Can I complete a 5-year degree in 4 years
There are 4 year BA/BDES/BS in Architecture degrees. So yes, you can get an Architecture degree in 4 years but the 5 year Architecture program is usually called BArch - it is an undergraduate degree that allows you to obtain a license in Architecture. If you want that, then no there isn’t a BArch that can be completed in 4 years. Its because of the large number of required courses which are mandated by NAAB licensing rules. If you take a closer look at the number of credits to get BS vs. BArch it is @120 vs. 165-170. That’s a huge difference. So you cannot possibly cram 170 credits in 4 years. It’s even hard enough to fit it all in for 5 years (which is 17-18 credits per semester). It’s in my opinion an accelerated program and is extremely difficult due to the large number of required courses and heavier workload. NAAB recommends 4+2 (4 years undergrad + 2 years masters) for obtaining your licence in Architecture. That’s the normal path. There are many ways to get it so its best to determine which path fits you.
There are a number of colleges that offer 4 year Architecture programs - here’s a few that I remember: UVa, Princeton, MIT, Harvard, WashU, Lehigh, Tulane, UT Austin, etc. You can check their websites to see what degrees they offer.
Just to reiterate, a 4 year BS in architecture will NOT qualify you as a professional architect.
Yes, but the 4 year BS in Architecture does set you up for obtaining a Masters in Architecture (which qualifies you as a professional architect). Did you notice that in order to get a Masters it’s the same time frame: 4+2 (BS+Masters) vs. 5+1 (BArch+Masters). However, its very hard to find a 1 year Masters program so they usually offer 5+2 which a costly path. However, if you don’t want to get a Masters then the BArch is definitely the shortest path.
My daughter’s BArch program required 10 sequential semesters of studio, so there was no way to complete that in under 5 years (studio was not offered in the summer). I think that’s probably typical.
Licensure is controlled by the individual states, and in some states it’s possible to get licensed with a BS or BA. You have to read the fine print, though, as there may be special requirements involving education equivalencies such as additional work experience. You still have to pass the exams and fulfill your state’s requirements for work experience hours.
The down side of circumventing the professional degree is that your flexibility and mobility will be limited. You may want to practice in a state that requires a BArch or MArch or work for a firm that has projects in multiple states. Reciprocity agreements between states are complicated. The 5.0 year BArch is the fastest and simplest route to licensing.
Aside from the studio issue (which you MIGHT be able to get around via study abroad in the summer, some schools are OK with that, DD1’s was) there’s a years worth of other arch coursework to spread out. Not likely in my opinion.