Cummings School of Architecture Accreditation

NAAB Statement on Accreditation

In the United States, most state 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 U.S. 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 preprofessional undergraduate degree in architecture for admission. However, the preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.

Roger Williams UniversityCummings School of Architectureoffers the following NAAB-accredited degree programs:

  • Master of Architecture
    (pre-professional degree + 53 graduate credits)
  • Master of Architecture
    (non-pre-professional degree + 98 graduate credits)

The program received its last accreditation in 2018. The next accreditation visit is in 2027.

Access to National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) Conditions and Procedures

The School makes the following documents available to assist students, parents, faculty and others as they seek to develop an understanding of the body of knowledge and skills that constitute a professional education in architecture,

The 2014 NAAB Conditions for Accreditation
The 2015 NAAB Procedures for Accreditation


The 2020 NAAB Procedures for Accreditation

Access to Career Development Information

The School makes the following documents available to assist students, parents, faculty and others as they seek to develop an understanding of the larger context for architecture education and the career pathways available to graduates of accredited degree programs:
The NCARB Handbook for Interns and Architects
Toward an Evolution of Studio Culture
The Emerging Professional鈥檚 Companion



Public Access to Architecture Program Reports and Visiting Team Reports

In order to promote transparency in the process of accreditation in architecture education, Roger Williams University makes the following documents related to our NAAB-Accreditation Status available:

2022 Annual Report
2021 Annual Report
2021 3 Year Interim Progress Report 
2020 Annual Report
2019 Annual Report 
2018 Annual Report 
2018 Visiting Team Decision Letter
2018 Visiting Team Report
2017 Roger Willliams University Architecture Program Report
 

Architectural Registration Exam (ARE) Pass Rates

Annually, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) publishes pass rates for each section of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) by institution. Roger Williams University makes the following information available on the ARE Pass Rates for Roger Williams University graduates since the information has been collated:



On arriving at the links, please go through the menu to Rhode Island, where Roger Williams University ARE Pass Rate results are displayed.

Evaluating Content of a Non-Accredited Degree

Coursework from non-accredited degrees is evaluated by the academic programs, and collated by the Office of the Registrar. The Cummings School of Architecture administrators evaluate the content of architecture courses from accredited and non-accredited degrees for those applying as transfer students to the BS in Architecture program, and for the Master of Architecture program.

Students fulfill all NAAB Program Criteria (PC) and Student Criteria (SC) in coursework here at Roger Williams University.