This professional degree program is designed for students who have previously earned an undergraduate degree that may be in an unrelated area of study. Acceptance is required to both the University School of Graduate Studies and the School of Architecture. Under this option, the student spends the first two years completing the undergraduate prerequisite architectural core courses. The final year similar to the final year of the 5-1/2 year Master of Architecture degree track. This program results in the professional degree, accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit US professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted a six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on the extent of its conformance with established educational standards.

Doctor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree that, when earned sequentially, constitute an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.