The Master of Architecture (M.Arch) program 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.
- 4+3: A 3-year (10-quarter) curriculum designed for students holding an undergraduate degree outside of architecture.
- 4+2: A 2-year (6-quarter) track for students holding a 4-year undergraduate pre-professional degree in architecture or architectural studies.
The 4+3 program begins with a rigorous, 4-quarter, first-year sequence in foundational curriculum: design methodology and skills, architectural history, structures, and materials and methods. The focus of the second year is on systems, structure, and materiality. The third year is centered on the thesis or graduation project, with related research courses and selected upper-level lecture classes.
Program Information
- Program Length: 3 Years
- Accreditation: National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
- On-Campus Program
- Program Outline
Students in the 4+2 program enter the second-year curriculum of the 4+3 program, having completed foundational course work as undergraduates. The program is structured similarly to the last 2 years of the 4+3.
Program Information
- Program Length: 2 Years
- Accreditation: National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
- On-Campus Program
- Program Outline
Qualified candidates may elect to apply to the Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL) program, which integrates graduate study, Architectural Experience Program (AXP) hours, and Architect Registration Examination (ARE) requirements. Learn more about the IPAL program.
While most students entering this program plan to practice architecture, this degree is also useful for students who wish to pursue careers in teaching architecture or managing architecture or engineering firms. Our Master of Architecture degree program can prepare you for the following careers:
- Architect
- Architecture Teacher, Postsecondary
- Manufacturing Drafter
- Architectural and Engineering Manager
- Construction
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
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
