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

Career Development Information

 

Public Information

NDSU Architecture Program Report (APR) 2017

Visiting Team Report (VTR) 2018

2018 Decision Letter

2021 Interim Progress Report

NAAB Response to 2021 IPR

 

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:

 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The School of Design, Architecture and Art is focused on ensuring a culture within our learning community that embodies a healthy learning community for everyone.We are committed to providing a learning culture that increases diversity in forms including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, language, culture, national origin, socioeconomic status, religion, veteran status, age, political perspective, and (dis)ability status. As fields that impact the built, experienced and cultural environments it is critical that we embed an understanding and experience with diversity in all of these forms to ensure that design solutions and artistic creations reflect the world that we live in.

The Department of Architechture is aligned with NDSU regarding diversity and inclusion. The university has multiple initiatives that are described on the linked webpage. Within the School of Design, Architecture, and Art. There are additional opportunities for engagement. Here is a link to the SoDAA webpage regarding DEI.

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