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Academics

Find the architecture degree that meets your needs.

Undergraduate Education in Architecture

The BEDA degree is the foundation to a professional degree in architecture. To become an architect, students must earn an accredited, professional degree in Architecture. This can be either the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) or the Master of Architecture (M.Arch.). Both of these accredited professional degrees are offered at NC State to students who have completed the BEDA degree or a similarly qualified degree from another institution.

Having achieved a professional degree, the remaining requirements for licensure are a period of professional training in the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and a passing score on the Architectural Registration Examination.

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, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its 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.

Paths to a NAAB Accredited degree:

  • Option 1: BEDA 4 YRS  +  B.Arch. 1 YR  =  Accredited Degree
  • Option 2: BEDA 4 YRS  +  M.Arch. 2 YRS  =  Accredited Degree + Opportunity to Specialize

The next accreditation visit for all programs is in 2026.

Graduate Education in Architecture

The Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) prepares our students to assume responsible roles in the profession of architecture. The majority of recent graduates have chosen to enter private architectural practice, undertaking the rich professional challenges it offers. Students in the M.Arch. program have the opportunity to develop depth in areas of professional interest through elective seminars and an optional self-directed final project. While acknowledging the primacy of the practice orientation, the Master of Architecture program also prepares students for alternative careers in architecture. In addition to their degree, students in the M.Arch. program can earn one or more the following credentials: Certificate in Energy + Technology in Architecture, Certificate in City Design, Certificate in Public Interest Design, and Concentration in History + Theory of Architecture.

Within the profession, the M.Arch. degree is considered as the terminal degree.

The School of Architecture offers three M.Arch. tracks of study depending on the student’s prior degree:

The next accreditation visit for all programs is in 2026.