 2019 Dunwoody Teacher of the Year because of her ability to ignite her passion for design. When not in the classroom, she advises both architecture and interior design students, helping them navigate their academic careers successfully. Her professional interests include curriculum development, assessment, and cross discipline collaboration. Her academic research focuses on critical regionalism.

James is a community designer and educator. He was the co-founder of a community design collaborative Public Design Exchange with work focused on public art, engagement, planning, and installation. He holds a Bachelors of Science and Masters of Architecture from the University of Minnesota where he later served as a Lecturer in Architecture and Landscape Architecture. A long-time member of the AIA-MN Housing Advocacy Committee, he is a former Co-Chair of their Affordable Housing Design Award. James has contributed as a member of the Board of Directors for the Association for Community Design, Epicenter, and Design Corps and worked previously at Mississippi State University’s Gulf Coast Community Design Studio. His teaching places an emphasis on collaboration, empathy, partnership, and equity building in preparing students for practice.

Erin is a designer, fabricator, maker, and thinker. She earned her BFA in Furniture Design from Minneapolis College of Art and Design and a Masters of Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago. In addition to managing the FabLab, Erin teaches in the School of Design and is the co-owner of Tandem Made, a furniture and product design company.

Photo of Amy Meller

Amy Meller

Senior Instructor

ameller@dunwoody.edu

Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a minor in Anthropology and a Master of Architecture degree, both from the University of Minnesota. For over twenty years, she has practiced historic and residential architecture in the Upper Midwest with a focus on preserving and adapting the built environment. She is interested in traditional methods of construction, broadening our collective understanding of historical sites and places by including underrepresented or overlooked viewpoints and balancing conservation with contemporary and future needs. She continually seeks out learning opportunities and shares her interests and expertise through teaching, student and peer mentorship, and volunteering on boards and commissions. She is also an active AIA Minnesota member and participates in the Community of Practice for Culture Change and serves on the Leadership Forum Advisory Committee.