Architecture Program Accreditation
In the United States, most 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 professional degree programs in architecture offered by institutions with U.S. regional accreditation, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted an eight-year term, an eight-year term with conditions, or a two-year term of continuing accreditation, or a three-year term of initial accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established education standards. Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may require a non-accredited undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the non-accredited degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
North Dakota State University’s Architecture program offers the following NAAB-accredited degree program :
M. Arch. (pre-professional degree + 30 graduate credits)
Next Accreditation Visit: 2027
NAAB Conditions and Procedures
- The 2020 NAAB Conditions for Accreditation
- The 2020 NAAB Procedures for Accreditation
- The 2014 Conditions for Accreditation
- The 2015 Procedures for Accreditation
Career Development Information
- NDSU Career Center
- Studio Culture: Stories and Interpretations
- NCARB – The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
- AIA – The American Institute of Architects
- NAAB – National Architectural Accrediting Board
- AIAS – American Institute of Architecture Students
- ACSA – Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture
Public Information
NDSU Architecture Program Report (APR) 2017
Visiting Team Report (VTR) 2018
ARE Pass Rates
The Architectural Registration Examination (ARE) "assesses a candidate's knowledge, skills and abilities to provide the various services required in the practice of architecture.” It has been adopted for use by all U.S. Registration boards and the Canadian provincial architectural associations as the registration examination for all candidates seeking architectural licensing. Annually, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards publishes pass rates for each section of the ARE by institution, and may be found at ARE Pass Rates.
Career Opportunities
Career guidance for students begins with first-year students who are introduced to the professions of Landscape Architecture and Architecture in their introductory lecture classes. Upon admission to the department, student knowledge of the professions, career opportunities, and how to prepare for the professional world are expanded in a number of ways, including:
- Interaction with our departmental Advisory Board of distinguished alumni, representing architecture firms from around the nation
- Exposure to nationally and internationally known practitioners through our lecture series
- Portfolio reviews by alumni and faculty
- Regular posting of job opportunities through the student e-mail listserv
- Support from the NDSU Career Center with resume and portfolio preparation
- Career Center job listings and organization of annual Design Expo job fair.
Additional information on the professions of Architecture may be found at the following links: