Queensborough Community College
ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW
RESPONSE AND ACTION PLAN FOR DEGREE PROGRAMS
Program reviewed:
A.A.S., Computerized Architectural and Industrial Design
Date of site visit:
May 13, 2014
QCC Review Committee:
Dr. Nicholas DiZinno
Engineering Technology
QCC Department Chair
Prof. Stuart Asser
Engineering Technology
Administrative Support:
Dr. Arthur Corradetti, Dean
Strategic Planning, Assessment, and
Institutional Effectiveness
Dr. Elisabeth Lackner, Director
Institutional Research and Assessment
External Reviewer:
Frank L. Truglio, AIA, NCARB
Registered Architect
Report to be presented to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
1. Corrections to reviewers’ report
None
2. Major conclusions of academic program review
Program Strengths

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Faculty who teach in the program have strong ties to industry and are effective in teaching,
particularly to students with weak backgrounds in mathematics.
Program maintains state-of-the-art equipment with excellent physical resources.
Students in the program have access to effective advisement and career counseling.
Program Weaknesses
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
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Enrollment in the program is low.
Many entering students are not prepared for the program.
There is a lack of transfer agreements with any local four-year schools.
Program lacks a recruitment plan.
Recommendations
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3.
Institute a high-school recruitment plan
Review and revise curriculum
Establish articulation agreements with NYC College of Technology and SUNY Farmingdale
Become a member of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and the
Associated Schools of Construction
Pursue ABET accreditation
Establish a pre-architecture program for students who are not college ready in mathematics
skills
Establish an architectural gallery
Major conclusions of external reviewer
Major program strengths
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Program offers a wide variety of courses that enable students to experience the field of
architecture/engineering.
Program prepares students both for higher degree and for job market entry.
Course offerings and outcomes are consistent with program outcomes.
Industrial workshop and laboratory offer a good and creative atmosphere and current
equipment for student use.
Computer laboratories offer a good environment.
2
Major program weaknesses


Sequence of courses requires some adjustment (for example, sketching in the first semester,
as students in this field need hand drawing and sketching skills early)
Architectural classroom needs to be more like a studio environment
Recommendations
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Through Academy advisement, ensure that a drawing course (sketching) is taken in the first
semester
Add drafting exercises to MT 111, of two kinds: engineering graphics and architectural
drawing (for example, floor plan of a house)
Build in an energy management systems course (passive design, lighting control, HVAC,
zoning, water conservation, and electrical lighting and usage)
Modify the architectural classroom to create a studio environment
4. Proposed action plan and timetable (next five years)
A. Curricular changes
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Revise the entire degree program to revive the curriculum and to align it better with the
baccalaureate curriculum at New York City College of Technology for the purposes of
articulation (curricular revision has been developed [see page 4 and following] and is nearly
ready for submission to the curriculum committee).
Following approval of curricular revision, renumber courses and use new prefixes.
Develop two tracks for the current Architecture program (draft curriculum being reviewed
by the department).
Use high school database developed to expand recruitment efforts.
Explore possibility of establishing a pre-architecture program for students who are not
college ready.
Explore possibility of establishing an architecture gallery on campus (sharing the space with
other departments on a rotating basis to exhibit student work).
B. Assessment
Program will continue to follow the assessment of program outcomes consistent with the ABET
model, particularly considering that the pursuit of ABET accreditation is under discussion.
3
Updating of the Architecture Curriculum
We began discussing this effort last spring. The name of the curriculum will be changed,
From: Computerized Architectural & Industrial Design
To: Architectural Technology
Why? The word “computerized” is superfluous since everything is computerized in today’s
society. Also, there is absolutely no industrial design in the curriculum. In point of fact, the name
is misleading as to the content of the program, and also makes it difficult to find within the
college’s offerings. The new name will alleviate these difficulties.
