School of Architecture

The five-year Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) program provides a professionally focused undergraduate education that will result in an accredited professional degree which meets one of the requirements for licensure as an Architect.

The BArch degree balances the rigors of a professional degree program with a well-rounded foundational education. The BArch. is currently in the process of achieving accreditation by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. Our NAAB-approved Plan for Achieving Initial Accreditation describes a “reasonable and achievable plan” for initial accreditation occurring spring 2031, for the first accredited BArch class of May, 2030.

SECTION II.4.1 STATEMENT ON NAAB-ACCREDITED DEGREES

In the United States, most state 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 U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted either an eight-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of conformance with established educational standards.

Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may require a pre-professional undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree. Florida Southern College, School of Architecture offers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs:

B.Arch. program – Eligible for Candidacy

The NAAB grants candidacy status to new programs that have developed viable plans for achieving initial accreditation. Candidacy status indicates that a program expects to achieve initial accreditation within six years of achieving candidacy, if its plan is properly implemented. To meet the education requirement set forth by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, an applicant for an NCARB Certificate must hold a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the NAAB; the degree must have been awarded not more than two years prior to initial accreditation. However, meeting the education requirement for the NCARB Certificate may not be equivalent to meeting the education requirement for registration in a specific jurisdiction. Please contact NCARB for more information. Florida Southern College, School of Architecture’s Bachelor of Architecture program, has been determined by the NAAB Board of Directors to be eligible for initial candidacy for the following degree program:

• BArch: (150+ undergraduate semester credits)
• Initial application for eligibility for candidacy: 2025
• Visit for initial candidacy: Fall 2026
• Projected year for initial accreditation visit: Fall 2031 for initial BArch class of 2030
• 2020 NAAB Conditions for Accreditation

Eligibility Decision Letter

Students have access to valuable resources that help them explore career pathways and employment opportunities.

• AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students): A nonprofit organization supporting architecture students.
• NOMA/NOMAS (National Organization of Minority Architects): An organization to foster communications and fellowship among minority architects.
• ACSA (Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture): Resources for architecture education and professional development.
• AIA (American Institute of Architects): Advocacy, resources, and chapters supporting architects worldwide.
• NCARB (National Council of Architecture Registration Boards): Information about the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and Architecture Registration Exam (ARE).