Statement of Accreditation

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 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, three-year, or two-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 require a preprofessional undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

The NAAB grants candidacy status to new programs that have developed viable plans for achieving initial accreditation. Candidacy status indicates that a program expects to achieve initial accreditation within six years of achieving candidacy, if its plan is properly implemented.

In order to meet the education requirement set forth by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, an applicant for an NCARB Certificate must hold a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the NAAB; the degree must have been awarded not more than two years prior to initial accreditation. However, meeting the education requirement for the NCARB Certificate may not be equivalent to meeting the education requirement for registration in a specific jurisdiction. Please contact NCARB for more information.

The University of the District of Columbia, Department of Architecture and Urban Sustainability, is in candidacy for the following NAAB-accredited degree program:

M. Arch. (pre-professional degree + 37 graduate credits) – 2015
M. Arch.  (non-professional degree + 90 graduate credits) – 2015

Initial Candidacy granted: 2013

Continuation of Candidacy granted: 2015

Next visit for initial accreditation: 2017

Projected year of initial accreditation: 2017


Architecture Program Documents

2017 APR Report

2015 VTR Report

NAAB 2015 Procedures for Accreditation

NAAB 2014 Conditions for Accreditation

NAAB Annual Reports


Additional resources

Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA)
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)
Arch Daily
Toward an Evolution of Studio Culture
The Emerging Professional’s Companion