A major effort will be made to align the architecture program with that offered by New York City
College of Technology. This should be the main target for transfer students, as it is a sister CUNY
institution and is easily accessible via public transportation. To that end, the following changes
will be made to the courses in the architectural program:
Current Plan
Proposed Plan
MT-219 Surveying & Layouts
3
MT-111 Technical Graphics
2
MT-124 Metallurgy & Materials
3
MT-212 Descriptive Geometry
3
MT-341 Applied Mechanics
3
MT-345 Strength of Materials
3
MT-453 Piping Systems
3
MT-454 Fundamentals of HVAC
MT-481 Architectural Design I
MT-482 Structural Drafting &
Design
MT-484 Construction Methods
MT-369 Computer Applications in
ET
MT-488 Computer Aided Design I
3
MT-489 Computer Aided Design II
3
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


ARCH-1250 Surveying and Site Planning
3
ARCH-1191 Visualization I
2
ARCH-1130 Building Technology I
3
ARCH-1291 Visualization II
2
MT-341 Applied Mechanics
3
MECH-2450 Mechanics of Materials
3
ARCH-2370 Environmental Systems
3
2
3
Is renamed…
Is replaced
by…
Is replaced
by…
Is replaced
by…
no change
Is replaced
by…
Is replaced
by…
is removed
Is renamed…
ARCH-1110 Architectural Design I
3
3
Is renamed…
ARCH-2480 Structures I
3
3
Is renamed…
Is replaced
by…
Is replaced
by…
Is replaced
by…
ARCH-1230 Building Technology II
3
ARCH-1210 Architectural Design II
4
ARCH-2310 Architectural Design III
4
ARCH-2410 Advanced Architectural
Modeling
3
3
ARCH-1191 is created by modifying inactive course MT-113 Engineering Drawing
ARCH-1130 is created by modifying inactive course MT-223 Selection of Materials
ARCH-1291 is created by modifying inactive course MT-112 Technical Graphics II
MECH-2450 is created by modifying current course MT-342 Strength of Materials
4
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ARCH-2370 is created by modifying current course MT-453. ARCH-2370 effectively
combines the essentials of MT-453 and MT-454 and adds new material for relevance.
ARCH-1210 is created by modifying current course MT-486 Architectural Design II
ARCH-2310 is created by modifying inactive course MT-485 Architectural Design
ARCH-2410 is a re-numbering of current course MT-490 Advanced Architectural Modeling
In addition, MT-100 Introduction to Engineering & Technology will be added to the
curriculum.
These changes align our curriculum more closely with both NYCCT and SUNY Farmingdale. The
course sequence is shown in the flowchart below:
Spatial Reasoning &
Analysis
TECH-1003
3Cr/3Hr
Semester 1
Algebra/
Trigonometry
MA 114
4Cr/4Hr
Semester 2
Physics I
PH-201
4Cr/5Hr
Semester 3
MA-010
5 Eq Cr/6 Hrs
Applied Mechanics
MT-341
3Cr/3Hr
Surveying & Site
Planning
ARCH-1250
3Cr/5Hr
Architectural Design
III
ARCH-2310
4Cr/6Hr
Semester 4
Semester 0
Architectural Technology A.A.S., Architectural Design Track - PROPOSED
Strength of Mat’s
MT-345
3Cr/5Hr
Structures I
ARCH-2480
3Cr/5Hr
Advanced
Architectural
Modeling
ARCH-2410
3Cr/6Hr
Intro to Engineering
& Technology
MT-100
1Cr/3Hr
Technical
Computations I
TECH-1001
3Cr/3Hr
Technical
Computations II
TECH-1002
3Cr/3Hr
Visualization I
ARCH-1191
2Cr/4Hr
Architectural Design
I
ARCH-1110
3Cr/6Hr
Building Technology
I
ARCH-1130
3Cr/5Hr
Composition I
EN-101
3Cr/4Hr
Visualization II
ARCH-1291
2Cr/4Hr
Architectural Design
II
ARCH-1210
4Cr/5Hr
Building Technology
II
ARCH-1230
3Cr/6Hr
Composition II
EN-102
3Cr/4Hr
Environmental
Systems
ARCH-2370
3Cr/3Hr
SS/HI Elective
3Cr
BE
Reading & Writing
SS/HI Elective
3Cr
5
Addition of Construction Management track to Architecture Program
The department proposes to split the current Architecture program into two tracks. Both tracks
will share a common core of classes. The first track will be a specialization in Architectural
Design. It will be identical to the currently proposed Architecture program. The second track will
be a specialization in Construction Management. This additional track will offer students more
flexibility when transferring to other schools and will open up more job opportunities, especially
in the tri-state area.
