Difference Between B.Arch and B.Plan Course

Both courses have career opportunities for the students. Students get in a dilemma while choosing bachelor of architecture and bachelor of planning. Most of the students are unaware of the difference between the B.Arch and B.Plan Courses so they make mistakes in choosing the right course and then they lead to an unsuccessful career.

What is B.Arch and B.Plan Course?

B.Arch stands for "Bachelor of Architecture" and B.Plan stands for "Bachelor of Planning". In this article, students will get the complete difference between B.Plan and B.Arch course and will be able to make the right choice for their career. Before making a decision, students must explore all the opportunities which exist in the market. The advance of Information Technology has brought a huge revolution in recent times. This change has affected education as well. In India nowadays the number of options for students to get started is enormous.

Bachelor of Architecture is a form of study for students to gain skills and knowledge for later employment as qualified architects. A Bachelor of Architecture is a professional degree awarded to students who have completed a program of study in architecture. An architect's role involves planning, designing, and overseeing the construction of buildings and elements that form the physical environment such as rooms, buildings, and parks.

A bachelor of planning is the study of a strategic framework for determining decisions at the level of cities, towns, and regional areas. This is not to say that it is simply about planning. It is far broader than that. Such a degree prepares graduates to take a wider view than those with ordinary bachelor’s degrees, as well as to work across a range of areas (property development, urban design, environmental studies, and so on). The end goal is the betterment of our globe, towns, cities. To make the right choice in choosing either bachelor of architecture or bachelor of planning, first students have to understand "what is B.Arch and B.Plan?".

B.Arch Course vs B.Plan Course

B.Arch (Bachelor of Architecture):

It is an undergraduate degree of 5 years and consists of 10 semesters. B.Arch Course also called a Five Year Integrated Course is a first step towards becoming an Architect. It creates a foundation for Architecture, Construction, and finishing Architecture courses in the future. By completing the B.Arch course it is possible to start working in the field of architecture immediately after completing the program. The basic eligibility for pursuing a bachelor of architecture is students must have done class 12th with a science stream from a recognized education board. 

The professional study of a building's design, planning, and construction. It is commonly an academic degree program in architecture. The Bachelor of Architecture curriculum emphasizes the development of skills and concepts essential for a practising architect. Emphasis is also placed on developing an integrated awareness of science, technology, and society. The course helps the student to emerge as a holistic and well-rounded personality in tune with the contemporary world.

B.Plan (Bachelor of Planning):

B.Plan Course is an undergraduate degree of 4 years and consists of 8 semesters. In this course, we study the basic concepts, knowledge, and skills needed for urban and regional planning. The bachelor of planning program provides a strong base for those who wish to pursue further studies in planning and for those who wish to take up employment in the various government or private agencies engaged in planning activities. The basic eligibility of pursuing a Bachelor of plan that ng is students have to complete their class 12th must have studied mathematics as a compulsory subject from a recognized education board. 

The Bachelor of Planning (Urban and Regional Planning) is an innovative degree that combines the study of planning with a major in another discipline. The degree will allow you to develop your knowledge and skills as both a planner and a specialist in another area such as International Studies, Finance, Urban Studies, or Design.

B.Arch and B.Plan Course fee structure:

Both Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Planning have different fees structure. Also, the fee structure of these courses can differ from institute to institute. Students can have an estimate of course fees through this table:

Difference Between B.Plan and B.Arch:

Bachelors of Architecture (B.Arch Course) and Bachelor of Planning (B.Plan) both centre around the study of Design. While there are few differences between these two courses, here is a brief account of their difference.

B.Arch Syllabus:

First-year:

Second-year:

Third-year:

Fourth-year:

Fifth-year:

B.Plan Syllabus:

First-year:

Second-year:

Third-year:

Fourth-year:

Best Career Options after B.Arch or B.Plan Course:

Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch Course) and Bachelor of Planning (B.Plan Course) are popular among students who have an interest in architect, design, planning, and analysis. Both bachelors of architecture and bachelor of planning have good career opportunities in this technical world. These career options can be opted by the students after completing their graduation in architecture and planning. Students can check these career options for their future:

List of Job Options after B.Arch:

