The School of Architecture offers paths to NAAB-accredited, professional Master of Architecture degrees, which qualify the graduate to sit for the Architects Registration Exam in the United States. These degrees are distinguished by the length of study required and level of study and are determined by the student's baccalaureate education. All graduate architecture degrees also offer several options to specialize in concentrations, furthering the student's ability to customize their graduate educations in areas that they find the most promising and inviting.
In the United States, state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure http://www.tn.gov/commerce/boards/ae/. 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. A program may be granted an 8-year, 3-year, or 2-year term.
The Master of Architecture 3G (MArch 3G) program is a program for students who hold a bachelor's degree in a field other than architecture. Typically three academic years plus one summer in length, the Master of Architecture program is designed to accommodate students who come from a variety of backgrounds, including those with no previous formal study in architecture. This academic plan culminates in either a written- or design-based Master of Architecture Project (MAP). This program requires 102 credit hours of graduate coursework.
The Master of Architecture 2G, (MArch 2G) is a professional degree program for students with an NAAB accredited 4-year pre-professional bachelor's degree in architecture. Typically two academic years in length, this academic plan culminates in either a Master of Architecture Project (MAP) or in a Diploma Studio. This program requires 60 credit hours of graduate coursework.
