Architecture Schools in China

Architecture programmes in mainland China are assessed by the National Board of Architectural Accreditation of China (NBAA, 全国高等学校建筑学专业教育评估委员会), which is set up and managed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) on commission from the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council and the Ministry of Education, with professional guidance from the Architectural Society of China. Its current rules (2018 edition) describe a five-year undergraduate (本科五年制) evaluation; the school pages we read describe a Bachelor of Architecture (建筑学学士) after five years alongside four-year routes that award an engineering degree (工学学士). Master's study is split between academic degrees (工学硕士 / 建筑学, code 081300) and professional degrees (建筑学硕士 / 建筑, code 085100), and research doctorates exist at first-level-discipline doctoral programmes. Some universities now position professional education at the master's stage after a four-year bachelor's (Nanjing University; Tsinghua's 4+2 route).

Source: chinaasc.org.cn/news/129188.html

Five-year Bachelor of Architecture (建筑学学士) and four-year routes

Tsinghua describes two study lengths for its architecture major: five years awarding the Bachelor of Architecture (at least 201 credits) and four years awarding a Bachelor of Engineering (at least 176 credits); Tongji describes the same five/four-year split. NBAA's rules evaluate the five-year undergraduate programme and say passing programmes can apply for the right to confer the Bachelor of Architecture. Source

Master's degrees: academic and professional

Schools list an academic master's in architecture (e.g. Tongji code 081300, Tsinghua 工学硕士) and a professional-degree master's (Tongji code 085100; Tsinghua 建筑学硕士（专业学位）, 2-3 years, mainly 2). Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture reports that NBAA evaluated its five-year bachelor's and its master's education together. Source

Doctorates

Research doctorates in architecture are offered at first-level-discipline doctoral programmes (e.g. Tsinghua 建筑学工学博士, 3-4 years regular or 4-5 years direct entry). Source

Sino-foreign programmes

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou states that its BEng Architecture is RIBA Part 1 validated and awards both an XJTLU degree and a University of Liverpool degree; its master's carries Part 2-equivalent status but is not stated to be validated. Source

National Board of Architectural Accreditation of China (NBAA, 全国高等学校建筑学专业教育评估委员会)

Programme evaluation (accreditation) body for undergraduate and master's architecture education; commissioned by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, the Ministry of Education and MOHURD, organised and managed by MOHURD. Outcomes per its 2018 rules: passed with 6-year validity, passed with 4-year validity, or conditionally passed with 4-year validity. Publishes yearly results (the 2023 notice, dated 2023-09-08, lists architecture results in an attachment hosted by MOHURD).

Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD, 住房和城乡建设部)

Sets up and manages the NBAA; the NBAA's evaluation results table is hosted on MOHURD's site (not reachable from the research environment).

Architectural Society of China (中国建筑学会)

Gives the NBAA professional guidance and hosts its evaluation documents; not itself a regulator of registration.

The NBAA's own rules state that programme evaluation aims to give graduates the professional knowledge and basic training required for registered architects and to meet the registered-architect education standard; evaluation is separate from registration. The current registration (exam, experience) requirements are set by the national registration authorities and were not read in this research round because the MOHURD and registration-board sites could not be reached. The Hong Kong HKIA/ARB page says HKIA/ARB recognise professional degrees from mainland universities accredited by the NBAA. A degree alone does not entitle anyone to practise. Source

No degree on this site automatically permits anyone to practise as an architect, and nothing here is visa, work-permit or credit-transfer advice.

Teaching languages. Most programmes seen are taught in Chinese and their pages do not state a teaching language. English-language options found: Tsinghua's 建筑学硕士（英文项目专业硕士）, Nanjing University's international master's, and the Sino-foreign XJTLU degrees in Suzhou.

Admissions and portfolios. Tsinghua admits architecture students through a broad 'architecture class' (建筑类) with a common first year, then confirms the specialism (architecture, urban-rural planning or landscape architecture) in the spring semester. Nanjing University describes a four-year bachelor's with many graduates recommended for exam-free entry to its master's. Source

• Architectural Society of China - education evaluation notices (NBAA results announcements)