The new accelerated undergraduate architecture programs will allow students to graduate and enter the workforce more quickly
Media Contact:
Lauren McDaniel
lmcdaniel@newschoolarch.edu
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San Diego, CA —December 17, 2015 —NewSchool of Architecture & Design (NewSchool) today announced that the university now offers accelerated options for students to earn undergraduate architecture degrees, allowing them to graduate and enter the workforce more quickly and to decrease their overall costs.
“There have been various studies and increased awareness about the need for a contemporary approach to and innovative methods of teaching and learning in architecture education,” said Len Zegarski, NewSchool Undergraduate Architecture Program Chair. “The new vision for professional architecture education needs to be innovative. The result needs to be efficient, time-and cost-sensitive, and sufficiently agile to meet the needs of future architects.”
The academic framework now implemented for the accelerated undergraduate architecture program options at NewSchool include a comprehensive professional architecture education that consists of accelerated degree tracks that fit the needs of students of all ages and proficiency levels. Through the new tracks, available at a tuition discount, students are able to complete their Bachelors of Arts in Architecture in three years or the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)-accredited Bachelor of Architecture professional degree in four years by taking up to 18 credits of course work each quarter. This is one year faster than NewSchool’s traditional five-year undergraduate architecture programs, allowing students to save time, reduce tuition costs and give them a head start on their career in architecture.
In addition to the new accelerated undergraduate architecture degrees, NewSchool is also one of the first 13 accredited architectural programs to be accepted for participation in the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL) initiative. The new pathway to licensure will incorporate all elements required for licensure into the academic program, decreasing time to architectural licensure for students who complete all IPAL program requirements. A rule change allowing students to take the Architect Registration Examination sections while still in school is currently pending final approval by the California Architects Board.