December 3, 2012
NAAB recently approves reaccreditation for another six years.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Architectural education in the 21st century is similar to the medical or legal field in several ways. Graduates from all three professions are required to complete years of extended schooling, enter a highly competitive job market, and must pass a state licensure exam to practice. An architect, however, is the one profession expected to grow faster in this decade than the average of all occupations in the United States (to 24 percent by 2020). The recent reaccreditation of the School of Architecture at Florida A&M University (FAMU) will ensure minorities have access to these opportunities as the demand for adequately trained professionals continues to grow with the industry.
“The decision of the National Architectural Accreditation Board to again reaccredit our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in architecture is validation that FAMU students are receiving a high quality education,” said Interim Provost Rodner Wright, who served as the school’s dean from 1996-2012. “The academic scholarship of our faculty and students is commendable and continues to raise the standard.”
A copy of the 2012 NAAB report is available in the School of Architecture. Previous NAAB reports can be viewed at www.famu.edu/architecture.
“Central to our mission is a commitment to contributing to a culturally diverse workforce,” said Interim Dean Andrew Chin. “While most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional program as a prerequisite for licensure, many students see the value in accreditation even before they graduate and employers are looking for students from accredited programs.”
This summer, Jesse Hughes— a graduate student in architecture from Greenwood Miss.—interned with global architecture firm Gensler.
“Interning at one of the top firms in the world was an experience I will never forget,” said Hughes. “The experience helped me realize I am fortunate to have a strong educational foundation built at the FAMU School of Architecture, where the curriculum challenges me to be a better architect and the professors always guide me in the right direction.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the future job opportunities in architecture will be best suited for college graduates who are creative. One way creativity is generated is through collaboration. That is one reason why the School of Architecture has partnered with the FAMU School of Business and Industry to offer a new degree concentration in facilities planning, available this fall for both business and architecture majors.
“The NAAB accreditation process provides a unique opportunity to reflect on what we are doing and how well we meet our goals,” said Chin. “In the end, it shows that regardless of the hurdles we face, we can still meet and exceed the standards of a professional program.”
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NAAB recently approves reaccreditation for another six years.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Architectural education in the 21st century is similar to the medical or legal field in several ways. Graduates from all three professions are required to complete years of extended schooling, enter a highly competitive job market, and must pass a state licensure exam to practice. An architect, however, is the one profession expected to grow faster in this decade than the average of all occupations in the United States (to 24 percent by 2020). The recent reaccreditation of the School of Architecture at Florida A&M University (FAMU) will ensure minorities have access to these opportunities as the demand for adequately trained professionals continues to grow with the industry.
“The decision of the National Architectural Accreditation Board to again reaccredit our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in architecture is validation that FAMU students are receiving a high quality education,” said Interim Provost Rodner Wright, who served as the school’s dean from 1996-2012. “The academic scholarship of our faculty and students is commendable and continues to raise the standard.”
A copy of the 2012 NAAB report is available in the School of Architecture. Previous NAAB reports can be viewed at www.famu.edu/architecture.
“Central to our mission is a commitment to contributing to a culturally diverse workforce,” said Interim Dean Andrew Chin. “While most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional program as a prerequisite for licensure, many students see the value in accreditation even before they graduate and employers are looking for students from accredited programs.”
This summer, Jesse Hughes— a graduate student in architecture from Greenwood Miss.—interned with global architecture firm Gensler.
“Interning at one of the top firms in the world was an experience I will never forget,” said Hughes. “The experience helped me realize I am fortunate to have a strong educational foundation built at the FAMU School of Architecture, where the curriculum challenges me to be a better architect and the professors always guide me in the right direction.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the future job opportunities in architecture will be best suited for college graduates who are creative. One way creativity is generated is through collaboration. That is one reason why the School of Architecture has partnered with the FAMU School of Business and Industry to offer a new degree concentration in facilities planning, available this fall for both business and architecture majors.
“The NAAB accreditation process provides a unique opportunity to reflect on what we are doing and how well we meet our goals,” said Chin. “In the end, it shows that regardless of the hurdles we face, we can still meet and exceed the standards of a professional program.”
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