Architecture
Grading system
Examinations are graded on the letter grading system as stated in the university senate legislation July 2017, Article 92. However, the grading system for industrial attachment/internship for four years program shall be described as excellent, very good, and good; the status description is based on the raw mark interval given in Table 1.
Table 1: Grading System
Raw Mark interval (100%) | Corresponding Letter Grade | Corresponding fixed number Grade | Status Description | Class Description |
[90,100] | A+ | 4.0 | Excellent | First Class with Great Distinction |
[85,90) | A | 4.0 | ||
[80,85) | A- | 3.75 | ||
[75,80) | B+ | 3.5 | Very Good | First Class with Distinction |
[70,75) | B | 3.0 | ||
[65,70) | B- | 2.75 | Good | First Class |
[60,65) | C+ | 2.5 | Second Class | |
[50,60) | C | 2.0 | Satisfactory | |
[45,50) | C- | 1.75 | Unsatisfactory | Lower Class |
[40,45) | D | 1.0 | Very Poor | |
[0,40) | F | 0 | Fail | Lowest Class |
Note: To pass the course a student must achieve a minimum of 40% in the final exam. | ||||
Graduation Requirements
The graduation requirement for all undergraduate programs should satisfy the following minimum requirements as stated in the university’s senate legislation in July 2017, Article 109.
All the required courses/Course s and the minimum credit hours set in the program curriculum by the respective academic unit should be satisfied, except to phase in and phase out the program.
A cumulative grade point average CGPA of 2.00 must be obtained;
A cumulative grade point average CGPA of 2.00 in major area courses;
No” F” grade in any course/ Course taken for the undergraduate program;
The score pass mark for all courses which have a Pass/Fail grade.
A candidate must score 50% and above on the National Exit Exam.
A candidate must take a minimum of 190 Cr.hr including the freshman courses.
The degree to be awarded upon completion of the program is In English:
In English:
“BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE”
In Amharic:
“የሳይንስ ባችለር ዲግሪ በ ”አርክቴክቸር”
Degree Nomenclature
Course Coding
Every course shall be identified by a four-digit code preceded by four letters without any hyphen and space. Letters are home base (to which program/ department does the course belongs)
The course code should show:
The first digit (1) represents the year (level) in which the course is given,
The second digit (0) indicates the category number to which the course belongs,
The last two digits () indicate the semester in which the course is given.
All courses given in the first semester represent by odd number (01, 03, 05, 07 )
All courses given in the second semester represent by even number (02, 04, 06, 08 )
Note: No space is needed between words and numbers.
4.1 List of Courses and Category
There are four course categories:
Category 0 = Common (National and University) and Supportive Courses,
Category 1 = Core/Compulsory Courses,
Category 2 = Core Elective Courses,
Category 3 = Stream / Focus Area Courses
For the programs that may have streams /focus area/, the student shall take a minimum of 12 credit hour focus area courses.
Table 2: Distribution of credit hours for all course categories
Category | Total Cr. hr | Percentage (%) | |
1 | Core Course ( major and supportive course) | 152 | 80 |
2 | Core Elective/focus area course | 3 | 1.60 |
3 | University requirement (Core) | 3 | 1.60 |
Core Course Total Cr. hr | 158 | 83.16 | |
4 | National Requirement | 32 | 16.84 |
Total Cr. hr | 190 | 100 | |
Course Breakdown for Regular Programs
This section includes the list of course sequences in each semester indicating the credit hour (Cr.hr), course lecture, and tutorial/Lab hours. The course breakdown for our undergraduate regular program in all semesters presented according to table 9-20 using a similar table format.
