Computer Requirement

Students enrolling in all undergraduate programs at Virginia Tech are required to have a personal computer. Please note that, beginning in 2008, the University now requires a laptop/notebook or tablet computer; a desktop computer is not an option.

The Architecture and Design programs do not have a platform preference. An Apple/Mac or IBM PC-compatible/Windows laptop/notebook or tablet computer, meeting the requirements here will be acceptable. Please see University-wide Computer Requirement website.

Please Note: If you are using an Apple/Mac, you will need to configure the software to allow you to run Microsoft Windows in addition to Mac OSX.

For more information on computer requirements for Landscape Architecture students, please see the Landscape Architecture computer requirement web page.

Hardware

Please see the University-wide Computer Requirement website for minimum hardware specifications.

Software

All incoming undergraduate students are required to purchase the Microsoft Campus Agreement bundle of software. This includes incoming freshmen and transfer students.

The bundle contains Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 for Windows, Office 2008 for Macintosh, Windows operating system upgrades, and core client access licenses (CALs) for connecting to Microsoft servers. Unique to this Microsoft Campus Agreement license, purchasers are entitled to new versions of the software as long as they remain an undergraduate at Virginia Tech.

Software in addition to the University minimum requirement will be required for the first year design studios. This software must be purchased while enrolled at the University. It will be offered by the University at the lowest educational pricing that cannot be duplicated and will not be required until after the beginning of the fall semester. Please see the Student Software website for additional information on the School of Architecture + Design software bundle cost which changes each year depending on enrollment.

Landscape Architecture students should check the Student Software website for the Landscape Architecture software bundle.

Any additional software requirements are course-specific, and this software may be purchased while enrolled at the University. Students will be given choices and opportunities to acquire different CAD programs for free or at reduced educational pricing throughout their enrollment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a computer meeting the minimum requirements of the University also meet the minimum requirements of the Architecture and Design Programs?

No. Due to graphic intensive software required by the School of Architecture + Design, an Apple/Mac or IBM PC-Compatible/Windows laptop or tablet, needs a 512 MB 3D Open GL Accelerator graphics adaptor. Please note that the University, as well as the Architecture and Design Programs, require each first year undergraduate student to have a laptop or tablet computer as opposed to a desktop computer.

Please see the University-wide Computer Requirement website for more information.

I have been admitted to a graduate program in Architecture or Landscape Architecture. Does the computer requirement apply to me?

Although the University computer requirement applies only to entering undergraduate students (freshmen or transfers), the School of Architecture + Design requires all incoming graduate students in the Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) program and the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program to have a personal computer. Recommended hardware and software specifications are identical to those for undergraduate students. (For more information, please see the Graduate Architecture Program admissions web page or the Landscape Architecture computer requirement web page.)

Do you recommend one hardware platform (Apple/Mac vs. IBM PC-Comp./Windows) over another?

Firstly, there are two common types of personal computer “platforms”:

IBM PC-compatible, usually with the Windows operating system; these personal computers usually use processor chips produced by Intel, such as the “Core,” “Celeron,” or “Pentium”; many companies other than IBM manufacture this type of computer, including Dell, Gateway, Compaq, Sony (VAIO), Toshiba, etc.

Apple (laptop models: Powerbook, iBook, MacBook and MacBook Pro) with OS X (built on Unix) primary operating system instead of Windows; Apple’s personal computers formerly used a processor chip manufactured by Motorola, but Apple has now moved to a “Core” chip manufactured by Intel which will run both the Macintosh and Windows operating systems.

The School of Architecture and Design programs require each first year student to have a laptop or tablet computer, either an Apple/Mac or an IBM PC-compatible/Windows platform type. The decision to purchase or lease a particular hardware platform or operating system configuration is entirely up to you. Although the undergraduate Architecture Program began its experiment with the computer as a design medium approx. 20 years ago with predominantly Apple Macintosh hardware, we now employ a range of hardware platforms and operating system configurations. We have Apple/Mac and IBM PC-Compatible/Windows computers in our labs, and both platforms have complete access to departmental file servers and peripherals (scanners, printers, plotters, etc.). Please note that if you choose to purchase an Apple/Mac, you will need to configure the software to allow you to run Microsoft Windows in addition to Mac OSX.

Should I purchase or lease any hardware in addition to that which is noted in the University requirement?

In addition to the hardware noted in the University requirement, the Architecture and Design programs recommend the following:

Because the cursor control devices (track-ball, touchpad, etc.) typically found on laptops are generally not suitable for detailed graphic work, the laptop should be purchased with a mouse.

