June 2020
3.1—Program Criteria (PC) . The 2020 Conditions replace the longstanding Student Performance Criteria (SPC) with Program Criteria and Student Criteria. Program Criteria ask programs to evaluate how they structure the entire student experience to ensure the eight criteria are addressed by the time of graduation. These criteria take a holistic approach to examining how instruction and experiences contribute to students’ knowledge acquisition and understanding.
 
The evidence required to demonstrate such achievement is described in the 2020 Procedures (3.5.1) and includes a narrative describing how the program achieves each criterion, how the criterion is assessed on a recurring basis, and how modifications are made in response to that assessment. Achievement of each criterion will be measured by the quality and effectiveness of the supporting materials, evidence of direct action as a result of self-evaluation, and verification through interviews.
 
Helpful Hint: Student work may be submitted in a response to condition 3.1, although it is not required or anticipated.
Upcoming Accreditation Visits and COVID-19
The NAAB continues to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, and a primary concern remains the health and safety of our programs and teams. At its meeting on June 9, 2020, in response to the exceptional circumstances created by the pandemic, the Board of Directors made several decisions affecting upcoming accreditation visits:

  • All accreditation visits for 2020–2023 will be conducted virtually.
  • Every program with a visit scheduled between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2027, will have its visit postponed by one year.
  • Programs with visits scheduled between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2027, may request to have the visit remain in its currently scheduled year.
  • Requests from programs with visits originally scheduled in 2021 are due July 6, 2020.
  • Requests from programs with visits originally scheduled for 2022–2027 are due to the NAAB by March 1 of the year prior to the original year of the visit.
  • Candidate programs whose visits are postponed will be afforded one (1) additional year from the date listed on the last decision letter to achieve initial accreditation. This postponement is independent of NCARB’s “two-year rule” for students who graduate from candidate programs.
 
The NAAB is now focusing on the specific details of how virtual visits will be conducted and will be providing regular updates to its accredited programs. As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation, please feel free to send your questions to accreditation@naab.org .
NAAB Annual Report
The 2019 Annual Report on Architecture Education is now available on the Publications page of NAAB.org. The 2019 Report on Architecture Education at Minority-Serving Institutions will be published in July.
Partner Spotlight: Building an Architecture Career Amid COVID-19
As part of its continuing coverage of the pandemic, Architect recently published an article highlighting the challenges, and possible silver linings, emerging professionals face due to COVID-19.