As a potential participant, we are certain you have many questions about Yestermorrow's Fall Semester in Sustainable Design/Build. We've compiled a number of frequently asked questions and responses to help provide the information you seek. But if you've got other questions, feel free to be in touch directly. You can also download this overview presentation (download as a PDF).
Who is the program for?
The Semester program is especially geared for students considering a career in the fields of sustainable design, architecture, planning, the building crafts, engineering and landscape design. It is designed to serve participants with a wide range of backgrounds and academic interests, including liberal arts students in search of an immersive and unique “study away” opportunity, and students in professional architecture programs looking for a comprehensive design/build experience that will also fulfill their studio and elective requirements.
What will I learn?
The Semester’s interdisciplinary, experiential curriculum will help you develop a broad understanding of contemporary issues in sustainable design, and give you the analytical and practical skills required to turn a carefully considered design into a successful structure on a specific site. The focal point of the semester, the collaborative design/build project, grounds theory into practice and becomes a source of inspiration. You will experience the semester’s multi-disciplinary curriculum as an integrated whole, as the lectures, job site work, seminars, discussions and studio work reinforce and complement each other, while informing and guiding the group design/build project. You will receive a full semester’s worth of credit for four core courses: a design studio, an applied course on building systems, a survey course on architectural theory and history, and a sustainable design seminar.
What is the design/build process?
Semester students will move rapidly from two and three-dimensional renderings to the real-life challenges of realizing their design choices on the job site. Being involved in both the conceptual (design) and the concrete (build) roles of producing a sustainable structure, students will come to have a greater appreciation and knowledge of all the issues involved in bringing an architectural project to fruition. Such knowledge will favor future students and professionals to problem solve and acting as a team member in almost any field.
Do I need to be an enrolled university student to take part in the program?
No. Students can be already enrolled, on leave, or recently graduated from an undergraduate level degree program.
What are the prerequisites?
There are no prerequisites, other than an interest in the subject matter and a willingness to work hard.
Will this be offered again in the spring or only next fall?
This program is offered each fall semester.
What can I do to help my chances of securing a spot in this program?
Get your application in by the "priority admission" deadline, or soon after, and take some care with the answers to the application's essay questions.
How has Yestermorrow been able to offer students a semester at Yestermorrow that correlates with their universities semester credit requirements?
Each university has different requirements, however our program has been designed to work within a standard fall semester schedule and offer a standard 15 credit course load.
What is the class size?
From 12-16 students.
Could I earn any of the other Yestermorrow certificates while in the semester program?
No. The semester program is rigorous and will leave little time for extra course work.
What do you envision graduates of this program doing with the skills learned at Yestermorrow?
The Semester in Sustainable Design/Build will empower its graduates to be able to apply the design/build process to many aspects of their ongoing education. Many graduates of the program will go on to pursue careers in design, construction, craft and other related fields.
Financial aid?
Yestermorrow has limited scholarship funds available at this time. However, if you are a recipient of federal loans and grants, you should be able to apply those funds towards the semester program by creating a consortium agreement between your university and UMass Amherst.
How much of the program takes place on the Yestermorrow campus?
The fall program is based in Montpelier, VT where Yestermorrow rents space from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Student lodging, meals, studio and workshop are all housed at VCFA. Students travel to Yestermorrow's main Waitsfield campus occasionally for lectures or special events, but the majority of their time is based in Montpelier.
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