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Portland State University’s Department of Architecture this past weekend graduated its first master’s class: 13 students who spent two years working through the not-yet-accredited program. An official vote on accreditation will take place in the next school year. In the meantime, graduates’ experiences are helping define the program.

鈥淓veryone is interested in our success,鈥� graduate Kim Leinum said. 鈥淥ur voice is really strong in the department right now.鈥�

The work of the first master’s class will make up part of the program’s application for accreditation.

鈥淲e knew what we were getting into,鈥� Leinum said. She entered PSU‘s undergraduate architecture program in 2006 as she embarked on a 鈥渟econd career鈥� and transitioned from work in business and studies in graphic design.

Some people involved in the PSU program say it provides a uniquely experiential approach to architecture education.

鈥淪ome schools get caught up in the architecture itself,鈥� said Clive Knights, chairman of the department. 鈥淲e’re focused on teaching architecture not for the sake of architecture, but for the sake of culture.鈥�

鈥淢y hope is that our students have a curiosity that goes beyond the conventional bounds of architecture,鈥� said Corey Griffin, an assistant professor.

Aside from the accreditation process, one of the school’s biggest upcoming hurdles will be 鈥渓etting people know we exist,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he professional community will be the best recruitment tool we have,鈥� once it learns more about the program.

To increase awareness, the architecture department has developed a number of partnerships with local firms, and worked to publicize events 鈥� such as a student work showcase at the Center for Architecture. Some of the graduate students’ thesis projects were displayed. The students themselves created the school’s first graduate thesis process.

鈥淎 big draw to this program is that the thesis is your own project,鈥� said graduate Kyle Norman, who designed a vertical garden that pushed the limits of existing technology.

Leinum created a center for social interaction and storytelling for the homeless community. The thesis process is designed to release students from the responsibilities of the technical aspects of a building: students prove technical capabilities in a different class.

鈥淭he students are opening my eyes through their investigations as to what might be the future of architecture,鈥� Griffin said. That is a lot of what the program is about: ideas over technical skills, though both are taught and explored.

While students say the PSU program provides good networking opportunities with its urban location and partnership projects and classes with local firms, many of the new graduates won’t go into practice directly 鈥� and some may not ever.

Norman and Leinum suspect that a handful of their classmates will go through the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ Intern Development Program, the standard transition for students seeking to practice licensed architecture. Most, they guessed, will take a different route.

Leinum, for example, plans to look for a way to use her architecture skills to address social issues. Norman said he would spend some time this summer camping and hiking 鈥� and working on a vertical garden demonstration project at PSU. Then he will look for something more permanent.

鈥淚 truly believe I will be able to find work,鈥� Norman said.

He also was glad he got in the PSU program when he did.

鈥淚 think PSU is going to be a pretty competitive school (for architecture) to get into in the future,鈥� Norman said. 鈥淭he faculty is amazing, and the program is only going to get better.鈥