| Architecture
Education in the US
Table
of Contents
Architecture
Degree Programmes
The Structure
of Architecture Education
Acceptance
into US Schools of Architecture
Expenses
Practicing Architecture
in the US
Foreign Architecture
Graduates
Additional Resources
This
document provides an overview of architecture education
and the road to professional licensure in architecture
in the United States.
Architecture
Degree Programmes
Professional
Architecture Education
There
are two professional degrees in architecture that
lead to licensure as a practising architect in the
US.
Bachelor
of Architecture (B Arch)
The Bachelor of Architecture (B Arch) degree
is usually five years in length. Most B Arch degrees
are accredited by the National
Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). A B Arch
from an NAAB-accredited university is one option on
the path towards professional licensure as an architect
in the US.
The
B Arch should be distinguished from the non-professional
Bachelor of Arts in architecture, usually four years
in length, which requires additional study prior to
working as a licensed architect. Non-professional
architecture degrees are not accredited by the NAAB.
A
prospective architect with a B Arch can move directly
into the next phase of licensure, which is the three-year
internship (see below).
Master
of Architecture (M Arch)
The
second route is obtaining a Master of Architecture
(M Arch) degree from an NAAB-accredited programme
following a non-professional undergraduate degree
in architecture. A four-year undergraduate non-professional
programme in architecture followed by a two-year master's
is commonly called the "four + two" scheme. Students
who choose the "four+two" plan must apply for acceptance
to a postgraduate architecture programme near the
end of their first degree. Acceptance into the undergraduate
portion of a "four+two" programme does not guarantee
admission into postgraduate study.
The
M Arch from an NAAB-accredited institution can also
be obtained by students whose undergraduate degrees
are unrelated to architecture. These students need
three to four years to complete the M Arch.
M
Arch graduates are eligible for the three-year internship
which is the next step toward professional licensure
(see below).
Both
Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture
degree programmes are monitored and certified by the
National Association of Architecture Boards (NAAB).
Usually, successful completion of a degree programme
at an NAAB-accredited institution is a requirement
for employment as a licensed architect in the US.
Non-Professional
Architecture Education
A
Bachelor of Arts in architecture is a non-professional
degree. These programmes are usually four years in
length and are not accredited by the NAAB. Non-professional
architecture degrees are available with concentrations
in areas such as historic preservation or architectural
engineering. This can lead to employment in a field
that complements architecture. It does not lead to
professional licensure.
Another
alternative is a master's in urban planning which
can lead to employment in city development and other
fields related to architecture.
Post-Professional
Architecture Education
If
desired, an architect with a B Arch can further his/her
education with an M Arch. This postgraduate degree
can usually be completed in two years or less.
A
doctoral level of architecture study is available
in the US. Many doctoral programmes in architecture
focus on history and theory and are designed to meet
the growing need for teachers and interdisciplinary
researchers in the field. However, some universities
offer a PhD in architecture with a specialisation
in design technology that emphasises the use of computers
and allied technology in architectural education and
practice. The National Architecture Accreditation
Board (NAAB) does not monitor or certify programmes
at this level.
The
Structure of Architecture Education
Undergraduate
students in B Arch programmes begin architecture study
in their first year and combine this coursework with
the school's general education requirements. The number
and content of general education courses vary from
school to school, but typically include English, maths,
science, history and a foreign language. It is difficult,
if not impossible, to switch to another field of study
beyond the end of the first year without lengthening
the total time required to complete a degree.
The
curriculum for undergraduate, non-professional degrees
in architecture also combines specialised courses
with general education courses required by the university.
However, the first two years of the programme emphasise
the required general education courses specified by
the institution. Architecture study in the first two
years is usually limited to introductory topics. Non-professional
students do not have to make a firm commitment to
the architecture programme until the end of their
second year. Specialist coursework in architecture
usually begins in the third year.
There
can be wide variations in the content of architecture
courses, even among accredited schools of architecture.
However, there are some basic similarities. Nearly
all undergraduate architecture programmes (both professional
and non-professional) devote a great deal of time
and study to design. Students produce projects in
the studio and then participate in round-table discussions
amongst peers and professors.
In
addition, students take courses in behavioural science,
structural and mechanical engineering and economics.
There is additional course work in graphic art in
various media that is combined with computer graphics
and computer-aided design. Students also take mathematics
and physics as preparation for the study of engineering
statics and vector forces. At some point, architecture
students usually take a background course in the history
of human building. Optional courses include architectural
technology, contract documents and others.
Acceptance
into US Schools of Architecture
The
National Association of Architecture Boards reports
that in 1999 the average acceptance rate into accredited
schools of architecture was approximately 45 percent.
However, statistics vary from year to year and school
to school.
