The professional Master of Architecture in conjunction with the pre-professional Bachelor of Architectural Studies degree from the University of Waterloo comprises an accredited professional education.
In Canada, all provincial/territorial associations/institutes/orders recommend a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. In Canada, the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) is the sole agency authorized by the Regulatory Organization of Architecture in Canada (ROAC) to accredit Canadian professional degree programs in architecture for the purposes of architectural licensure. The CACB recognizes two types of degrees offered by the University of Waterloo, the Bachelor of Architectural Studies (pre-professional degree), and the accredited Master of Architecture (professional).
The Waterloo B.Arch program held accreditation status from 1993 to 2005. In 2002, the institution was granted accreditation for the Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) program, which is currently the institution’s only accredited professional architecture degree.
A program may be granted a six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards. Master’s degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
The program in Architecture at the University of Waterloo received accreditation for a 6-year term by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) in 2024. The program is scheduled for its next review to continue maintaining its accredited status in 2030.
View the 2024 Visiting Team Report.
Guide to Program and Student Performance Criteria.
