NAAB Accreditation
Accreditation, Careers & Licensure
Iowa State’s undergraduate Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) and graduate Master of Architecture (MArch) degree programs are both accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture.
A program may be granted an eight-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards. ISU’s BArch and MArch programs both earned the maximum eight-year accreditation in 2022 and will be reviewed again in 2030.
Accreditation Details
In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program to become a registered architect.
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.”
Iowa State University, Department of Architecture, offers the following NAAB-accredited degree program(s):
- B Arch: 168 credit hours
- M. Arch: 102 credit hours – open to students who hold a professional degree in architecture or other design-related fields
The Architecture program will have its next accreditation visit in 2022 (delayed from 2021 due to Covid 19)
Public Documents and Web Resources
The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) asks that accredited programs make the following information available to the public.
NAAB Conditions and Procedures for Accreditation
2020 NAAB Conditions for Accreditation
2020 NAAB Procedures for Accreditation
2015 NAAB Procedures for Accreditation
2014 NAAB Conditions for Accreditation
2012 NAAB Procedures for Accreditation (amended)
2009 NAAB Conditions for Accreditation
Career Development Resources
ARCHCareers
NCARB ARE 5.0 Handbook (PDF)
AIAS InStudio Blog
AIA Emerging Professionals Resources
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architecture Students
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture
Reports
NAAB Visiting Team Report 2022 (PDF)
Iowa State University Architectural Program Report 2021 (PDF)
Employment Statistics for ISU College of Design Graduates
Iowa State University Architectural Program Report 2012 (PDF)
NAAB Visiting Team Report 2013 (PDF)
Iowa State University Annual Report 2013 (PDF)
Iowa State University Annual Report 2014 (PDF)
Iowa State University Annual Report 2015 (PDF)
Iowa State University Interim Progress Report for 2015 (PDF)
Iowa State University Annual Report 2016 (PDF)
Iowa State University Annual Report 2017 (PDF)
Iowa State University Annual Report 2018 (PDF)
Iowa State University Annual Report 2019 (PDF)
Iowa State University Annual Report 2020 (PDF)
Architectural Registration Examination Pass Rates
Iowa State University ARE Pass Rates with Comparison to Midwest (PDF)
