Space / Brand / Strategy is a post-professional degree program at Syracuse University that leads to a Master of Science (MS) in Architecture.

The program is offered in partnership with the Polimoda Fashion School in Florence, Italy, and provides candidates a structured course of study focused on the design of commercial and non-commercial spaces and brands and their strategic deployment and management. 

As much of our world continues to move online and our interactions are increasingly driven by algorithms and AI, it is not surprising that human-centered activities occurring in real spaces—reading, dining, shopping—have become more desirable, precious, and valued. Today, physical spaces and a renewed attention to craft are more important than ever for those focused on designing authentic, robust, and meaningful experiences. This is especially true in the design of branded spaces, whether schools, art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, or pop-ups.

Space / Brand / Strategy is focused precisely on designing these types of spaces, but also on how the experience of such spaces is crafted as part of a more comprehensive brand identity. The program is concerned with the design of physical spaces—educational, hospitality, retail—but also with the design of the narratives and strategies that shape, define and activate those spaces.

The program includes design studios, design research seminars, and courses in design and business strategy taught at Syracuse University, along with an intensive summer session offered at the Fashion Design Management Program at the Polimoda in Florence, Italy. Another distinctive feature is a series of workshops and short courses that allow candidates to collaborate on real-world design and strategy projects with professionals in architecture, interior design, fashion design, retail store design, and brand management. Each workshop or short course is sponsored by an industry partner and provides a microcredential authorized by Syracuse Architecture.

The program is also enhanced by the support of a distinguished network of industry experts and professionals who play a significant role is advising candidates on internships and jobs.

Space / Brand / Strategy is industry-focused, research-driven, and structured to provide each candidate with a unique educational and career path.

Applications open in September 2025 and are processed on a rolling basis. There is no application deadline. Scholarship information is available upon request. All Syracuse University applicants who have completed an undergraduate degree in a qualifying program are eligible for the Forever Orange Scholarship Program.

Applicants holding a degree in architecture are encouraged to apply, though applicants in related disciplines such as interior design, fashion design, graphic design, product design and business, may also be admitted at the discretion of the admissions committee in consultation with program administrators.

Our MS is a STEM Designated Degree by the US Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

Note: This program alone does not qualify as a professional degree leading to eligibility for the Architectural Registration Exam or licensure in the USA. More information can be found at www.ncarb.org/get-licensed.

Program Curriculum

The Master of Science (MS) in Architecture is a 30-credit hour, post-professional degree typically completed in three—but in no more than four—semesters.

The program is structured as a series of connected studio, seminar and workshop courses that provide candidates with the design, cultural and business intelligence and professional skills necessary to compete in an ever-changing job marketplace.

In the first semester candidates take a required design studio (ARC 707) and a required research foundation seminar (ARC 770.1). The studio focuses on building design skills while the seminar introduces candidates to research sources and methods that support the fall studio and provide the framework for the candidate’s individual research project developed in the second research seminar (ARC 770.2), offered in the second semester. The intensive summer program at the Polimoda in Florence enables students to enroll in elective courses focused on fashion branding and retail. These connected courses provide the framework and foundation for the capstone project (ARC 708), completed in the candidate’s final semester.

This rigorous, structured course offering is complemented by professional workshops and short courses, as well as elective courses offered in each semester at Syracuse Architecture, across the university, and at the Polimoda in Florence. Of the 30 credit hours needed to complete the MS degree, 18 are required and 12 are elective courses.

The selection of elective courses will be determined by the candidate in consultation with the program coordinator. The program schedule below provides the matrix for a variety of options and course combinations that can be tailored to each individual student’s academic and professional degree objectives.

Program Schedule

Fall Semester – between 9 and 12 credit hours

  • Design Research Studio ARC 707 (6 credit hours)
  • Research 1 Seminar ARC 770.1 (3 credit hours)
  • Elective (3 credit hours)

Spring Semester – between 9 and 12 credit hours

  • Research 2 Seminar ARC 770.2 (3 credit hours)
  • Electives connected to research project (9 credit hours)

Summer Semester Florence – between 3 and 12 credit hours

  • Electives connected to research project (3-12 credit hours)

Fall Semester - between 9 and 12 credit hours

  • Design Capstone Studio (6 credit hours)
  • Elective connected to research project (3 credit hours)

Courses listed above that are highlighted are required. All other courses are electives.