The Master of Architecture (M. ARCH) degree is the NAAB-accredited professional degree. The accredited professional degree is the first step for individuals interested in pursuing a path toward licensure as a practicing architect in North America.
If you have successfully completed (or are about to complete) the pre-professional Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the University of Maryland, or if you have successfully completed (or are about to complete) a comparable degree from another architecture program, we will need to assess your prior coursework to determine placement. If you studied in another discipline at the undergraduate level the seven-semester Path B track is the right course of study for you. If you studied architecture at the undergraduate level, but did not receive a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, we will work to evaluate your prior education and to determine limited advanced standing based on your transcripts and verified coursework.
The architecture program offers two professional paths toward the NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture degree.
PATH A - Master of Architecture
The “Path A” program is an advanced standing track designed for individuals who possess an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree. This is a four-semester degree program leading to the NAAB-accredited M. ARCH degree.
PATH B - Master of Architecture
This program is designed specifically for individuals who have earned a baccalaureate degree in an area other than architecture. This seven-semester program provides an introduction to the fundamentals of architectural design and representation, technologies, history, and theory, as well as professional practice. The program provides an efficient track toward the NAAB-accredited M. ARCH degree.
Limited Advanced Standing in the Path B Program: Applicants who possess a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design, or similar degree, are evaluated for placement and may receive limited advanced standing in the Path B program based upon their portfolios and prior coursework. We work hard to ensure that you receive maximum credit for your undergraduate studies in architecture when considering placement.