Archinect
anchor

Accredited vs unAccredited

Philarct

hi all

Whats the difference between going to a college of Architecture that is accredited and going to one that isnt accredited?

I'm about to graduate from a community college in Virginia and have applied for VT but was denied admission. That leaves UVA and the University of DC left that is reasonbly close to my location. Im going to apply for both but I want to go to UDC because its closer to home. However I just found out that their Architecture program isnt accredited, should i just scrap it altogether? and go for UVA?
what happens when you get a bach degree in architecture from a school that isnt accredited?

thanks for the help

 
Apr 5, 10 1:21 pm
gresham

The main difference between an accredited program v. an unaccredited program has to to with meeting the educational requirements for architectural licensure.

From the National Architectural Accrediting Board's FAQ:

Q: Why should I choose an accredited architecture program?

A: Most state registration boards in the United States require an applicant for licensure to have graduated from a NAAB-accredited program, obtaining such a degree is an essential aspect of preparing for the professional practice of architecture. While graduation from a NAAB-accredited program does not assure registration, the accrediting process is intended to verify that each accredited program substantially meets those standards that, as a whole, comprise an appropriate education for an architect.

You might want to read the rest of the FAQ for more info:
http://www.naab.org/faq/results.aspx#ans8

Apr 5, 10 3:19 pm  · 
 · 
nonneutral

UVA and UDC offer two different types of programs. Typically a 5 year B.Arch like that offered at UDC would be the only degree that you would need to become a licensed architect, but if it is unaccredited then you would still need to get an accredited degree from somewhere else (like an MArch Master's degree) in order to become licensed. UVA on the other hand would offer you a 4yr degree which on its own wouldn't be sufficient to become licensed, but (as with UDC's degree) the amount of architecture that you studied there would likely give you advanced standing in at least some MArch programs. I would go with UVA since you would likely be spending less time to get the same result that you would from UDC's unaccredited BArch, and you'd be at a school with a better reputation.

Apr 5, 10 9:08 pm  · 
 · 
raj

just making sure you are doing your research. there are many schools in the DC area.

catholic's arch is 4/2 -four UG, 2 Grad
howard is 5
maryland is a 2/2/2
morgan state is 4/2

and i won't even go into the penn schools.

Apr 6, 10 8:46 am  · 
 · 
Philarct

thank you for the help guys
i have a reasearch foundation now, I might have more questions
soon

Apr 12, 10 11:14 am  · 
 · 

Block this user


Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

Archinect


This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

  • ×Search in: