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 US 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, a two-year term of continuing accreditation, or a three-year term of initial accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational 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.


RISD’s Architecture department offers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs

  • BArch (150 credits; entering the department 2025 and after)
  • BArch (156 credits; entering the department 2024 and before)
  • MArch (pre-professional degree + 69 credits)
  • MArch (non-accredited undergraduate degree + 111 credits)

The next accreditation visit for both programs will take place in 2031.

NAAB conditions and procedures

Accreditation reports and related documents

Career development information

Admissions and advising

School policies and statements


RISD’s Architecture department accreditation process documents are also available to the public by request. Please email archdept@risd.edu or send a written request to:     

Rhode Island School of Design   
Architecture department   
20 Washington Place   
Providence, RI 02903   
USA