This semester, the School of Architecture entered into a bilateral transfer agreement with Central Piedmont Community College, which allows students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Architectural Technology to apply for advanced standing in the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture program at UNC Charlotte. After two years at Central Piedmont, students who have enrolled in the UNC Charlotte Transfer Track can apply to join the third year of the undergraduate program and thus complete the pre-professional degree in four years.
The transfer agreement is the result of more than two years of curricular alignment and planning between the two institutions and provides an additional path that students can take in the pursuit of architectural education and eligibility for eventual licensure to practice architecture.
“This agreement is a major step in support of our goals to increase student access, inclusion, and empowerment—and to strengthen our institutional collaborations,” said School of Architecture Director Blaine Brownell.
Two students, Malak Fahmy and Will Anderson, applied and were admitted last year through the program as a pilot. They both started as third year students in the School of Architecture this fall.
Fahmy, who moved to Charlotte from Cairo, Egypt, when she was 14, joined the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) club in high school. “The atmosphere helped me transform my love for painting and art into creating spaces for people to enjoy,” she said. She hopes to be a licensed architect in the future.
Fahmy said that she recommends the transfer program. “Financially it’s beneficial, and it’s given me the chance to learn architecture in different ways.” In addition to her studies at UNC Charlotte, she currently has an internship at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting.
Anderson was a fire fighter in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, for a decade before enrolling in courses at Central Piedmont. He ran a handyman business on the side and did home renovations, developing a love for design in the process.
“As a nontraditional student – I'm 34 – Central Piedmont made it possible to begin taking classes while still working and raising a family,” he said. “It also allowed me to see if architecture would be a viable career path without committing to a traditional architecture school.”
Both students will graduate with their Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in May 2024. Anderson plans to continue in the Master of Architecture program at UNC Charlotte.
This agreement expands Charlotte's partnership with Central Piedmont, one of six community college partners for the 49er Next program.