School of Architecture Accreditation

• NAAB Accreditation
• NAAB Conditions and Procedures
• Career Development Information
• Prairie View SOA Accreditation Reports and Documents
• ARE Pass Rates

 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.

Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture 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 preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

Prairie View A&M University, School of Architecture offers the following NAAB accredited degree program:

Master of Architecture (pre-professional degree + 36 graduate credits)
 
Next accreditation visit for all programs: 2012

NAAB accredited program requirements:
Competence in a range of intellectual, spatial, technical, and interpersonal skills
Understanding the historical, socio-cultural, and environmental context of architecture
Problem solving for architectural design problems
Integration of technical systems, health and safety requirements
Comprehend architects' roles and responsibilities in society

Accreditation of architectural programs takes place on a cycle that may range from every few years to as many as six years. Accreditation is ongoing–the initial earning of accreditation is not entry to indefinite accredited status. Periodic review is a fact of life for programs, and self-accreditation is not an option. An architecture program seeking accreditation must go through a number of steps stipulated by NAAB.  Currently Prairie View A&M University School of Architecture is accredited through 2012 (on the six year cycle or maximum term).