The CACB has administered the Accreditation Program since 1991. It is the sole organization recognized by the architectural profession in Canada to accredit professional degree programs in architecture offered by Canadian universities.

The CACB is one of the founders and an active member of the Association of Accrediting Agencies of Canada (AAAC). www.aaac.ca

Accreditation is the public recognition accorded to a professional program that meets established professional qualifications and educational standards through initial and periodic evaluations.

Accreditation is based on the Conditions and Terms for Accreditation and the Procedures for Accreditation. It typically requires a self-evaluation on the part of the institution, followed by a site visit and review conducted by a team representing the CACB.

The accreditation decision is rendered by the Board.

Terms of 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.

Professional Degrees and Curriculum

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 undergraduate part of the master of Architecture degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited 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.

Conditions and Procedures

The conditions and procedures are the guiding documents for the accreditation of programs offering professional degrees in architecture. They outline the requirements that the accredited programs must meet and the procedures to follow to ensure a uniform, fair, and equitable accreditation process that will uphold the minimum standards in architectural accreditation. They are companion documents that should be read together. In both documents, words including “shall,” “must,” and other grammatically imperative terms set forth a requirement, while “may” indicates a suggestion.
The CACB Conditions and Terms for Accreditation and the Procedures for Accreditation are cyclically reviewed and updated to ensure that architectural education is adapting and anticipating changes in the discipline and in the profession.

Amendment of article 2.2.58 of the Procedures for Accreditation

In an effort to extend the eligibility for a larger number of team members to be involved in the Accreditation Visits, the CACB approved on March 18, 2022, the revision of the geographical restrictions pertaining to the Visiting Team Member assignment outlined in the CACB Procedures for Accreditation Article 2.2.5.8.

The article states:  ‘’No member of the core Visiting Team may reside in the Province or Territory in which the Program is located.’’

The article now reads as follows:   ‘‘Any members of the core Visiting Team who may normally reside in the Province or Territory in which the Program is located shall not have been affiliated with that Program within the last ten (10) years.’’.

Other updates and enhancements have been made to the Procedures to accommodate the data reporting and to integrate online and distance practices in the visit preparation and performance. Appendices A-8: Human Resources Statistical Report and A-3: Typical Initial and Maintenance Accreditation Hybrid Site Visit Agenda, have been updated accordingly and are available with other reference documents on the “Resources’’ page: https://cacb.ca/resources/

For Accredited Programs outside Canada – USA, refer to:

NAAB- National Architectural Accrediting Board (USA)

Accredited Programs outside Canada – Canberra Accord:

• NBAA –(China) National Board of Architectural Accreditation
• CAA – Commonwealth Association of Architects
• KAAB – (South Korea) Korean Architectural Accrediting Board
• ANPADEH – (Mexico) Acreditadora Nacional de Programas de Arquitectura y Disciplinas del Espacio Habitable
• JABEE-(Japan) Japan Engineer Education
• HKIA-(Hong Kong) The Hong Kong Institute of Architects

Accreditation Visits and Training Schedule

The CACB Accreditation visits are generally held in the spring and the accreditation decisions are rendered at the fall Board meetings.
The Accreditation Visits Calendar is established according to the Programs’ terms and type of accreditation
The Accreditation Visit Schedule is confirmed at each Fall Board meeting.

Visits Schedule 2022-2026

REPORTING

Accreditation Reporting is a requirement to maintain accreditation. Programs are expected to report on each CACB condition identified as “not met” and to each cause of concern listed in the Visiting Team Report.

Annual Report

The Annual Report with its narrative and statistical sections is part of the ongoing accreditation process. Notwithstanding each Program’s term of accreditation, all Programs must submit Annual Reports every year to maintain their accreditation status. See section 3.2.1 of the Procedures for Accreditation
Annual Reports s are due at the CACB office on June 30 of each year.

Late submission of the Annual Report is subject to fines as identified in the Fee Schedule.

Annual reports are due in the following sequence:

• On June 30 of the final year of an accreditation term, statistical report only (a Site Visit has just been completed)
• On June 30 of the next-to-final year of an accreditation term, statistical report only (APR due in the following September)
• On June 30 of all other years, a full AR, including narrative report and statistical report.

Automatic Certification List

Graduates of Canadian Accredited Programs are eligible for Automatic Academic Certification. Programs are required to forward each year to the CACB the list of their graduated students.
Graduate student lists are due within 3 months of graduation.

Focused Evaluation Report

As per the Accreditation Decision, Programs required to undergo a Focused Evaluation, are expected to submit a Focused Evaluation Report. See section 3.2.3 of the Procedures for Accreditation
The Focused Evaluation Report is due at the CACB Office on April 30 of the year in which the evaluation is scheduled.

The Focused Evaluation Report consists of a written description, with evidence (course descriptions, course assignments, and samples of work (digital or hard copy), etc.) of how the Program is addressing each condition targeted for Focused Evaluation, as addressed in the Visiting Team Report.

Fee Schedule