The basic course leading to the Master of Architecture degree takes three academic years and requires the completion of at least 72 units during that period of residence. Persons who hold a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree with a major in architecture may receive up to one year of advanced standing. The Master of Architecture Committee of the department will determine the specific amount of advanced standing individually for each student at the time she or he first registers for graduate study in the department. Special one-year Master of Architecture programs are available to persons holding the five-year, professional undergraduate degree, Bachelor of Architecture, from an accredited school, or comparable five-year degrees from foreign universities and technical institutes.

Thesis Requirement

A design thesis culminates the program for all Master of Architecture students. With the approval of the chair of graduate advisers, a research thesis option is available.

Accreditation/Licensure

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. A program may be granted a six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.

Master’s degree programs may consist of a preprofessional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the preprofessional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree. The Master of Architecture is the only accredited professional degree offered by UC Berkeley's Department of Architecture. At present, the degree is accepted for partial credit toward licensure by the California Architects Board.

As applicants to the Option 1 degree program already hold the professional Bachelor of Architecture degree, the one-year program is not accredited by the NAAB.