The architecture program at the University of Massachusetts has been officially accredited by the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB). UMass is the first public institution in New England to receive this designation for an architecture program. According to the UMass architecture and design website, NAAB is “the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture.” The website also comments on the difficulty that the accreditation process entails and, therefore, makes receiving this accreditation a very honorable distinction for the University. “NAAB accreditation marks a significant achievement for our campus,” says Joel W. Martin, dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. There are undergraduate and graduate programs available in the architecture and design program. According to the UMass architecture and design website, the undergraduate program offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in design degree and a minor in architectural studies degree while the graduate program offers a Master of Architecture degree and a Master of Science degree. The website lists many different courses available, including classes in inhabitation, legacy, material, sustainability and terrain. “Our program offers a collaborative, interdisciplinary education to aspiring architects,” says Stephen Schreiber, director of the architecture design program. This achievement has been a long time in the making, beginning in 1972 with the establishment of the architecture and design program. The program was founded by Professor Emeritus Arnold Friedmann, according to the website. The process developed over the next few years, beginning as the UMass interior design/architectural studies and became a program for both architecture and design. Finally, in 2002 the program became a candidate for NAAB accreditation. On September 7, the architecture and design program hosted a reception, states the website, in honor of the accreditation. With accreditation awarded, many good things are expected for the future of this program.
