About Accreditation

Initial Accreditation

Programs seeking initial accreditation must first be granted candidacy status. The maximum period of candidacy status is six years. Programs that achieve initial accreditation at any time during the six-year candidacy will receive an initial three-year term, indicating that all major program components and resources are in place. Some additional program development may be necessary and/or deficiencies may need to be corrected. Additionally, to be eligible for CACB certification, students cannot have graduated from the Program more than two years prior to the initial accreditation.

Continuing Accreditation

a) Six-year term: Indicates that deficiencies, if any, are minor and that a process to correct these deficiencies is clearly defined and in place. The Program is accredited for the full six-year period.

b) Six-year term with a “focused evaluation” at the end of three years: Indicates that significant deficiencies exist in meeting the requirements of the CACB Conditions and Terms for Accreditation; consideration of these deficiencies will form the basis of a focused evaluation. The Program is required to report on its particular deficiencies during the third year.

c) Three-year term: Indicates that major deficiencies are affecting the quality of the Program, but the intent to correct these deficiencies is clear and attainable. The Program is accredited for a full three-year period. If the Program receives two consecutive three-year terms of accreditation, then the Program must achieve a six-year accreditation term at the next accreditation visit. If the Program fails, it will be placed on a two-year probationary term. If the Program fails to achieve a six-year term at its subsequent accreditation visit, then its accreditation shall be revoked.

d) Two-year probationary term: Indicates that CACB deficiencies are severe enough to seriously question the quality of the Program and the intent or capability to correct these deficiencies is not evident. A Program on probation must show just cause for the continuation of its accreditation, and at its next scheduled review, the Program must receive at least a three-year term or accreditation will be revoked. If the two-year probationary term is following the sequence described in “c,” the Program must receive at least a six-year term or its accreditation shall be revoked.

e) Revocation of accreditation: Indicates that insufficient progress was made during a two-year probationary term to warrant a full three-year or six-year accreditation term. Notwithstanding, the foregoing accreditation of any Program can be revoked at any time if there is evidence of substantial and persistent non-compliance with the requirements of the CACB Terms and Conditions for Accreditation.

A CACB-accredited professional Program in architecture prepares students to enter the practice of architecture as architectural interns. Accreditation is based on the overall quality of the program objectives and the specific performance criteria that students meet through coursework. The CACB only awards accreditation to professional degree Programs in architecture.  A CACB-accredited professional Program in architecture is defined as the totality of a student’s post-secondary education culminating in a designated professional university degree, which may be a bachelor of architecture (BArch) or a master of architecture (M. Arch) degree. The Programs include:

• a minimum of five years of post-secondary study culminating in a master of architecture degree, which follows a pre-professional bachelor’s degree, except in Quebec, where the minimum is four years of professional studies following two years of CEGEP;
• a minimum of six years of post-secondary study culminating in a master of architecture degree, which follows a bachelor’s degree in any discipline and includes a minimum of three years of professional studies in architecture; or
• a minimum of five years of post-secondary study culminating in a bachelor of architecture degree. In keeping with the principle of outcome-based Accreditation, the CACB does not restrict the structure of a professional Program and/or the distribution of its coursework.