undergraduate degrees

Undergraduate degrees in architecture generally fall into two categories — professional degrees (usually five years in length), and pre-professional degrees (usually four years in length). A professional degree is periodically evaluated and accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board and contains the required academic coursework to pursue internship, and eventually, licensure. A pre-professional degree contains part of the coursework required for licensure but must be followed by a first professional master's degree in order to become licensed.

The School of Architecture offers both types of undergraduate degrees. The Bachelor of Architecture professional degree requires at least five years of study including nine semesters of studio design. The Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies pre-professional degree requires approximately four years of study and would normally need to be combined with a Master of Architecture degree to become licensed. The Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies is also a useful degree for those interested in careers related to architecture such as planning, real estate development, environmental law, theatre set design, or construction management.

Bachelor of Architecture

(B.Arch.)—a five-year professional degree
This degree path features a rigorous design-oriented curriculum with a solid foundation in building science and the history and theory of architecture. The objective of this curriculum is to prepare students for the challenges and demands of professional practice in the public, private, or corporate sectors.

Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies

(B.S.A.S.)—a four-year pre-professional degree
This degree is an excellent platform for graduate study in architecture; engineering; law; business; or interior, graphic, and industrial design. The architecture coursework occupies the majority of the first three years leaving the fourth year for developing an academic bridge to the student's major career interest.

Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering (Dual Degree Program)

(B.Arch. + B.S.A.E.)—a six-year, double professional degree program, jointly sponsored by the School of Architecture and the College of Engineering
This is a rigorous and demanding curriculum that takes advantage of the mutual interests of both architecture and architectural engineering. For those who are stimulated by the confluence of these disciplines, this dual degree plan is excellent professional preparation.

Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Arts, Plan II, Dual Degree Program

(B.Arch. + B.A. Plan II)—a five-year (plus summers) program jointly sponsored by the School of Architecture and the College of Liberal Arts
Students must apply separately to the Plan II Honors Program. This is a fully professional curriculum that offers the academic and professional advantage of a strong liberal arts background.

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, 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.

Master's degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitutes an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.