Master of Architecture

The Master of Architecture degree program is provides graduates with the requisite educational background to enter the professional practice of architecture and its numerous variants. The Master of Architecture degree is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), qualifying its recipients to take a state professional licensing examination after a required internship period.

Recipients of a four-year pre-professional architectural degree may apply for admission directly into this program.

Admissions

Curriculum
The program is built on the undergraduate foundation of a pre-professional degree in architecture, such as the Bachelor of Environmental Design with Option in Architectural Studies. It requires 52 credit hours typically spread over two years. The curriculum includes a core of professional course work supported by specialized study in one of the several areas of emphasis (patterns of study) offered by the Department of Architecture.

The architecture program at Texas A&M University adopted the "4+2" pattern in 1969, with the first professional degree given at the graduate level.

Student Work
Studies culminate in a final project that includes the planning and design of a building of the student’s choice.

Accreditation
The Master of Architecture is a professional, National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB) accredited program that satisfies educational requirements of the architectural licensing process of most states. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) is the sole agency authorized to accredit US professional degree programs in architecture. Since most state registration boards in the United States require any 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.

The curriculum of a NAAB-accredited program includes general studies, professional studies, and electives, which together comprise a liberal education in architecture. The curriculum ensures that graduates will be technically competent, critical thinkers who are capable of defining multiple career paths within a changing societal context

More specifically, the NAAB requires an accredited program to produce graduates who: are competent in a range of intellectual, spatial, technical, and interpersonal skills; understand the historical, socio-cultural, and environmental context of architecture; are able to solve architectural design problems, including the integration of technical systems and health and safety requirements; and comprehend architects' roles and responsibilities in society.

The 2004 Conditions for Accreditations for Professional Programs in Architecture provides a list of Student Performance Criteria in Section 3.13, by which courses and learning outcomes are evaluated. These criteria can be found here.