Architectural Engineering
Are you curious about how structures are designed and built? Do you enjoy being creative and seeing how engineering can turn ideas into innovative, efficient, and inspiring structures?
Detroit Mercy’s Architectural Engineering program combines architecture and engineering into one exciting degree. You’ll use both creativity and technical skills to design structures that improve the quality of life for people everywhere.
With a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering, you could become a:
- Architectural Engineer
- Structural Engineer
- Mechanical or Plumbing Systems Engineer
- Electrical or Lighting Systems Engineer
- Facade Engineer
- Fire Protection Engineer
- Construction Project Manager or Estimator
- Energy Modeler
- Urban Planner
- Building Technology Consultant
- Forensic Engineering Consultant
Undergraduate Degrees
- 4½ - Year Bachelor of Architectural Engineering (BAE)
- 5½ - Year Bachelor of Architectural Engineering / Master of Civil Engineering (BAE/MCE)
Want to talk to a professor about the program? Contact:
Utpal Dutta
Department Chair
313-993-1040
duttau@udmercy.edu
PAID Co-op Experiences
$125K is the Annual Salary for a Senior Architectural Engineer
The average pay range for an Architectural Engineer varies greatly, which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
ZipRecruiter 2025
Overall employment in architecture and engineering occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2024 to 2034. About 186,500 job openings are projected each year, on average.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Explore AE Degrees
5½ - Year Bachelor of Architectural Engineering / Master of Civil Engineering (BAE/MCE)
Earn Two Degrees, Faster. Detroit Mercy offers a combined Bachelor of Architectural Engineering and Master of Civil Engineering program for qualified high school students entering as freshmen.
As you move into graduate-level courses, you can focus on one area—like structures, construction, building systems, or architecture—or explore several.
You’ll take fewer total courses and may finish both degrees in less time. Plus, you can earn up to nine graduate credits at the undergraduate tuition rate.
4½ - Year Bachelor of Architectural Engineering (BAE)
Design and build solutions that are creative, practical, and sustainable—meeting the needs of people, communities, and the environment. Balance function, safety, and beauty while considering cost and social impact.
AE is a very interdisciplinary field, involved in all aspects of the design. Architectural engineering students take architecture courses to understand how architects think and communicate. You’ll take classes with both architecture and engineering students, learning how these fields work together.
From your first year, you’ll study courses from both the Architecture and Civil Engineering programs, giving you early experience in how design and engineering connect.
Build on Your BAE — Advance into Graduate Engineering
You'll be prepared for one of our graduate engineering programs based on your focal area:
"My experience at Detroit Mercy has been one filled with work opportunities, connections and classes that helped streamline my career. The flowcharts for degrees are flexible, and allow for some personalization and minors that would be more difficult or impossible at other schools."
— Algird Szumlas '19
Learn from Industry Experts
At Detroit Mercy, you’ll work closely with faculty who have years of real-world engineering experience and are dedicated to your success. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1, you’ll get personal attention that helps you grow, both in class and beyond.
Build Your Network
Our faculty are active members of professional organizations like the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the Engineering Society of Detroit. You’ll have plenty of chances to connect and network with industry professionals.
“The program prepared me as an engineer to enter the professional world.”
— Renee Zaccagni ’13
Learn by Doing — From Day One
At Detroit Mercy, our Jesuit and Mercy mission means putting your learning into action. In your first year, you’ll take part in community-based projects through your freshman design course. As a senior, you’ll tackle real engineering challenges for a community partner in your capstone project — like helping a local church improve its water treatment system.
Through our mandatory co-op program, you’ll gain paid, hands-on work experience that gives you a strong edge in today’s job market. You can also explore related research.
Outside the classroom, you can join student groups like the American Society of Civil Engineers, contribute to the School of Architecture’s Dichotomy publication, or even compete in the annual concrete canoe competition.
Not sure which program is for you? You have time to decide your major
First-year Architecture and Architectural Engineering students take the same courses, which allows you to see which undergraduate program you would prefer pursuing.
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Compare Architectural with Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Engineering students study how to design pollution control systems and determine how to clean up environmental problems.
- Civil Engineering is very diverse; graduates can design water treatment facilities, dams, roads, transit systems, bridges and buildings.
- Architectural Engineering focuses on different aspects of designing structures, from style and comfort to the mechanical and electrical systems that bring it to life.
Civil Engineering
Architectural and Civil Engineers both work on the design of buildings. You can work in building design and construction with any of these degrees: Architecture, Architectural Engineering or Civil Engineering. All focus on different aspects of building design. Architects focus on comfort and aesthetics. Engineers focus on how to construct the structures. Both focus on economics and usefulness, but in different ways. Architectural Engineers do both.
But there are several other areas of Civil Engineering. If you liked your math and science courses in high school more than other courses, then you may enjoy Engineering more than Architectural Engineering. You can focus within any of those areas of Civil Engineering or take a general set of courses. (Learn more: Civil Engineering)
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineers can sometimes become very specialized. This provides you more possibilities for career placement after graduation compared to other environmental engineering programs. If an environmental student wants to deeply specialize, then they can take graduate level courses in specific areas such as water or ground/land pollution. (Learn more: Environmental Engineering)
Architectural Engineering
Architectural Engineering is for students who enjoyed math and science in high school but also want to express their creative side. Detroit Mercy’s program is unique because first year Architectural and Architectural Engineering students take the same courses, which helps in deciding between the two disciplines.
Architectural Engineering consists of three main areas: structural, construction and mechanical and electrical. If you like working outside, construction might be for you. Like performing calculations but also envision what buildings look like? Consider the structural focus. If you want to create energy efficient designs, think about the mechanical and electrical area. You can focus on one of these areas or take a general set of courses.
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Compare Architectural Engineering with Architecture
Architectural Engineering and Architectural. Both programs are similar yet have distinct differences. Architects focus on comfort and aesthetics. Architectural Engineers focus on those elements, as well as how to construct the structures, economics and usefulness.
Detroit Mercy’s program is unique because first year Architectural and Architectural Engineering students take the same courses, which helps in deciding between the two disciplines.
Architecture
Architecture can be more than buildings. It can involve the design and renovation of spaces within buildings or work with community groups to create neighbor revitalization plans. If you least enjoyed math and science in high school, but thrived in art and the other courses, then you may enjoy architecture the most. (Learn more: Architecture.)
Architectural Engineering
Architectural Engineering is for students who enjoyed math and science in high school but also want to express their creative side. The program consists of three main areas: structural, construction and mechanical and electrical. If you like working outside, construction might be for you. Like performing calculations but also envision what buildings look like? Consider the structural focus. If you want to create energy efficient designs, think about the mechanical and electrical area. You can focus on one of these areas or take a general set of courses.
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Accreditation
Bachelor of Architectural Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.