1. Site Architect

2. Project Manager 

3. Urban Designer

4. Planning Assistant

5. Assistant Manager(Architect)

6. Research Associate

7. Architectural Journalism

8. Architect

9. Junior Town Planner

List of Job Options after B.Plan:

1. Regional Planner

2. Urban Planner

3. Interior Designer

4. Design Architect

5. Project Planner

Top B. Arch Colleges in India:

These are some of the top colleges that are suitable for students to pursue a bachelor of architecture:

(1). Jagannath University, Jaipur

Approved by: UGC, Council of Architecture (COA), NCTE, NAAC, BCI, DEB

Type: Private

(2). Indian Institute Of Technology ( IIT Kharagpur), Kharagpur

Approved by: UGC AICTE

Type: Public

(3). Indian Institute Of Technology ( IIT Roorkee), Roorkee

Approved by: AICTE, NAAC

Type: Government

(4). Indian Institute Of Technology ( IIT BHU), Varanasi

Approved by: UGC, AICTE

Type: Government

(5). Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University ( GGSIP), New Delhi

Approved by: UGC, NAAC

Type: Public

(6). National Institute Of Technology ( NIT TRICHY), Tiruchirappalli

Approved by: UGC, AICTE

Type: Government

(7). Visvesvaraya National Institute Of Technology ( VNIT), Nagpur

Approved by: AICTE

Type: Government

(8). Birla Institute Of Technology ( BIT MESRA), Ranchi

Approved by: UGC, NAAC, NBA, AICTE 

Type: Private

(9). National Institute Of Technology ( NITR), Rourkela

Approved by: UGC, AICTE

Type: Government

(10). Malviya National Institute Of Technology ( MNIT JAIPUR), Jaipur

Approved by: MHRD, NBA, Govt of Rajasthan, UGC 

Type: Government

(11). Faculty Council Of Engineering & Technology - Jadavpur University ( FCET), Kolkata

Approved by: AICTE

Type: Privat

(12). Indian Institute Of Engineering Science And Technology ( IIEST), Howrah

Approved by: UGC, AICTE

Type: Private

Top B.Plan Colleges in India: 

(1). Lovely Professional University ( LPU), Phagwara

Approved by: UGC BCI PCI AIU NABL IAP ICAR Council of Architecture (COA) NCTE ACU ACBSP

Type: Private

(2). College of Engineering, Pune ( COE), Pune

Approved by: AICTE NBA

Type: Private

(3). Maulana Azad National Institute Of Technology ( MANIT), Bhopal

Approved by: UGC AICTE

Type: Government

(4). NIMS University, Jaipur

Approved by: UGC AICTE NAAC

Type: Private

(5). Ansal University ( AU), Gurgaon

Approved by: UGC AICTE

Type: Private

(6). Amity University Manesar ( AU), Gurgaon

Approved by: UGC NAAC

Type: Private

(7). Amity University Mumbai, Mumbai

Approved by: UGC AIU Government of Maharashtra

Type: Private

(8). GD Goenka University ( GDGU), Gurgaon

Approved by: UGC

Type: Private

(9). Aurora's Design Academy - Banjara Hills ( ADA), Hyderabad-T

Approved by: AICTE Council of Architecture

Type: Private

(10). Savera Educational Trust Group Of Institutions ( SETGI), Gurgaon

Approved by: AICTE

Type: Private

(11). School Of Planning And Architecture ( SPA), Bhopal

Type: Private

(12). School Of Planning And Architecture ( SPA Vijayawada), Vijayawada

Approved by: Other Ministry of HRD

Type: Private

Which is Better B.Arch or B.Plan?

B.Arch or B.Plan? which course should you choose, designing buildings or planning the cities. This is a question that arises in the mind of most of the students.  Is not a difficult question to answer, but difficult to know the right answer to this question. The perception that B.Arch has a clear edge over B. Plan in terms of career can be misleading as not all people have those same goals and hence not all should choose the same path for themselves.

B.Plan course is a professional degree after class 12th that takes fours years and the bachelor of architecture takes five years. The students can opt for one of these courses based on their skills, interests, and career goals. Both the courses lead to a career in the field of architecture, design, planning and urban design wherein students work on restoring and rebuilding existing as well as designing new city infrastructure. In our opinion, A student who’s discovered an area of interest where he can shine has no reason to suffer indigestion from choosing between the “relatively similar” programs.