Professional architecture degree programs with an accredited status from the National Architectural Accrediting Board have met baseline standards regarding their curriculum, academic staff, libraries and student services. These programs ensure that students receive credible preparation for the practice of architecture. They guarantee a curriculum that provides instruction on the cultural, historical and environmental background of architecture, ways to solve design problems, health and safety considerations and technology. To apply for a license from a state registration board, you will need to graduate from an NAAB-accredited program. Since the NAAB only gives accreditation to specific programs and not schools, check to see if the program that you are interested in meets NAAB requirements. For example, some schools offer degree programs in architectural engineering or historic preservation that are not accredited.
Since 1999, the Design Futures Council and the magazine "DesignIntelligence" rank the leading architecture schools according to the results of a survey sent to firms that offer jobs to architecture students. Several top notch U.S. firms take part in the survey. As a group, they employ more than 100,000 people, according to "Architect" magazine. Among the top five undergraduate architecture schools in 2010 are Cornell University, Syracuse University, California Polytechnic State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the University of Texas. The top five graduate architecture schools are Harvard, Yale and Columbia universities, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Texas. As the only rating tool for undergraduate and graduate architecture programs in the U.S., the DesignIntelligence rankings are used extensively by prospective architecture students.
The diversity of architecture schools in the DesignIntelligence ratings reflects an industry that is segmented according to skill sets. The ratings therefore break out the top 10 schools according to areas of emphasis, such as "analysis and planning", "communication", "computer applications", "construction methods and materials", "design", "research and theory" and "sustainable design practices and principles". While the majority of leading schools exhibit excellence in their area of emphasis, they may not be top tier in all of the areas that are of interest to you. Select a program with a curriculum that suits your interests and also consider the school's particular philosophy
While architecture schools grow more selective and expand their course offerings, the industry is experiencing disruptive change. Architecture students find themselves in a more knowledgeable position relative to senior practitioners in such areas as green building and cutting-edge technologies, according to "Architect" magazine. "Up-mentoring," or the guidance of more experienced colleagues by upstarts, is becoming the norm in certain situations, particularly with regard to technology.