Understanding M.Arch Entry Routes

A Master of Architecture is not one program with one length. The same school often offers the degree through several entry routes, depending on what you studied before. If you apply without understanding which route you are entering, you can misjudge how long it will take, what it will cost and what it leads to. This guide explains how to read routes and how the directory records them.

Why there are several routes

Architecture education is built in stages in many countries. A person might arrive at a master's after a pre-professional architecture bachelor's, after a different undergraduate subject, after a professional degree already in hand, or after a period in practice. Schools respond by publishing separate tracks, each with its own length and prerequisites.

Typical route types you will see described:

• Route for applicants with a pre-professional architecture degree. Usually the shortest track, because earlier study is credited.
• Route for applicants with a non-architecture degree. Usually longer, because foundations in design, history and technology must be covered first.
• Route for applicants who already hold a professional degree. Often a separate post-professional or advanced degree rather than a track of the same one; see professional vs post-professional master's degrees.
• Integrated or combined routes. Some schools run a bachelor's and master's as one course. ARB's Schedule 1 in the UK, for example, lists combined entries labelled "Part 1 and Part 2" and integrated master's courses.

Names, lengths and eligibility vary by school and country, so use these as categories to look for, not as promises.

What to read on the program page

For each route, find these facts on the school's own page for your intake year:

1. The entry requirement. Which prior degrees qualify, in which subjects, and whether prerequisite courses are listed. For instance, Harvard GSD's M.Arch II page states that the degree is intended for individuals who have completed a five-year undergraduate professional program in architecture or its equivalent, and that a high level of design achievement is required.
2. Length. Stated as terms, semesters, years or credits. Harvard's page states a minimum of four terms of full-time study in residence for the M.Arch II. Compare credits or terms, not just the word "two-year".
3. What the degree is, in regulatory terms. The same page says the M.Arch II is not accredited by NAAB and does not fulfil the education requirement for licensure in jurisdictions that follow NCARB requirements. That is exactly the kind of statement to look for.
4. Format. Full-time, part-time, hybrid or online. A hybrid program is not a fully online one.
5. Admissions materials. Portfolio, statement, references, test requirements. See preparing an architecture portfolio.

How routes connect to licensing rules

Entry route and licensing rules are separate questions. The route determines how long you study and what you start with; the regulator determines whether the resulting qualification counts.

• United States. NCARB says there is no national license, that each of the 55 jurisdictions sets its own requirements, that most require a degree from an NAAB-accredited program, and that 17 offer additional pathways. So before choosing a route, confirm that the specific degree you would earn is accredited and that the jurisdiction you care about accepts it.
• United Kingdom. RIBA describes Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 plus two years of practical experience. ARB says it is transitioning to a Competency Outcomes framework, where the academic outcomes are normally met through an ARB-accredited master's. ARB also describes a partial-qualification route for applicants with an accredited Part 2 plus a Part 3 or practice-level qualification, using a Registration Assurance Process. Whether an entry route to a UK master's is a Part 2 course depends on the course, so check Schedule 1, which also notes conditions such as start dates.

Rules change. Use the regulator's page, not a summary, when you decide.

How the directory records routes

On program pages, the entry routes field lists the routes the program states, along with each route's stated length where the program gives one. On the master's page you can filter by pathway and by entry route. If a route you expect is missing, the program may not offer it or we may not have found it on the program page; ask the school.

Pathway labels used in the directory are pre-professional, professional, post-professional, research and not classified. A single school can appear with different labels for different degrees, and sometimes the same degree name appears under a professional label on one route and a different one on another. Read the program page rather than inferring from the title. See the methodology for how we assign labels.

Questions to ask before you apply

• Which route am I eligible for, and does the school confirm that in writing?
• How long is that route in credits or terms, and how many of those can be full-time?
• Is the degree accredited or validated in the way I need, and where is that listed on the regulator's site?
• Will earlier coursework or work experience be credited, and who decides?
• What are the costs per year and in total? See costs beyond tuition.

Comparing programs by route

When you shortlist, compare like with like: put routes of the same kind side by side. The compare page lets you do this for programs listed in the directory, and the programs list lets you narrow by country. We do not rank routes or schools, and nothing here guarantees admission or licensure.