Founded in 1946, the Department of Architecture is the predecessor of the current School of Architecture. The department, currently, is mainly responsible for architectural and relevant courses and providing bachelor, master and Ph.D programs. By the end of 2012,there are 44 full-time teachers in the department with five research orientations. These are, firstly, Architectural Design and Theory, which includes Architectural Design, Design Theory and Criticism, Theater Design, Expo Architecture Design and Campus Planning; secondly, Architectural Design and Technology, which includes Parametric Design, Green Architecture and Architectural Tectonics; thirdly, Architectural Design and Society, Culture, Art, which includes Regional Architecture, Architectural Design for the Aged and Building Programming; fourthly, Urban Design and Theory, which includes Urban Design, Urban Design theory and Urban Aesthetics; and fifthly, Architectural History and Theory, which includes Chinese Architectural History, Foreign Architectural History, Architectural Theory and Architectural Heritage Preservation.