Admission
to an undergraduate professional architecture programme
is for those individuals who have established both
an aptitude and a commitment toward the profession.
Undergraduate applicants are expected to have: (1)
a solid background in the physical sciences including
maths, (2) the ability to fully conceptualise projects,
(3) a strong proficiency in oral and written communication,
(4) wide interests in the humanities and (5) the ability
to sketch and draw with ease. Admission to undergraduate
professional architecture programmes is highly competitive
and a portfolio is often required.
Admission
to non-professional Bachelor of Arts in architecture
programmes requires the same general background. However,
non-professional programmes are structured so that
students have the option to change to a different
field of study after the first two years.
Admission
to M Arch programmes can be granted to students without
professional degrees in architecture who are seeking
the path to professional licensure. B Arch graduates
who desire further education in their field are also
accepted.
A
non-professional Master of Arts in architecture is
available for those with non-professional degrees
in architecture or related fields such as urban planning.
Successful completion of a bachelor's degree in architecture
or a related field is required.
Admission
to doctoral programmes in professional architecture
usually requires completion of an M Arch. For specific
details on admission to doctoral programmes in architecture,
you should contact the school where you wish to apply.
Please
read our EAS Guide to Undergraduate Study
or EAS Guide
to Postgraduate Study for guidelines on the US
university admissions process for bachelor's or master's/doctoral
degrees.
Expenses
Tuition
costs vary greatly from one school to the next and
range from $12,500 per year to more than $33,200 per
year. Tuition rates for undergraduate programmes tend
to be less than postgraduate programmes. Thus, a five-year
undergraduate architecture programme would be less
expensive than a "four + two" plan in which the final
two years are spent in postgraduate study.
Most
students benefit from the purchase of a graphing calculator
which can cost $150 - $200. Some students also choose
to purchase personal T-squares and drafting boards
for use at home. The cost of this equipment can range
from $50 - $250.
Practicing
Architecture in the US
Each
state in the US has its own licensing body for architects
and a newly graduated candidate must follow the regulations
set forth by the state in which he or she plans to
work. However, there has been a movement toward standardisation
and the following are general guidelines:
-
To
practice as a licensed architect in the US, a
candidate must have completed either a Bachelor
of Architecture or a Master of Architecture degree
from a school accredited by the NAAB. It is important
to note that some universities offer a Bachelor
of Arts in architecture, a type of degree that
is not accredited by the NAAB. A BA in architecture
is not usually sufficient to continue the process
toward licensure; it is the B Arch that is required.
-
The
next step toward licensure involves work as a
paid intern at a firm staffed by licensed architects
for three years. The National Council of Architectural
Registration Boards has established standards
and criteria as to how the internship work should
be directed. Candidates are expected to gain experience
in all aspects of the field from design to zoning,
to management and other topics. Following the
completion of the internship period, a candidate
must earn an acceptable score on his/her state's
comprehensive architecture examination.
Foreign
Architecture Graduates
Foreign-educated
architects should contact the Architectural Registration
Board in the state where they wish to practice for
information on licensing procedures. Information on
registration boards can be obtained from the National
Council of Architecture Registration Boards, 1801
K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 USA, Tel: 001 202
783 6500, fax: 001 202 783 0290, email: customerservice@ncarb.org.
Some states may recognise some or all of an architect's
education gained outside the US.
Additional
Resources
Other
On-Line Resources
Association
of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, 1735 New
York Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20006 USA. Tel: 001
202 785 2324, fax: 001 202 628 0448
National
Architectural Accrediting Board, Inc., 1735 New
York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006 USA. Tel: 001
202 783 2007
National
Council of Architecture Registration Boards, 1801
K Street NW Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20006 USA.
Tel: 001 202 783 6500, fax: 001 202 783 0290, email:
customerservice@ncarb.org
National
Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
, PO Box 1686, 280 Seneca Creek Road, Clemson, SC
29633-1686 USA. Tel: 001 864 654 6824
National
Society of Professional Engineers, 1420 King Street,
Alexandria, VA 22314 USA. Tel: 001 703 684 2800
American Institute of Architects
Off-Line
Resources
The
US Educational Advisory Service's reference library
contains several directories concerning architecture
education in the US (listed below); catalogues from
US universities; test preparation guides for reference
use; and application forms for the SAT I and II, ACT,
GRE and TOEFL. You are welcome to consult these materials
during our opening
hours.
Specific
resources for architecture education available in
the EAS library are as follows:
-
ACSA
Directory. Association of Collegiate Schools
of Architecture.
-
Guide
to Architecture Schools. Association of Collegiate
Schools of Architecture.
-
NAAB
Accredited Programs in Architecture. National
Association of Architecture Boards.
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