NAAB Accreditation

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 two-year term of continuing accreditation, 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.

Montana State University School of Architecture offers the following NAAB-accredited degree program:

Master of Architecture (pre-professional degree [126 credits] + 42 graduate credits)

The next scheduled NAAB-accreditation visit for Montana State University’s Master of Architecture degree program will take place in 2023.

NAAB Conditions and Procedures for Accreditation

During MSU's last NAAB site visit in 2014, the 2009 Conditions for Accreditation outlined the requirements for continued accreditation at that point in time. During the 2014 site visit, the 2012 Procedures for Accreditation provided the process used for that site visit and review.

For MSU's upcoming NAAB site visit in 2023, the 2020 Conditions for Accreditation outline the requirements for continued NAAB accreditation of our professional program. In addition, NAAB provides the 2020 Procedures for Accreditation to explain the review process by which schools receive and maintain their professional accreditation and the review process to be used during the 2023 site visit.