Table 3 Year I, Semester I Course Breakdown
S. No | Course Title | Course code | ESTS | Cr. Hr | Category |
1 | General Physics | Phys1001 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
2 | Communicative English Language Skills I | FLEn1003 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
3 | Geography of Ethiopian and The horn | GeEs1005 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
4 | Mathematics for Natural Science | Math1007 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
5 | Logic and Critical Thinking | Phil1009 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
6 | General Psychology | Psyc1011 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
7 | Physical Fitness | SpSc1013 | 2 C.H | (P/F) | Common Course |
Total | 18 Cr. hrs |
Table 4 Year I, Semester II Course Breakdown
S. No | Course Title | Course code | ESTS | Cr. Hr | Category |
1 | Social Anthropology | Anth1002 | 3 | 2 | Common Course |
2 | Communicative English Language Skills II | FLEn1004 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
3 | Entrepreneurship | Entr1006 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
4 | Introduction to Emerging Technology | EmT1008 | 5 | 3 | Common Course |
5 | Inclusiveness | Incl1010 | 3 | 2 | Common Course |
6 | Moral and Civic Education | MCiE1012 | 3 | 2 | Common Course |
7 | Applied Mathematics I for Engineering | Math1014 | 7 | 4 | Common Course |
Total | 19 Cr. Hrs |
Table 5 Year II, Semester I Course Breakdown
Year II Semester I Courses | |||||||
Year 2 Semester 1 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH2101 | Basic Design | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | None |
2 | ARCH2103 | Building Materials and Construction I | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | None |
3 | Econ2009 | Economics | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | None |
4 | GLTr2011 | Global Trend | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | None |
5 | ARCH2105 | Drawing (Descriptive Geometry and Drafting ) | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | None |
6 | ARCH2107 | Graphics Communication Skills I (Sketching I) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | None |
7 | ARCH2109 | Theory and Design of Structures I (Engineering Mechanics) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | None |
Total Sum | 19 | 6 | 12 | 15 |
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Year II Semester II Courses | |||||||
Year 2 Semester 2 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH2102 | Basic Architectural Design | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | ARCH2101 |
2 | ARCH2104 | Building Materials and Construction II | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ARCH2103 |
3 | ARCH2108 | Graphics Communication Skills II (Sketching II and Painting II) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | ARCH2107 |
4 | ARCH2106 | History of Architecture I | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | None |
5 | Hist2002 | History of Ethiopia and the horn | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | None |
6 | ARCH2110 | Theory and Design of Structures II (Strength of Materials) | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ARCH2109 |
7 | ARCH2112 | Model Making Technique | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | None |
Total Sum | 19 | 7 | 6 | 21 |
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Table 6 Year II, Semester II Course Breakdown
Table 7 Year III, Semester I Course Breakdown
Year III Semester I Courses | |||||||
Year 3 Semester 1 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH3111 | Architectural Design I | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | ARCH2102 |
2 | ARCH3113 | Building Materials and Construction III | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ARCH2104 |
3 | ARCH3115 | History of Architecture II | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ARCH2106 |
4 | ARCH3119 | Graphics Communication Skills III (Professional CAD) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ARCH2108 |
5 | ARCH3121 | Theory and Design of Structures III | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | ARCH2110 |
6 | ARCH3117 | Visual & History of Arts | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | None |
Total Sum | 19 | 7 | 9 | 18 |
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Table 8 Year III, Semester II Course Breakdown
Year III Semester II Courses | |||||||
Year 3 Semester 2 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH3120 | Architectural Design II | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | ARCH3111 |
2 | ARCH3114 | Architectural Sciences I (Water and sewage) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | None |
3 | ARCH3116 | General Building Heritage | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | None |
4 | ARCH3118 | Landscape Design | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | None |
6 | ARCH3122 | Professional Practice I | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | None |
7 | ARCH3124 | Surveying | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | None |
5 | ARCH3128 | Ethiopian History of Architecture | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | None |
7 | ARCH3126 | Introduction to Environmental Planning | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | None |
Total Sum | 20 | 6 | 12 | 15 |
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Table 9 Year III, Semester III (summer) for 2 months Course Breakdown
Year III Semester III Courses | |||||||
Year 3 Semester 3 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH3130 | Internship-I | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ARCH3120 |
Total Sum | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
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Table 1 Year IV, Semester I Course Breakdown for Regular Program
Year IV Semester I Courses | |||||||
Year 4 Semester 1 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH4125 | Architectural Sciences II (heating, cooling, ventilation) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | None |
2 | ETP4115 | Integrated Engineering Team Project | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | None |
3 | ARCH4129 | Building Workshop I (Masonry) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | None |
4 | ARCH4131 | Integrated Design Project I | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | ARCH3120 |
5 | ARCH4133 | Introduction to Urban Planning | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | None |
6 | ARCH4127 | Professional Practice II | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | ARCH3122 |
7 | ARCH4123 | Theory of Architecture I | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | None |
Total Sum | 19 | 6 | 15 | 15 |
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Table 11 Year IV, Semester II Course Breakdown
Year IV Semester II Courses | |||||||
Year 4 Semester 2 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH4142 | Appropriate Building Technology | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | None |
2 | ARCH4144 | Architectural Sciences III (Light & Energy) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | None |
3 | ARCH4132 | Basic Urban Design | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ARCH4133 |
4 | ARCH4134 | Building Workshop II (Carpentry) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | None |
5 | COMP4136 | Computer Programming | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | None |
6 | ARCH4138 | Integrated Design Project II | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | ARCH4131 |
7 | ARCH4140 | Theory of Architecture II | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ARCH4137 |
Total Sum | 19 | 5 | 15 | 15 |
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Table 2 Year IV, Semester III (summer) for 2 months Course Breakdown
Year IV Semester III Courses | |||||||
Year 4 Semester 3 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH4146 | Internship-II | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ARCH3130 |
Total Sum | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
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Table 3 Year V, Semester I Course Breakdown
Year V Semester I Courses | |||||||
Year 5 Semester 1 | Credits | Contact hours | |||||
S. No | Code | Course Name | Cr. Hr | L | T | P | Pre-requisite |
1 | ARCH5137 | Architectural Science IV (Acoustics) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | None |
2 | ARCH5141 | Final Year Project (Research) | P/F | 0 | 3 | 3 | ARCH4138 |
3 | ARCH5143 | Housing & Inner-City Redevelopment | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ARCH4132 |
4 | ARCH5145 | Integrated Design Project III | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | ARCH4138 |
5 | ARCH5135 | Building Information Modeling (BIM) | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | None |
6 | ARCH5139 | Urban Sociology | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | None |
7 | ARCH5149 | Interior Design | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | ARCH3120 |
Total Sum | 17 | 7 | 12 | 15 |
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The Program Education Outcome (PEO) describe accomplishments that program graduates are expected to attain within five years duration after graduation. Graduates will have applied their expertise to contemporary problem solving, be engaged professionally, and have continued to learn and adapt, and have contributed to their organizations through leadership and teamwork.
Table 1 Program Education Outcome (PEO)/Program Criteria (PC)
Student outcomes are statements that express the knowledge, skills and attitudes of graduates of this program. Architecture program has seven identified student Outcomes as presented in Table 1 below:-
Table 1: Student Outcomes (SO)
SO | Statement |
SO1 | Realm A: Critical Thinking and Representation. must be able to build abstract relationships and understand the impact of ideas based on the study and analysis of multiple theoretical, social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental contexts. Graduates must also be able to use a diverse range of skills to think about and convey architectural ideas, including writing, investigating, speaking, drawing, and modeling. |
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SO2 | Realm B: Building Practices, Technical Skills, and Knowledge. must be able to comprehend the technical aspects of design, systems, and materials and be able to apply that comprehension to architectural solutions. In addition, the impact of such decisions on the environment must be well considered. |
B.1 Pre-Design: Ability to prepare a comprehensive program for an architectural project that includes an assessment of client and user needs; an inventory of spaces and their requirements; an analysis of site conditions (including existing buildings); a review of the relevant building codes and standards, including relevant sustainability requirements, and an assessment of their implications for the project; and a definition of site selection and design assessment criteria. B.2 Site Design: Ability to respond to site characteristics, including urban context and developmental patterning, historical fabric, soil, topography, ecology, climate, and building orientation, in the development of a project design. B.3. Codes and Regulations: Ability to design sites, facilities, and systems that are responsive to relevant codes and regulations, and include the principles of life-safety and accessibility standards. B.4 Technical Documentation: Ability to make technically clear drawings, prepare outline specifications, and construct models illustrating and identifying the assembly of materials, systems, and components appropriate for a building design. B.5 Structural Systems: Ability to demonstrate the basic principles of structural systems and their ability to withstand gravitational, seismic, and lateral forces, as well as the selection and application of the appropriate structural system. B.6 Environmental Systems: Ability to demonstrate the principles of environmental systems’ design, how design criteria can vary by geographic region, and the tools used for performance assessment. This demonstration must include active and passive heating and cooling, solar geometry, day lighting, natural ventilation, indoor air quality, solar systems, lighting systems, and acoustics. B.7 Building Envelope Systems and Assemblies: Understanding of the basic principles involved in the appropriate selection and application of building envelope systems relative to fundamental performance, aesthetics, moisture transfer, durability, and energy and material resources. B.8 Building Materials and Assemblies: Understanding of the basic principles used in the appropriate selection of interior and exterior construction materials, finishes, products, components, and assemblies based on their inherent performance, including environmental impact and reuse. B.9 Building Service Systems: Understanding of the basic principles and appropriate application and performance of building service systems, including lighting, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, communication, vertical transportation, security, and fire protection systems. B.10 Financial Considerations: Understanding of the fundamentals of building costs, which must include project financing methods and feasibility, construction cost estimating, construction scheduling, operational costs, and life-cycle costs. | |
SO3 | Realm C: Integrated Architectural Solutions. must be able to demonstrate that they have the ability to synthesize a wide range of variables into an integrated design solution. |
C.1 Research: Understanding of the theoretical and applied research methodologies and practices used during the design process. C.2 Integrated Evaluations and Decision-Making Design Process: Ability to demonstrate the skills associated with making integrated decisions across multiple systems and variables in the completion of a design project. This demonstration includes problem identification, setting evaluative criteria, analyzing solutions, and predicting the effectiveness of implementation. C.3 Integrative Design: Ability to make design decisions within a complex architectural project while demonstrating broad integration and consideration of environmental stewardship, technical documentation, accessibility, site conditions, life safety, environmental systems, structural systems, and building envelope systems and assemblies. | |
SO4 | Realm D: Professional Practice. must understand business principles for the practice of architecture, including management, advocacy, and the need to act legally, ethically, and critically for the good of the client, society, and the public. |
D.1 Stakeholder Roles in Architecture: Understanding of the relationships among key stakeholders in the design process—client, contractor, architect, user groups, local community—and the architect’s role to reconcile stakeholder needs. D.2 Project Management: Understanding of the methods for selecting consultants and assembling teams; identifying work plans, project schedules, and time requirements; and recommending project delivery methods. D.3 Business Practices: Understanding of the basic principles of a firm’s business practices, including financial management and business planning, marketing, organization, and entrepreneurship. D.4 Legal Responsibilities: Understanding of the architect’s responsibility to the public and the client as determined by regulations and legal considerations involving the practice of architecture and professional service contracts. D.5 Professional Conduct: Understanding of the ethical issues involved in the exercise of professional judgment in architectural design and practice and understanding the role of Ethics in defining professional conduct. |
Table 2: Mapping of SO and PEO
Mapping PEO to PO (Realms) | PEO/ PC 1 | PEO/ PC 2 | PEO/ PC 3 | PEO/ PC 4 | PEO/ PC 5 | PEO/ PC 6 | PEO/ PC 7 | PEO/ PC 8 |
SO1 (Realm A) | A1, A7,A8 | A1,A2, A3,A4 | A2,A3, A4,A5 | A3 | A7,A8 | A2,A3, | A4, A5 | A7, A8 |
SO 2 (Realm B) | B3,B4, B6,B10 | B1,B2 | B3,B4,B8, B9,B10 | B2,B6,B8, B9,B10 | ,B6,B8,B9,B10 | B1,B2 | B9, B10 | B3, B4 |
SO 3 (Realm C) | C1,C2,C3 | C1,C2,C3 | C1,C2,C3 | C2,C3 | C1,C2, C3 | C1,C2,C3 | C1, C3 | C2, C3 |
SO 4 (Realm D) | D1,D2,D4,D5 | D1,D2,D3,D4,D5 | D5 | D2 | D1,D4 | D2,D3, | D1, D5 | D4, D5 |

