I’m planning on going into architecture (not landscape), and I’m interested in a few schools that are not accredited by the NAAB. If I were to get my undergraduate degree at an unaccredited school then transfer to a graduate school that has an accredited M.Arch program, will it be just as easy to become a registered architect, or should I stick to looking at schools that have accredited B.Arch programs?
Also, this is my first post, so feel free to move this to another forum if there’s a better fit.
Thanks!
Similar situation happened to my girlfriend. She went to UC Berkeley for undergraduate Landscape Arch which is not accredited. She found that when she was applying to graduate schools, some of schools she applied to put her on the longer graduate track.
To clarify: Most Arch graduate programs (regardless of what kind of arch) have at least 2 tracks. There will be a short one for people who have a relevant degree, and one for people with an irrelevant degree that is a bit longer.
To give a specific example, she applied to UPenn’s GSD for a MLA (2 year track) but they put her into the 3 year track because of her unaccredited undergraduate degree.
I don’t know anything about becoming a registered architect, but going to an unaccredited undergraduate program should not stop you from going to a good graduate school. UGA is a good school.
Just to give you an example of what I’m talking about, here’s Northeastern’s page for Masters in Architecture. Note the 3 different tracks and the different lengths of time /requirements for each.
Depending on finances and goals, you could end up stretching even a 2 year “fast track” M.Arch. Things like interesting courses, study abroad, internships, funding, and the like all play a big role in how quickly you get out. It all depends on what your end goal is.
Which schools are you looking at? There’s a difference between an unaccredited BArch or MArch and a non-professional BA or BS degree in architecture. As I mentioned in your UGA thread you can get accepted to an MArch program with a BA or BS in architecture or anything else as long as you fulfill the requirements of the individual program. The number of years required to complete the MArch varies widely depending on the structure of the program itself and your undergraduate degree and courses so it’s difficult to generalize.
Most states require a BArch or MArch for licensing. There are a few that allow you to become licensed with certain BS degrees and/or industry experience but this is a complicated process.