COVID-19

NAAB continues to monitor the threat of the COVID-19 virus and the implications on architecture programs. NAAB supports actions being taken to ensure the health, safety, and security of architecture students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders. We recognize that:

  • Institutions are enacting action plans to keep their students, faculty, and staff safe.
  • Programs are instituting alternate methods for program delivery.

Programs should follow their institution’s directives and make decisions that are best for them. Any alternate program delivery methods enacted for this special circumstance will not require substantive change permissions or negatively impact accreditation requirements. It is the prerogative of each program to provide accommodations for its students in extenuating circumstances, and NAAB will support these accommodations as directed by their institutions.

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 were due July 6, 2020.
  • Requests from programs with visits originally scheduled for 2022–2027 are due to 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.

 As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation, please feel free to send your questions to accreditation@naab.org.