Eligibility
To be eligible for the Educational Credential Assessment Report, you must hold a professional degree in architecture. A professional degree in architecture is defined as a degree that qualifies a graduate to pursue licensure (registration) as an architect. It is recognized by regulatory authorities and meets the academic requirements for entry into the profession.
The most common types of professional degree programs include:
- Bachelor of Architecture — requiring a minimum of five years of study (or 4 years following CEGEP in Quebec); or
- Master of Architecture — requiring a minimum of three years of study following an unrelated bachelor’s degree, or two years following a four-year, related pre-professional degree.
Certain variations from the types of degrees listed above may be considered, provided that candidates submit proof from the relevant regulatory authority that their degree meets the requirements for licensure in the country where it was granted.
What Degree Will Appear on My ECA Report If I Have Multiple Degrees?
If you have multiple architecture degrees, the degree included on your CACB Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report will be your professional architecture degree. Please note that this is not necessarily your highest academic degree.
For example, if you have a professional Bachelor’s degree in Architecture followed by a post-professional Master’s degree, your Bachelor’s degree will be the credential reported on your CACB ECA. The post-professional Master’s degree does not replace the professional degree for the purpose of the CACB assessment. Conversely, if you completed a pre-professional Bachelor’s degree followed by a professional Master’s degree in Architecture, your professional Master’s degree will be the credential reported on your CACB ECA. You will not receive a second CACB ECA for the pre-professional Bachelor’s degree, as it does not constitute your professional architecture degree.
CACB’s assessment is specifically focused on identifying and evaluating the credential that constitutes your professional degree in architecture. Post-professional degrees, including Master’s degrees or PhDs, are not used as the professional credential for the CACB ECA. It is also important to note that the degree reported by CACB is not determined by its academic level or its potential to provide additional immigration points. CACB assesses the professional architecture qualification, while IRCC determines how your credentials are considered for immigration purposes.
If you would like a post-professional Master’s, PhD, or another academic credential evaluated separately for immigration purposes, you may wish to have it assessed through another IRCC-designated organization.
What Should You Do If You Are Unsure Whether You Have a Professional Degree?
If you are unsure whether you hold a professional degree, please contact the university where you obtained your degree or reach out to the regulatory authorities in the country where you studied. They can confirm whether your degree meets the requirements for entry into the profession in that country. Please note that the CACB cannot confirm eligibility by phone or email.