(MARCH)
The school offers graduate studies to students with degrees in other fields or to students with pre-professional degrees in architecture who wish to pursue a professional career in architecture (professional course of study). All options lead to the Master of Architecture (MArch) degree. This professional degree program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
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 an 8-year, 3-year, or 2-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.
Master’s degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The Master of Architecture (M.Arch) degree is a three ½ year professional degree open to applicants with undergraduate qualifications in any discipline. Those with accredited degrees in architecture or landscape architecture are eligible for entrance into the program’s second year, following consultation with the graduate coordinator and review of qualifications and portfolio. The degree is a non-thesis degree requiring a comprehensive design project. Thirty-six hours of credit at the graduate level must be earned including a maximum of six hours of credit for the comprehensive design project. The curricular requirements include:
- At least 36 hours at the 7000 level or above, exclusive of any type of independent studies credit except for special project credit earned.
- A core requirement of 48 credit hours comprised of NAAB required professional architecture courses. Credit is given for students with a pre-professional architecture on a case-by-case basis that is decided by the School of Architecture Graduate Coordinator in consultation with the faculty.
The student must pass a final exam consisting of an oral presentation and defense of the comprehensive design project before their examining committee.