What it is
The Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) is a five-year, professionally accredited undergraduate degree that qualifies graduates to pursue architectural licensure. It centers on the design studio and combines design, history, technology, and structures.
The degrees & designations
The BArch is in the architecture field:
How long it takes
About four years of full-time study (roughly 120 credit hours); some fields run to five with co-ops or intensive sequences.
What you study
The core is the design studio, paired with architectural history and theory, building technology, structures, environmental systems, and professional practice — culminating in a thesis or capstone.
Getting in
Admission requires a high school diploma or GED, transcripts, and often essays, recommendations, and (sometimes) tests. Selectivity varies by school and program.
Cost & funding
Cost ranges widely — from lower-cost public in-state tuition to private universities — with grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans commonly used. Starting at a community college can reduce cost.
Where it leads
The BArch is an accredited professional degree (NAAB) — one path toward becoming a licensed architect (with internship/AXP and the ARE exams). It leads directly toward the profession.
How it compares
Versus a 4-year pre-professional BS/BA in Architecture (which usually needs a follow-on M.Arch for licensure), the 5-year BArch is itself the accredited professional degree.
Is it right for you?
A BArch fits students committed to becoming architects who want the accredited professional degree in one undergraduate program.
Explore further
This is a reference guide. Keep exploring:
Key facts
- WhatA 5-year accredited professional architecture degree
- CoreDesign studio + history, technology, structures, practice
- AccreditationNAAB; a path toward architect licensure
- FieldArchitecture & Related Services
- Vs pre-professionalThe BArch itself is the professional degree
Where to learn more
Keep exploring the resource: