Accreditation of Architecture Programs
Program accreditation
The Architecture Program Accreditation Procedure in Australia and New Zealand sets out the peer review process through which all architecture programs in Australia are assessed against the accreditation standard over five years or ten semester equivalence of learning cycle.
The eight state and territory architect registration boards have statutory responsibility for the accreditation of architectural programs of study within their jurisdictions. Programs accredited in one jurisdiction are recognised in other jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand.
For the purposes of accreditation, architecture programs are required to demonstrate that graduates meet the Performance Criteria in the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA). Please also refer to the 2021 to 2015 NSCA PC mapping resource.
Assessment for accreditation occurs through the conduct of an Accreditation Review Panel composed of practicing architects and academics selected from the Accreditation Standing Panel. The Accreditation Review Panel makes a recommendation on whether and for how long a program should be accredited. Whilst full details are contained in the Procedure and associated Guidance documents, these resource diagrams are helpful for understanding the key activities and timeframes for Accreditation Review Panels and associated reporting:
- Resource – Diagram: Key Provider and Panel Activities for an Accreditation Review Panel
- Resource – Diagram: Accreditation Review Panel Report and Accreditation Decision
By agreement, architect registration boards are guided by the recommendations of the Accreditation Review Panel, however they are not bound to accept those recommendations. A decision by an architect registration board not to grant accreditation is usually reviewable under the administrative appeals arrangements applying in the respective state or territory.
The Architecture Program Accreditation Procedure in Australia and New Zealand came into effect from 1st January 2018. Amendments have been incorporated into the Accreditation Procedure and are considered to take effect from the time of publishing. The amendments include a small number of material changes and a larger volume of procedural clarifications. There has been no material change to the underpinning focus of the Procedure, which is to assess that architecture programs are designed to enable a graduate to achieve the required Performance Criteria outlined in the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects.
The Accreditation Procedure comprises an overarching Procedural document, Terms of Reference for the Accreditation Management Committee, Code of Conduct and nine supporting Guidance documents. The complete procedural document set can be downloaded from this link. Embedded document links will open individual Guidance and other supporting documents as standalone PDFs. All documents are available from the AACA Publications page.
Accredited architecture qualifications
See here for the list of accredited qualifications.
In Australia, the accredited qualification is normally the Master of Architecture degree. Bachelor-level degrees are not accredited. In practice, most students first complete the provider’s designated pathway qualification at Bachelor level. This Bachelor level qualification is specifically intended to dovetail with the provider’s Masters degree and to expose students progressively to the required concepts and skills for entry to the Master of Architecture. Providers may also accept students into their Masters degree from a variety of prior education experiences, in accordance with the provider’s policies.
The Accreditation Procedure only applies to qualifications in Australia and (under licence) in New Zealand. Qualifications from other countries (excepting Hong Kong and UK where Australia has Mutual Recognition Agreements in place) are individually assessed under the Overseas Qualifications Assessment process.
Students wanting to study architecture and become an architect in Australia should consider the information in this document: Information for students.
The Accreditation Standing Panel
The Accreditation Standing Panel comprises independent experts who have the necessary expertise and capacity to serve on Accreditation Review Panels. The criteria for inclusion on the Accreditation Standing Panel are skills-based and subject to a nomination, selection and review process.
Nominations to the Panel are normally for a term of five years, generally commencing on 1 July in the year of nomination. Nominations may be submitted by individuals directly to the Secretariat at any time and will be referred to stakeholder organisations for endorsement on an annual basis between April and June. Nominations must be submitted using the Online Nomination Form, and must address the relevant attributes and competency selection criteria as described in the Guidance. The stakeholder organisation that is endorsing a nomination must be confident that the applicant demonstrates the required selection criteria.
The Accreditation Standing Panel membership is generally updated annually in July and can be accessed here.
Governance and management of the Accreditation Procedure
The Board of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia, on behalf of the architect registration boards, is responsible for the governance of the Procedure and the Secretariat, with referral of matters back to the relevant State or Territory Architect Registration Board as required. Certain governance functions are separately delegated to the Accreditation Management Committee.
The Accreditation Management Committee is responsible for providing advice on the management and implementation of the Procedure and providing strategic, high quality advice to the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia Board in order to implement a transparent and fair Procedure in Australia. The Committee does not accredit programs. Refer to the Procedure and Terms of Reference for additional information regarding the Committee.
The Committee was established in late 2017. Updated membership from August 2023:
- Dr Lara Mackintosh – nominee of the Australian Institute of Architects
- Dr Francesco Mancini – nominee of the Australian State and Territory Architect Registration Boards
- Dr Jane Burry – nominee of the Australian Deans of the Built Environment
- Dr Cecilia Bischeri – nominee of the Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia
- Mr Paul Berkemeier (Chairperson) – nominee of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia.
The Committee membership is normally comprised of a representative from each of the 5 stakeholder organisations noted in the Accreditation Procedure. At the end of 2020 the Australian Deans of Built Environment and Design (ADBED) did not provide a nomination for the Committee for 2021-2023. The AACA Board approved the Architect Registration Boards providing a second nominee to join the Committee for this period.
Resource
First Nations Performance Criteria
From 2023, University Providers are required to incorporate the 2021 NSCA into their programs. The 2021 NSCA includes new and expanded areas of knowledge such as understanding and respecting Country.
AACA has three resources to assist University Providers engage with the updated NSCA and valuable insights into course planning.
