Laptop Initiative
The School of Architecture requires all students to own a laptop computer and specific software for use in instructional courses. Equipment purchased within the last two years will generally accommodate the required software. The hardware and software specifications are meant to serve as guides.

Hardware Expectations
As an FIU student you are eligible to purchase hardware with educational discounts from UTS. Students are expected to own an updated PC or Mac laptop.  Some suggestions for 2012–13 include computers with Intel core i5 or i7 processors, at least 6GB of memory, 1GB dedicated for the graphics card, and at least 500GB of hard drive memory.

Software Expectations
As an FIU student you are eligible to purchase software with educational discounts from UTS Shop Software. All students are expected to acquire the latest version of Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk Maya, Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium, SketchUp, Rhino and a video editing program such as Adobe AfterEffects or Final Cut Pro. Additional software may be required for certain courses.

Security
It is recommended that students purchase both hardware and software security systems for their laptops. Many computer companies sell both hardware and software security systems for their laptops. You can also check out FIU’s University Technology Services.