<p>Can anyone tell me why the Wash U Architecture School’s Bachelor programs are not accredited</p>
<p>I believe this is why, but i’m not 100% sure, so I apologize if I am misunderstanding:
WashU’s programs are NOT 5-year pre-professional B.Arch programs. They are 4-year B.S. or B.A. in Architecture programs. They are NOT pre-professional. They do this so that students have a chance to take classes outside of architecture instead of being tied down as they would in a B.Arch program. It is this difference that makes WashU’s an unaccredited program.
However, don’t let this worry you. WashU’s undergrad program is very strong and very challenging. WashU as a whole is much more highly regarded than CalPoly as a whole, so going to WashU would be a great education. However, if you want the 5-year pre-professional, then Cal Poly may be the way to go.</p>
<p>It’s a four-year program that only leads to a BS (or BA, I think) in Architecture, not a Bachelor of Architecture degree, which takes five years. Only five-year B. Arch degrees are accredited, since they’re a lot more intense than four-year ones.</p>
<p>The above posters are right. </p>
<p>Accreditation is only for professional type schools, like Engineering. I believe the Art school is professional as well (you get a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts), so I’d imagine the Art school meets this “accreditation” criteria. Accredidation has nothing to do with a quality of program or how well it prepares you for the profession/grad school. If it WAS accredited, it would be more difficult to have a liberal arts experience and do things in addition to architecture.</p>
<p>Yale’s undergrad architecture is unaccredited, for instance. Wash U undergrad Architecture is top notch on the whole, and it is housed in really neat buildings along with the Art/Design school.</p>
<p>The Master’s program is accredited, as Master’s programs pretty much need to be.</p>
<p>From what I have gleaned over the years, Cal Poly leans more toward the technical aspects of architecture, but by no means is exclusive of persons with design talent. Wash U is the opposite, leans more toward designers, but is also inclusive of those with a more technical bent. Both are good schools. If you can visit them both, that would be the best, if not, carefully read through their information about courses offered, visiting lecturers, class projects, so that you can get a feel for the schools. Architecture requires both the talents of a designer and a technician, so either school will give you a good balance. Good Luck.-- Wash U Architecture alum</p>
<p>So, if I understand correctly – at Cal Poly you would have an accredited degree in 5 years and would need no additional education to be board eligible while at Wash U you would have to go to a graduate program to be board eligible. If this is true, does Wash U accept their own undergraduate architecture graduates directly into their graduate school (without the GRE’s, etc.) or would my son have to apply just like every other student? How long would he have to be in graduate school before he was board eligible? Is the Masters degree better than the Bachelors degree in terms of future employment? Just call me confused. Thanks for any help!</p>