Licensing: Accredited Degree Programs

Statement. The American Institute of Architects believes in a national system for accreditation of professional degree programs in architecture, including minimum educational criteria for licensure.

Explanation. Accreditation is the process of approving those professional degree programs that provide students with an appropriate educational foundation for the practice of architecture. An accreditation process must consider a programs ability to produce graduates with the skills, knowledge, and judgment require for architectural practice beyond initial licensing. While focusing on the areas of public health, safety, and welfare, architectural education should develop a heightened sense of design excellence and of social responsibility; foster the ability to identify and solve new problems of emerging needs; and provide a basis for lifelong learning.

Accreditation assesses a program against established criteria, and provides periodic objective evaluation in view of the changes in and growing complexities of architectural practice.

This policy is one of an integrated group of policies on licensing issues.

Board Approval -- May 1991

September 2000 Committee Recommendation: Reaffirm