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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.
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 pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale offers the following NAAB-accredited degree program(s):
- Master of Architecture (pre-professional degree in architecture + 42 credits required)
- Master of Architecture (CIDA-accredited degree in interior design + 63 credits required)
- Master of Architecture (non-pre-professional degree + 109 credits required)
- Master of Architecture (IPAL, 57 credits + 2000 AXP hours + pre-professional degree) in architecture
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 2020 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).