Accreditation
In order to obtain an architectural license in the United States, all state registration boards (except Arizona) require a degree from an accredited professional degree program and a designated amount of work experience in the form of Intern Development Program requirements (IDP).
The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes two types of degrees: the bachelor of architecture (five-year) and the master of architecture (two- or three-year). Both master of architecture programs (2G and 3G) at the University of Michigan are fully accredited by the NAAB.
The accreditation process provides periodic independent evaluation of the quality of the professional program as assessed from a national perspective. It provides assurance that graduates of the program are competent in architectural design, have a grasp of technical systems and requirements, are able to incorporate considerations of health and safety into design, understand the historical, human, and environmental contexts of architecture, and are adequately prepared for internship in professional practice. The master of architecture degree is the program of professional study at the University of Michigan that is accredited by NAAB. A copy of the most recent accreditation report is available in the architecture program office.
