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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.
The School of Architecture at Southern Illinois University Carbondale offers a 42-credit-hour Master of Architecture (M.Arch) degree accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). The program is delivered in both on-campus and online formats, providing flexibility while maintaining rigorous academic and professional standards. Admission requires a pre-professional degree in architecture, such as a Bachelor of Architecture or a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. Applicants from non-architecture backgrounds may be admitted with the completion of additional coursework to establish equivalency.
The program is fully NAAB-accredited, with accreditation extending through 2033.
Learn more about architecture careers below:
- The NCARB Handbook for Interns and Architects
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
- Becoming an Architect, an NCARB site, which features SIU graduate Ben Dockter.
- The American Institute of Architects
- The American Institute of Architecture Students
- The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture
The SIU School of Architecture's next accreditation visit will be in Spring 2025.
Annual Submitted Reports to the NAAB
You may read the full version of our APR to the NAAB and the NAAB Visting Team Report. Read the NAAB Team Decision Letter.
The National Architectural Accrediting Board publishes two documents related to accreditation. You may view the PDF of each document here:
NCARB requirements and the architects record exam (A.R.E.) pass rates::
The Master of Architecture program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is designed as a combined undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and Graduate professional program for architecture professionals seeking an accredited Master of Architecture degree that leads to National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) certification and state licensure. Requirements for becoming a licensed architect vary per state, therefore persons seeking these credentials to practice architecture should verify all requirements in their jurisdiction. NCARB establishes the standards, processes, education requirements, internship (AXP), and testing (the A.R.E.) for certification. Please review all guidelines and procedures at the NCARB Website: www.ncarb.org All comparative A.R.E 5.0 pass rates per state and institution can also be found here: www.ncarb.org/pass-the-are/pass-rates/are5-pass-rates-school , where interested parties can search via state and university name. SIUC School of Architecture pass rates are listed here (search tag: Illinois/Southern Illinois University Carbondale).