The School of Architecture offers three distinct master's degree programs to accommodate students with a broad spectrum of educational backgrounds and professional expectations. Admission requirements vary by program but application procedures are the same for all three programs.
The Post-Professional Master's degree, which normally requires three semesters of coursework to complete, is for graduates of accredited five-year Bachelor of Architecture professional degree programs. By virtue of their prior qualification, these students do not require a second accredited degree in order to be eligible for professional registration in the U.S. This program offers a flexible curriculum, allowing students the option of pursuing a personalized course of study or research, or of focusing on a prescribed curriculum in design and energy conservation, emerging material technologies, urban design and infrastructure, or preservation studies. A principal goal of the post-professional degree program is to increase the range of job opportunities, in both the private and academic arenas, for students who have already completed the basic professional degree.
The Master of Architecture (M. Arch) degree is a professional degree earned by completing one of two curriculum tracks, based on level of prior preparation:
The M. Arch III program track offers a career change option for individuals who have previously earned a bachelor's degree in a field other than architecture. This program normally takes three to four years to complete and prepares its graduates for entrance into the NCARB Internship Development Program leading to professional registration. After finishing the first-year curriculum of this track, students are automatically placed in the two-year M.Arch II program. Depending on prior preparation, the first-year curriculum may take longer than two semesters to complete.
This program track will be offered for the first time in the summer of 2010, and the first class will graduate in 2013 or 2014. Accreditation by the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB) is anticipated in 2015. Students interested in this program track should consult the proposed M.Arch III curriculum.
The M. Arch II program track is geared toward individuals who have already earned a four-year bachelor's degree with a major in architecture, and normally takes two years to complete. Students who are admitted to this program with deficiencies in prior coursework may make them up by taking selected courses offered in the first year of the M. Arch III program.
This program track will be offered for the first time in the fall of 2011, and the first class will graduate in 2013. Accreditation by the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB) is anticipated in 2015.
Accreditation Status and Professional Registration In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted a 6-year, 3-year, or 2-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.
The NAAB grants candicacy status to new programs that have developed viable plans for achieving initial accreditation. Candidacy status indicates that a program should be accredited within 6 years of achieving candidacy, if its plan is properly implemented. In order to meet the education requirement set forth by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, an applicant for an NCARB Certificate must hold a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the NAAB; the degree must have been awarded not more than two years prior to initial accreditation. However, meeting the education requirement for the NCARB Certificate may not be equivalent to meeting the education requirement for registration in a specific jurisdiction. Please contact NCARB for more information.
