We Build Better
Connections / Partnerships / Downtowns / Street Culture / Futures
The University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation combines world-class resources, hands-on interdisciplinary opportunities and close-knit learning environments—all just minutes from the energy and opportunity of Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Annapolis. We drive innovation in design, research and community engagement to build a better future.
Design Excellence
From stunning skylines to walkable neighborhoods, our students, faculty and alumni set the bar for creativity, impact and innovation.
World-Class Faculty
Learn from leaders. Our faculty are acclaimed scholars, award-winning practitioners and forward-thinkers shaping the future of the built environment.
Campus to Capitol
Just minutes from D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis, our students learn in a living laboratory of history, design and development—connecting them to the people and places shaping the future of the built environment.
Get to Know Us
By combining hands-on learning with groundbreaking research, we empower students and scholars to shape thriving, just and resilient places.
Undergraduate Programs
UMD’s undergraduate degrees in architecture and real estate development are interdisciplinary, engaging and give students the tools to shape the cities and communities of the future.
Graduate Programs
From designing city skylines to driving neighborhood revitalization, our competitive, professional graduate programs in architecture, planning, preservation and real estate prepare students for careers that shape vibrant, just places.
Research Centers & Institutes
Our research centers and institutes forward groundbreaking research within the built environment that advances dynamic, sustainable and just places.
Emily Wang and Valeria Castillo-Hernandez's project model for a camping ground and nature lodge designed for people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
Julio Miguel T. Alumbro won the Spring 2025 Thesis Prize Award for his project “The “Church” in the Diaspora.”
Deisy Valasquez's housing development for Antigua, Guatemala won the Fall 2024 Thesis Prize Award.
"The Jacquelynn Residences at Uptown Place," Master of Real Estate Development student, Jack Tintle's independent senior living development. Winner of the Fall 2024 Colvin capstone competition.
Historic preservation students designed a Zine for the sounds of Prince George’s County.
A model created by an ARCH403 Design Studio student for their final project, focusing on the design of an observatory at Monocacy Battlefield.
Student Work
See our students’ ideas come to life—bold designs, thoughtful planning and creative solutions shaping our communities. From concept to creation, explore the innovative work of our students across architecture, planning, preservation and real estate.
News
Jesse Saginor Named Director of UMD’s Colvin Institute
Associate Professor Jesse Saginor has been named the new director of the University of Maryland’s Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development, where he will lead efforts to expand the University of Maryland's engagement with the state's real estate industry. Partnering with Real Estate Development P...View Article Details for Jesse Saginor Named Director of UMD’s Colvin Institute 
Brittany Williams Named Assistant Director, Architecture Graduate Program
Associate Clinical Professor Brittany Wiliams AIA ‘05 M.Arch ‘07 joins the architecture administrative team this fall as the new assistant director of the graduate program. Williams will partner with Program Director Mohammed Gharipour to continue to grow the program’s rigor and reputation through c...View Article Details for Brittany Williams Named Assistant Director, Architecture Graduate Program 
Bridging the Gap: How MAPP’s Internship Course Prepares Students for the Real World
By Keagan Suddith '27 When architecture student Meredith Embry ‘26 took an internship with UMD Space Systems Lab, one of the most important skills she gained wasn't a new technical skill: it was learning how to communicate with her engineering colleagues, whose industry jargon often sounded like a f...View Article Details for Bridging the Gap: How MAPP’s Internship Course Prepares Students for the Real World
Events
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NOMAS First General Body Meeting
6 - 7 p.m.
This event is hosted by NOMAS and is open to all UMD students.Join the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) for their first General Body Meeting.Snacks will be provided!If you are unable to attend in person, please join NOMAS via Zoom.
2026-09-08T12:00:002026-09-08T12:00:00View Event Details for NOMAS First General Body Meeting -
Ice Cream Social
5 - 6 p.m.
This event is open to the University of Maryland and School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation (MAPP) community.Join us for a back-to-school Ice Cream social event!
2026-09-09T12:00:002026-09-09T12:00:00View Event Details for Ice Cream Social -
Affordable and Connected Communities 2026
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
This public event is hosted by the National Center for Smart GrowthDetails on the summit are found on NCSG's website. The National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) at the University of Maryland invites you to an exciting upcoming regional event, Affordable and Connected Communities: Transit, Developme...
2026-09-10T12:00:002026-09-10T12:00:00View Event Details for Affordable and Connected Communities 2026