CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning

What CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning does

CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) is a public academic college within the University of Colorado Denver, located on the Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado. CAP is the only university in Colorado to offer a Bachelor of Science in Architecture alongside accredited graduate degrees in architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, urban design, historic preservation, and interior design, plus an interdisciplinary PhD in Geography, Planning, and Design. The college holds professional accreditation from NAAB, LAAB, and PAB and institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission.

The college's core technology stack centers on specialized fabrication facilities — most notably the Design Fabrication Lab (housing 15+ 3D printers, five laser cutters, a Shop Sabre 3-axis CNC router with a 4'x8' bed, woodworking and metalworking equipment), the Visual Resource Center (86,000+ images in CAP Collection, 70,000+ in Archvision Collections), and a Computer & Print Lab. Course delivery runs on Canvas LMS, with PaperCut managing fabrication job submissions and Artstor providing academic image databases. Integration platforms include Handshake for career services, Accommodate for disability services, Interfolio for faculty reviews, and Zoom for remote learning.

CAP's business model is tuition-driven: undergraduate and graduate students pay tuition based on residency status and program, with WICHE-WUE and WICHE-WRGP reciprocity agreements extending reach across 16 western U.S. states and territories. Revenue is supplemented by philanthropic scholarship funding (JEDI, Bixler, CAP Opportunity), Bixler Global Initiatives international exchanges with Finland, Japan, and Spain, and the University Technical Assistance Program (UTAP) serving Colorado local governments. Admissions are managed through a hybrid model combining CU Denver's centralized admissions office with CAP-specific admissions coordinators, supported by event-driven recruitment including campus visits, information sessions, ACE Summer Camp, and Architecture in the City high school outreach programs.

Name

CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning

Legal name

The Regents of the University of Colorado

Website

https://architectureandplanning.ucdenver.edu

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning is a public academic college offering the only BS in Architecture and accredited graduate degrees in architecture, planning, and landscape architecture in Colorado, serving undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The college generates revenue through undergraduate and graduate tuition from its degree programs including BS Architecture, MArch, MURP, MLA, MUD, MSHP, and PhD. Students pay tuition based on residency status and program.
2. WICHE Tuition Reciprocity: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) programs allow students from participating western states to pay reduced tuition rates - WUE for undergraduates (150% of resident tuition) and WRGP for graduate students (in-state tuition rates).
3. WICHE-WUE Undergraduate Discount: Residents of WICHE states receive reduced tuition at 150% of resident tuition rate

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning is a public academic college that delivers accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs in architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, urban design, and historic preservation. It is the only university in Colorado providing a BS in Architecture alongside accredited graduate programs in architecture, urban planning, and landscape architecture, supplemented by dual degrees, certificates, and access to specialized design fabrication and visualization facilities.

Product overview

The College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) at CU Denver is Colorado's only university offering a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and accredited graduate degrees in architecture, urban planning, and landscape architecture. The institution provides a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs including undergraduate and graduate degrees in Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Historic Preservation (Dana Crawford Preservation Program), Interior Design, and an interdisciplinary PhD in Geography, Planning, and Design. CAP also offers certificate programs in Design Build, Historic Preservation, Landscape Architecture, Classical Architecture, Interior Design, GIS, and Climate and Environmental Justice, plus dual degree programs and international exchange opportunities through the Bixler Global Initiatives. Supporting these academic programs are specialized facilities including the Design Fabrication Lab (3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking, CNC), Visual Resource Center (photography studio, equipment lending), and Computer Labs. Financial support is provided through scholarships including the JEDI Scholarship program and CAP Opportunity Scholarship for diverse students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Architecture (BS Arch) A pre-professional undergraduate degree providing the foundational education required for subsequent pursuit of a NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture; designed for prospective students seeking entry into the architecture profession.
• Master of Architecture (MArch) NAAB-accredited professional graduate degree for students completing the path to architectural licensure.
• Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) PAB-accredited graduate professional degree preparing students for careers in urban and regional planning.
• Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) LAAB-accredited graduate professional degree preparing students for careers in landscape architecture.
• Master of Urban Design (MUD) Graduate degree focused on urban design, typically pursued as a dual degree alongside the MURP or MArch.
• MS in Historic Preservation Graduate degree in historic preservation preparing students for practice in preservation planning, conservation, and heritage management.
• Dual Degree Programs (MArch/MURP, MArch/MLA, MUD/MURP, MURP/MLA) Combined graduate degree pathways that allow students to earn two professional degrees concurrently, integrating complementary design and planning disciplines.
• PhD Programs in Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture Doctoral research degrees for students pursuing advanced scholarship and academic careers in the built environment disciplines.
• Graduate Certificates in Architecture and Planning Standalone graduate certificates providing specialized credentials in subfields of architecture, planning, and design for working professionals and continuing students.
• Study Abroad Programs International study programs offering students immersive design and planning experiences in foreign contexts, often tied to studio coursework.
• Design Fabrication Lab Access Access to a specialized fabrication facility with digital fabrication and physical making tools used to support studio coursework and student projects.
• Visual Resource Center Access Access to a curated image, media, and architectural resource collection that supports design teaching, research, and studio work.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered important, supporting and core.

• Bixler Family FoundationimportantOthers · 1 January 2018Founded in 2018 with a generous donation from the Bixler Family Foundation to support educational exchanges between CAP and Finland, Japan, and Spain. Includes Bixler Scholarship covering full tuition for one semester for students from these countries. Building on Finnish Initiatives program (2013-2017). Managing Trustee is Donald Lee Johnson, third-generation CU alumnus.
• Japanese Architecture SchoolssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Bixler Global Initiatives include partnerships with architecture schools in Japan for student exchanges, scholarships, and cultural educational programs.
• Spanish Architecture SchoolssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Bixler Global Initiatives include partnerships with architecture schools in Spain for student exchanges, scholarships, and cultural educational programs.
• Finnish Architecture SchoolssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Finnish Initiatives program (2013-2017) established foundational partnerships with architecture schools in Finland, including student scholarships, faculty exchanges, visiting lecturers, and summer study abroad support. Program expanded into current Bixler Global Initiatives.
• Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWICHE helps higher education systems in the western United States share resources through tuition reciprocity programs. CAP participates in WICHE-WUE (undergraduate students pay 150% of resident tuition) and WICHE-WRGP (graduate students pay in-state tuition). Participating states include AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY, and CNMI/Guam.
• Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC)coreOthersCU Denver is one of three institutions on the Auraria Campus, managed by AHEC. CU Denver shares general education spaces with Colorado Community College Denver and Metropolitan State University. AHEC provides ID services, parking, mail services, and other campus operations.
• Colorado Community College SystemsupportingOthersColorado Community College at Denver shares the Auraria Campus with CU Denver and Metropolitan State University, enabling cross-institutional collaboration and shared facilities.
• Metropolitan State University of DenversupportingOthersMSU Denver shares the Auraria Campus with CU Denver and Colorado Community College Denver, enabling shared general education spaces and collaborative campus operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cudenvercap
• Facebookfacebook.com/CUDenverCAP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/cudenvercap
• Instagraminstagram.com/cudenvercap

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning