Hello everyone. I am currently living in the USA on a visa and plan on attending college in either USA or Canada, in the hopes of pursuing a career in Architecture.
I have a BSc in Fashion Design from Brazil and was originally looking to attend an undergraduate program in Canada for Architecture. However, I was rejected and have now been reconsidering my options.
My main question is: does Canada generally require a M.Arch to begin the process to become a licensed Architect, and does the USA require only a BSc to begin the process of becoming a licensed Architect?
My second question: given I have an undergraduate degree in a (semi) related field (it involved much hands-on lab work and was extremely applied), am I correct in thinking that I can technically apply to Master's programs in Canada/USA without having the undergraduate degree in Architecture? It would save me a lot of time and money.
My third question: Does the USA accept all accredited universities in Canada, and vice versa? I tried googling but could not find much more beyond "yes."
Yes, you need an accredited M.Arch in order to start the process towards becoming an architect in Canada. You can find the list of Canadian accredited university programs at the CACB website. There is an alternative method (RAIC Syllabus) which does not require graduate school but is longer and likely not applicable to you. With that said, you don't need a M.arch to get a job but I don't know how much you can offer an office with only a fashion design undergrad background.
Most accredited programs in Canada allow non-arch applicants into their 3 year M.Arch however, competition is fierce and there are not many spots available. Also worth making note that the top two schools (Loo and McGill) do not take such applicants. You will need to look at each school's pre-requisites to see if your academic background is acceptable.
Yes. There is reciprocity between Canada and USA. I don't know what the rules are between USA and other countries, but all eligible international accredited programs as far as Canada is concerned are listed in the CACB.
Jun 2, 21 9:23 pm ·
·
Bench
Re: Reciprocity. It exists and is relatively manageable/attainable to go through, just plenty of fees and forms to fill out with lots of waiting to have documents reviewed.
Jun 3, 21 11:18 am ·
·
Bench
* IF your professional degree is either CACB or NAAB accredited. They are essentially equivalent certifications.
for US licensing each state has its own requirements. In general the minimum requirement for the straightforward path to license is an accredited B.Arch, which is not equivalent to a B.S. and requires 5 years to complete.
in your case it's hard to imagine a second bachelors would be the best option. you would need an accredited professional M.Arch.
I'm pretty sure but not certain accredited M.Arch degrees from Canada are acceptable for licensing in the US.
check these two sites for detailed info:
US licensing rules: ncarb.org
US accredited degrees: naab.org
Jun 2, 21 10:47 pm ·
·
midlander
on applying for an m.arch - there are accredited master's degrees for students who had no undergraduate study in architecture, which I believe would be your case. fashion design will give you some visual skills helpful to doing the work, but the core knowledge isn't similar enough to count for credit.
Jun 2, 21 10:50 pm ·
·
Non Sequitur
Canadian accredited M.arch is acceptable under Ncarb in all but 7 states. (Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia... and Rhode Island).
^ ^ Not entirely sure what this is referring to. The NCARB certification is essentially a blanket qualification allowing the holder to get their license in any US state. M.Arch's that qualify as CACB lead to that pathway.
Jun 3, 21 11:32 am ·
·
Non Sequitur
Bench, NAAB's site has a handy graphic that filters out states where CACB is not recognized.
Wow, I stand corrected, was not aware of that. Ironically, at least a couple of those specific states do not require any professional degree for certification, meaning one can get licensed in MO without an M.Arch or B.Arch, regardless of the country ...
Jun 3, 21 11:57 am ·
·
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BSc Arch (USA) versus MArch (Canada)
Hello everyone. I am currently living in the USA on a visa and plan on attending college in either USA or Canada, in the hopes of pursuing a career in Architecture.
I have a BSc in Fashion Design from Brazil and was originally looking to attend an undergraduate program in Canada for Architecture. However, I was rejected and have now been reconsidering my options.
My main question is: does Canada generally require a M.Arch to begin the process to become a licensed Architect, and does the USA require only a BSc to begin the process of becoming a licensed Architect?
My second question: given I have an undergraduate degree in a (semi) related field (it involved much hands-on lab work and was extremely applied), am I correct in thinking that I can technically apply to Master's programs in Canada/USA without having the undergraduate degree in Architecture? It would save me a lot of time and money.
My third question: Does the USA accept all accredited universities in Canada, and vice versa? I tried googling but could not find much more beyond "yes."
I appreciate the feedback!
I can throw a few quick answers
Re: Reciprocity. It exists and is relatively manageable/attainable to go through, just plenty of fees and forms to fill out with lots of waiting to have documents reviewed.
* IF your professional degree is either CACB or NAAB accredited. They are essentially equivalent certifications.
for US licensing each state has its own requirements. In general the minimum requirement for the straightforward path to license is an accredited B.Arch, which is not equivalent to a B.S. and requires 5 years to complete.
in your case it's hard to imagine a second bachelors would be the best option. you would need an accredited professional M.Arch.
I'm pretty sure but not certain accredited M.Arch degrees from Canada are acceptable for licensing in the US.
check these two sites for detailed info:
US licensing rules: ncarb.org
US accredited degrees: naab.org
on applying for an m.arch - there are accredited master's degrees for students who had no undergraduate study in architecture, which I believe would be your case. fashion design will give you some visual skills helpful to doing the work, but the core knowledge isn't similar enough to count for credit.
Canadian accredited M.arch is acceptable under Ncarb in all but 7 states. (Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia... and Rhode Island).
^ ^ Not entirely sure what this is referring to. The NCARB certification is essentially a blanket qualification allowing the holder to get their license in any US state. M.Arch's that qualify as CACB lead to that pathway.
Bench, NAAB's site has a handy graphic that filters out states where CACB is not recognized.
https://www.ncarb.org/get-lice...
Wow, I stand corrected, was not aware of that. Ironically, at least a couple of those specific states do not require any professional degree for certification, meaning one can get licensed in MO without an M.Arch or B.Arch, regardless of the country ...
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