SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

The profession of architecture offers students the opportunity to participate in improving the physical world, solving problems of our society, and giving form to the needs of modern culture. To meet these demands requires a highly trained profession composed of sensitive, dedicated men and women. The School of Architecture is the educational foundation of the profession in the State of Mississippi and provides for the development of the individual skills and understanding to prepare the student for his or her role in the practice of architecture.

Established in 1973 with the support of an Advisory Committee of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Institute of Architects to meet the architectural needs of the state and region, the School of Architecture offers the only curriculum in the State of Mississippi leading to a professional degree in architecture. The School offers an intense, carefully structured, and rich array of courses that constitute a solid foundation for architectural practice. While course work is comprehensive in scope, providing students with an awareness of the diversity and complexity of today’s professional world, each course has its own important role in developing the unique knowledge and abilities required of architects in a modern world.

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 6-year, 3-year, or 2-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards. The Bachelor of Architecture program offered by the School of Architecture at Mississippi State University has been continuously accredited since its inception, and in 2004 was reaccredited for another full six-year term.