Because screen resolution is important for graphic work, if the laptop display does not have a resolution above 1024 × 768 pixels, a large screen external display monitor (17” or larger) may become a very usable future addition to the system. In this situation, we recommend that the laptop come equipped with an external display port (VGA) which can drive an external color monitor with a min. resolution above 1024 pixels x 768 pixels x millions of colors.

We suggest that the laptop have a high-capacity/long-life battery (4 hrs. min.), or, if your computer has removable/interchangeable lower-capacity batteries, that it come with at least two batteries.

We recommend the purchase of a well-padded carrying case and a security cable and lock for the laptop itself. We also suggest that you determine whether or not the system will be covered by an existing insurance policy (homeowners or renters) and, if not, purchase coverage as a separate policy.

Do I need to have a computer workstation specifically designed for “CAD” (computer-aided design/drawing) applications?

The computer each student brings to the University is intended as a “general purpose” computer, for word processing, desktop publishing, e-mail, web browsing, etc., as well as for image processing, computer-aided design/drawing/modeling, and other graphic work for architecture and design majors. Individual students entering the Architecture and Design Programs are not required, nor are they expected, to purchase a “high-end” graphics workstation, although there are additional requirements for the Video Card beyond the University Minimum. As long as resources allow, the School provides some university-owned computer graphics workstations for student use in each of the primary studio areas.

For applications related to their studio projects, students can begin their drawing or modeling work on their own laptop and then transfer to one of the School’s computer workstations for further processing or for printing on one of the School’s output devices: black/white and color laser printers, large format inkjet plotters, LaserCAMM, 3-D rapid-prototype printer, CNC milling machines, etc. The School also has flatbed, slide, and large-format scanners for student use. Students pay a nominal semester fee for use of the School’s computing resources; this fee covers the cost of consumables (ink, toner), etc.

Do I really need to have a laptop instead of a desktop computer?

YES. From the first year onward, the School of Architecture and Design Programs are studio-based, and each student will have his or her own desk in the design studio, in one of the School’s buildings, at which to work. The School’s requirement to purchase a laptop/notebook/tablet computer is based on the belief that students derive substantial benefits from working alongside their peers in the design studio.

Often, productive educational moments occur outside normal class hours, when, for instance, a student and his or her colleagues in the studio make an important finding while engaging in a conversation regarding a drawing on which one of them is working. If they had been at home or in their dorm room working on their desktop computers at that moment, they would have missed the discovery. A laptop/notebook/tablet computer can more easily be transported to the studio and used there, as well as in other classes or for use at home.

Studio desks, especially in first and second year studios, are not large enough to accommodate a desktop computer while simultaneously allowing sufficient space for other necessary work.

Will the Architecture and Design Programs require any software in addition to that which is initially required by the University?

For Architecture + Design students, software in addition to the University baseline requirement will be required for the first year design studios. This software may be purchased while enrolled at the University and will not be required until after the beginning of the Fall semester. Any additional software requirements are course-specific, and this software may be purchased while enrolled at the University.

Must I purchase hardware and software from the University Bookstore?

You may purchase or lease hardware from any source. Issues such as after-sales support and warranty should be considered as well. The University Bookstore is often able to offer very competitive prices.

There is a requirement for students to purchase the School of Architecture + Design software package or the Landscape Architecture software package from the University Office of Information Technology Acquisition (Student Software). Regarding other software, it is unlikely that outside sources, including mail-order, will be able to compete with the educational pricing offered through the University, in particular the Office of Information Technology Acquisition or the University Bookstore. Please wait to purchase any software until you have checked with on-campus sources.

Do you recommend any specific network hardware or interfaces?

Please see the University Computer Requirement website for information on network Interface cards and modems compatible with University networks.

First-year studios for School of Architecture and Design students are equipped with wireless network access. This wireless network will allow individual student computers to access the School’s internal servers, as well as the internet. In addition, the Newman Library, the G. Burke Johnston Student Center (immediately adjacent to the architecture, industrial design, and interior design studio buildings), Owens Dining Hall, Torgerson Hall, and most other academic buildings have wireless network service. Campus-wide standards for wireless network client hardware compatibility have been developed by Communications Network Services (CNS). For more information, please visit the CNS website. All students entering the Architecture and Design programs should have a wireless network interface as part of their computer system.

Freshman Orientation Computer Presentation 2009 [PDF]

Updated: June 2009