Proposed Plan: Architectural Technology
COMMON CORE REQUIREMENTS
EN-101 English Composition I
3
EN-102 English Composition II
3
MA-114 College Algebra & Trigonometry
4
PH-201 General Physics I
4
History or Social Science (2 courses)***
6
Sub-total 20
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS – CORE
MT-100 Intro to Engineering &
Technology
ARCH-1250 Surveying & Site Planning
ARCH-1191 Visualization I
ARCH-1130 Building Technology I
ARCH-1291 Visualization II
MT-341 Applied Mechanics
MT-345 Strength of Materials
ARCH-2370 Environmental Systems
ARCH-1230 Building Technology II
Sub-total
Track 1: Architectural Design
ARCH-1110 Architectural Design I
ARCH-2480 Structures I
ARCH-1210 Architectural Design II
ARCH-2310 Architectural Design III
ARCH-2410 Ad. Architectural Modeling
Sub-total
1
3
2
3
2
3
3
3
3
23
3
3
4
4
3
17
Track 2: Construction Management
CONM-xxxx Construction Design*
CONM-xxxx Soils, Foundations & Structures*
MECH-2460 Fluid Mechanics**
MA-128 Calculus
CONM-xxxx Construction Cost Analysis*
Sub-total
4
3
3
4
3
17
Total Credits Required
60
* New course to be created
** MT-552 To be renumbered & reduced to 3
credits
6
*** Highly Recommended: ECON 101 & 102
As currently proposed, the construction management track requires the re-activation of the
Fluid Mechanics course (and modification of the number of credits). This course will also be
added to the elective list for the Mechanical Engineering Technology curriculum.
The course sequence is shown in the flowchart below.
Students who intend to transfer to SUNY Farmingdale are highly encouraged to take ECON 101
and ECON 102 as their social science electives while at QCC, as these courses are required in
that program. Also, MA-128, Calculus, is required in the construction management track, as this
course is required at Farmingdale.
Spatial Reasoning &
Analysis
TECH-1003
3Cr/3Hr
Semester 1
Algebra/
Trigonometry
MA 114
4Cr/4Hr
Intro to Engineering
& Technology
MT-100
1Cr/3Hr
Visualization I
ARCH-1191
2Cr/4Hr
Construction Design
CONM-xxxx
4Cr/6Hr
Semester 2
Physics I
PH-201
4Cr/5Hr
Calculus
MA 128
4Cr/4Hr
Visualization II
ARCH-1291
2Cr/4Hr
Construction Cost
Analysis
CONM-xxxx
3Cr/3Hr
Semester 3
MA-010
5 Eq Cr/6 Hrs
Applied Mechanics
MT-341
3Cr/3Hr
Surveying & Site
Planning
ARCH-1250
3Cr/5Hr
Fluid Mechanics
MECH-2460
3Cr/3Hr
Semester 4
Semester 0
Architectural Technology A.A.S., Construction Management Track - PROPOSED
Strength of Mat’s
MT-345
3Cr/5Hr
Soils, Foundations &
Structures
CONM-xxxx
3Cr/3Hr
Technical
Computations I
TECH-1001
3Cr/3Hr
Technical
Computations II
TECH-1002
3Cr/3Hr
Building Technology
I
ARCH-1130
3Cr/5Hr
Composition I
EN-101
3Cr/4Hr
BE
Reading & Writing
Composition II
EN-102
3Cr/4Hr
Building Technology
II
ARCH-1230
3Cr/6Hr
SS/HI Elective
3Cr
Environmental
Systems
ARCH-2370
3Cr/3Hr
SS/HI Elective
3Cr
7