School of Architecture: Accreditation

Licensure

Architects must be licensed to practice. The School of Architecture’s B.Arch and M.Arch degrees prepare graduates for licensure. The School of Architecture’s B.E.D.A. prepares graduates for pre-professional work where a license is not required, as well as for advanced degree work and eventual licensure.

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) recognizes three types of degrees:

• the Bachelor of Architecture
• the Master of Architecture
• the Doctor of Architecture.

Terms

A program may be granted a 6-year, 3-year, or 2-year term of accreditation. Master’s degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

Candidacy Status

The NAAB grants candidacy status to new programs that have developed viable plans for achieving initial accreditation. Candidacy status indicates that a program should be accredited within six years of achieving candidacy, if its plan is properly implemented. The Marywood University School of Architecture will be applying for candidacy status.

NASAD Interior Architecture Accreditation

The Interior Architecture Program is currently accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Students are eligible to sit for the NCIDQ professional Interior Design licensing.