In the AACA/AASA webinar, Dr Daniele Hromek (Budawang/Yuin), author of the 2021 NSCA Explanatory Notes relating to First Nations Performance Criteria, and AACA National Advisory Panellist Sarah Lynn Rees (Palawa) discussed the 7 First Nations Performance Criteria – covering both the definitions and how they can be demonstrated, with particular reference to University Providers.
In the University of Sydney video, Dr Michael Mossman (Kuku Yalanji), and Genevieve Murray step us through a university design studio that addresses the 7 First Nations Performance Criteria.
University programs do not have to limit themselves to these examples, you can expand and interpret to suit your program.
More questions?
Below are a number of frequently asked questions and answers. This includes FAQs about the Knowledge Domains and how Providers should report changes in their accredited programs.
All important documents including the Procedure and associated Guidance documents, Reporting Templates and Stakeholder Update Reports can be found on the AACA Publications page.
The Architecture Program Accreditation Procedure in Australia and New Zealand sets out the peer review process through which all architecture programs in Australia are assessed against the accreditation standard, generally once every five years or ten semester equivalent. This assessment is made by an independent Accreditation Review Panel, composed of practicing architects and academics, which then makes a recommendation on whether and for how long a program should be accredited. The decision on accreditation is made by the relevant architect registration board.
The Procedure is administered by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia on behalf of the State and Territory architect registration boards who are responsible for the regulation of architects via the State and Territory Architects Acts. The New Zealand Architects Registration Board licences the Procedure from the AACA for the purpose of accrediting architecture programs in New Zealand.
You can access the Architecture Program Accreditation Procedure in Australia and New Zealand here, noting that the Procedure consists of a primary document and a number of support documents. All of the Procedure documents can be found on the Publications page.
A prerequisite for architectural registration in all Australian States and Territories is the completion of a university program in architecture (or accepted equivalent) accredited by the architect registration boards in each State and Territory in Australia. Accreditation of university programs provides confidence that graduates have achieved the required fundamental competencies for them to progress on the path towards registration.
Generally yes, as the most common pathway to architectural registration is to obtain an Australian accredited Master of Architecture qualification following a five year program of study followed by successful completion of the Architectural Practice Examination.
However, accredited degrees from New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore allow entry to the Architectural Practice Examination and five year architectural programs of study from other countries may be accepted following successful completion of the AACA’s Overseas Qualifications Assessment process or the AACA’s National Program of Assessment, a practical examination which can grant exemption from the requirement to hold an accredited architecture qualification.
Experienced overseas and local practitioners who meet specific eligible criteria may also be eligible for the fast-track to registration assessment. Further information on the different pathways to registration can be found here.
In Australia, the accredited qualification is normally the Master of Architecture degree. Bachelor-level degrees are not accredited. In practice, most students first complete the provider’s designated pathway qualification at Bachelor level. This Bachelor level qualification is specifically intended to dovetail with the provider’s Masters degree and to expose students progressively to the required concepts and skills for entry to the Master of Architecture. Providers may also accept students into their Masters degree from a variety of prior education experiences, in accordance with the provider’s policies.
No. The Master of Architecture is the program accredited for the purpose of registration by the Architect Registration Boards in Australia and New Zealand. Pre-professional degrees (eg. Bachelor degrees) or other preparatory programs that may serve as a pre-requisite for admission to a professional degree program are not accredited. Students with a successful performance in a relevant pathway bachelor degree are generally guaranteed admission to the accredited Master’s program, while students with other suitable degrees are admitted on a case-by-case basis. It is up to each provider to establish their own entry requirements and assessment processes to ensure that students entering their Masters programs have demonstrated prior achievement of necessary competencies.
The eight state and territory architect registration boards have statutory responsibility for the accreditation of architectural programs of study within their jurisdictions. Programs accredited in one jurisdiction are recognised in all states and territories (and New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore). Assessment for accreditation occurs through the conduct of an Accreditation Review Panel. By agreement, architect registration boards are guided by the recommendations of the Accreditation Review Panel, however they are not bound to accept those recommendations. A decision by an architect registration board not to grant accreditation is usually reviewable under the administrative appeals arrangements applying in the respective state or territory.
For the purposes of accreditation, architecture programs are required to demonstrate that graduates meet the Performance Criteria in the National Standard of Competency for Architects.
The default period of accreditation is five years or 10 semesters.
A list of accredited university programs in architecture is included on the AACA website – see here.
The Accreditation Procedure only applies to qualifications in Australia and (under licence) in New Zealand. Qualifications from other countries (excepting Hong Kong and Singapore where Australia has a Mutual Recognition Agreement in place) are individually assessed under the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia’s Overseas Qualifications Assessment process.
The Accreditation Procedure is funded equally by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia on behalf of the Architect Registration Boards and the providers of accredited programs.
From January 2018 funding of the Accreditation Procedure is based on full cost recovery arrangements and incorporates transparent financial accounting and reporting on an annual basis.
Costs are inclusive of the expenses incurred in running the Secretariat, the operation of required management systems (primarily via the Accreditation Management Committee), the training of Standing Panel Members and the implementation of the Accreditation Review Panels. Some accreditation activities, such as pre-accreditation Program Advice, are funded on a fee-for-service arrangement.
Refer to the Guidance: Provider Annual Reporting which outlines the reporting requirements and the need for program changes are to be reported via this mechanism.
The Provider Annual Reporting mechanism commenced in 2019.
Students or potential students wishing to study architecture and later register as an architect in Australia should consider the information available here: Information for students.
