The Difference Between Architecture and Civil Engineering: A common question that I personally had when I was exploring difference majors and career paths back in college, so in today’s episode we’ll be diving deep and exploring the differences between Architecture and Civil or Structural or Architectural Engineering as a major, a career, and in the workforce.
The Difference Between Architecture and Civil Engineering
The general outline difference is that Architecture focuses on the creative and artistic aspect, as well as certain technical aspects such as the building or infrastructure’s layout and how it will be used by its visitors and occupants. Civil Engineering on the hand focuses purely on the technical aspect, such as designing the steel frame, the columns, beams, and materials. Civil Engineering also tends to be more diversified in the beginning, making you take classes such as structural, transportation, geotechnical, and water resources engineering. After the initial wide exposure, most engineers will go on to focus on a specific niche and become really focused and detailed into that specific discipline of engineering. Architecture school students will take a much more well-rounded curriculum involving more classes in the liberal arts, creative studio and drawing based classes, on top of basic math and science technical classes as well.
One caters towards those more open-minded and big picture, while the other is often favored by those more black and white, detailed, and straight to the point. Both are great professions depending on which one you prefer!
