<p>What is the difference between a B.Arch and a B.A. Arch other than that B.Arch is an accredited 5-year program and B.A. Arch is a 4-year unaccredited program? How are their curriculum different? Is one more stressful than the other? Is applying to graduate school in M.Arch more difficult than being in the B.Arch intensive program?</p>
<p>Other insights will also be greatly appreciated! :)</p>
<p>Don’t get confused by the “accredited” tag. In order to practice architecture in the U.S. you need either a B.Arch or an M.Arch. These are the only professional degrees.</p>
<p>The B.A. or B.S. in architecture, architectural studies, art or anything else is not the same thing as the B.Arch. If you get a B.A. or a B.S. in architectural studies you will still need an M.Arch if you want to be an architect.</p>
<p>Many architects choose to get an undergraduate B.A. or B.S. then go on to graduate school for an M.Arch. This takes longer and costs more, but is good for ungraduate students who are not ready to make the full commitment to architecture that the B.Arch demands. The B.Arch is architecture 24/7, while the B.A. in architectural studies (or any other discipline) allows balance of other academic studies.</p>
<p>The M.Arch can take from 2.0 to 3.5 years to complete depending on the requirements of the program and the scope of the undergraduate degree.</p>
<p>The word ‘unaccredited’ makes it sound like an online program from the University of Phoenix. It really means that as momrath pointed out, it is not a professional degree. I would make sure that any BA or BS program I attended also had an accredited professional degree as part of the school. This way you know the entire program has been reviewed by an accreditation board.</p>
<p>rick</p>
<p>Are there schools that offer a BS Arch or BA Arch that do not offer an accredited MArch program?</p>
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<p>The BA/BS would be in architectural studies which is difference from a B.Arch. In answer to your question, there are dozens of colleges/universities that offer the BA/BS in architectural studies or that allow you to study architecture as part of the art history or art studio department. A few of these also offer the M.Arch.</p>
<p>This is a good list for the B.Arch and M.Arch.
[Bachelor</a> of Architecture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“Bachelor of Architecture - Wikipedia”>Bachelor of Architecture - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Some schools have a 4 year BS in Arch with a one year MArch…so you essentially do the five years and end up with a masters.</p>
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<p>mom, could you please list a few the schools that allow you to do this? The question comes up a lot, and everytime I look into individual programs I get 2.0 years minimum for the M.Arch on top of the BS.</p>
<p>I think that the confusion is understandable as the terminology, degrees and program requirements are so variable from school to school. My son says that everyone in his M.Arch program seems to have a different set of exemptions and required courses depending on the individual undergraduate experiences.</p>
<p>Tulane has program that allows students to earn a bachelors + Masters in Architecture in 5 years.</p>
<p>jdaa, As I understand it the Tulane 5 year Masters is the equivalent of a B.Arch + M.Arch. In other words you enter the M.Arch program from day one as a firstyear, as you would a B.Arch program. There are several schools with this route to the M.Arch, but it seems that they all require the same initial commitment to architecture as a B.Arch would.</p>
<p>What I’m trying to figure out is how many years it takes to get an M.Arch on top of a BS/BA in architectural studies (or any other discipline). I believe the minimum is 4 + 2 years, with 4 + 3 to 3.5 years being common. This route seems better for kids who are not ready to make the commitment to architecture as firstyears; however, it takes longer and costs more.</p>