The Integrated Path to Architecture Licensure (IPAL) program at our school offers two entry points, one for students with a baccalaureate degree in any field and the other for students who have already obtained a pre-professional architecture or architectural studies undergraduate degree.
- IPAL 4+3: A 4-year curriculum designed for students holding an undergraduate degree outside of architecture.
- IPAL 4+2: A 3-year track for those holding a 4-year undergraduate pre-professional degree in architecture or architectural studies.
In the first year of the 4+3 program, students will take a full course load of graduate architecture courses including design studio, architectural history, statics, structures, and materials and methods. During the first summer, students will choose elective courses including an opportunity to participate in one of our exciting study abroad programs. Beginning in the second year, students will hold a part-time internship during the academic year and a full-time internship during the summer. Two sections of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) tests will be taken each year during the second, third, and fourth years. The final year of the program at our school of architecture will consist of a full-time internship, practicum, and final ARE test sections.
Program Information
- Program Length: 4 Years
- Accreditation: National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
- Program Outline
- Program Learning Outcomes
The 4+2 program is similar to the last three years of the 4+3 program, having completed the foundational course work as undergraduates.
Program Information
- Program Length: 3 Years
- Accreditation: National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
- Program Outline
While most students entering the IPAL program plan to professionally practice architecture, this degree is also useful for students who wish to pursue careers in teaching architecture or managing architecture or engineering firms. Our Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure program can prepare you for the following careers:
- Architect
- Drafter
- Architectural Manager
- Engineering Manager
- Educator
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, three-year, or two-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 require a preprofessional undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
NewSchool of Architecture & Design offers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs:
- B. Arch. (225 undergraduate credits)
- M. Arch. (preprofessional degree + 90 graduate credits)
- M. Arch. (non-preprofessional degree + 150 credits)
Next accreditation visit for all programs: 2024
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: F1 Visa students are ineligible to apply for IPAL due to internship requirements for this program.
