NAAB Statements
In the United States, most registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit professional degree programs in architecture offered by institutions with U.S. regional accreditation, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted an eight-year term, an eight-year term with conditions, or a three-year term of initial accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established education standards. Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may require a non-accredited undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the non-accredited degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The Penn State Department of Architecture offers the following two NAAB-accredited degree programs:
Bachelor of Architecture (162 credit hours)
The Penn State Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) program is a five-year accredited degree in architecture. The program received an eight-year term of re-accreditation in 2023. The next accreditation visit for the B.Arch program will occur in 2031.
Master of Architecture (pre-professional degree + 40 credit hours of preparatory coursework + 57 credit hours of core courses)
The Penn State Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) program is a two- or three-year accredited degree in architecture. Entry into the two-year versus three-year program depends on the student's undergraduate degree and the specific nature of their completed courses. The program received an eight-year term of re-accreditation in 2019 (under 2014 NAAB Conditions for Accreditation and 2015 NAAB Procedures for Accreditation). The next accreditation visit for the M.Arch. program will occur in 2027.
The Penn State Department of Architecture also offers the following non-NAAB-accredited programs:
M.S. in Architecture
The M.S. in Architecture is a research-focused degree program designed to offer students graduate level research inquiry into architecture for students who hold a professional baccalaureate or graduate degree in architecture.
Ph.D. in Architecture
The Ph.D. in Architecture program is a research-focused degree program for students with a research-focused master’s degree who have previously studied the technical and professional aspects of architectural or landscape architectural practice and are primarily interested in strengthening the intellectual underpinnings of their work through significant and original theoretical inquiry.
Resources and Links:
Licensed Architects Must Pass the NAAB Architect Registration Examination
Penn State ARE 5.0 pass rates are above the national average in all test divisions.
- Construction & Evaluation
- Practice Management
- Programming & Analysis
- Project Development & Documentation
- Project Management
- Project Planning & Design
AXP
Architectural Experience Program
The Architectural Experience Program (AXP) is a profession-wide program that guides the training and development of intern architects. Every intern architect must complete 3,740 hours in a specified range of professional activities in addition to passing the Architectural Registration Examination prior to becoming an architect.
Completion of the AXP typically takes three to five years. Students can establish an AXP file with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). All students can start earning credit upon enrollment in an accredited professional degree architectural program. In some cases, students establishing eligibility with the NCARB may be able to earn AXP credit prior to enrollment in a professional degree program. So get started as soon as you can!
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
Follow the links below to get an overview of the NCARB AXP program and process, including establishing your Record File and get started with AXP: