Doctor of Architecture
The Doctor of Architecture (D Arch) degree program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). 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, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the only college in the United States offering a NAAB accredited professional D Arch. The professional degree began in 2000 as an Architectural Doctorate at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It gained NAAB accreditation in 2004. The title was changed in 2007 to align with NAAB standards.
Admission to the program is open to students who have completed high school, transfer students who have completed some college-level work, and students who have completed Baccalaureate or advanced degrees. Completion of the degree requires 120 undergraduate credits and 90 graduate credits.