Architecture Program Report Tulane University New Orleans ...

highest level.
In the United States, there are a dozen or so programs of excellence in architecture.
This is a relatively small number given that there are approximately 125 accredited
educational programs nationwide. Having consistently received accolades in several
respected surveys of architectural education, these programs, mostly at the graduate
level and almost all arrayed on either the East or West coasts, are perceived to be
exceptional architectural programs for several reasons, They benefit, almost without
exception, from large endowments, significant alumni involvement, adequate staffing
and administration, high student and faculty quality, location, exceptional facilities, and
high levels of the most advanced digital, media and materials technologies. In addition,
one of the most prominent reasons for having achieved a reputation as a program of
excellence is that they house a program or programs of distinction—areas of
specialization that act as harbingers of change and development for not only
architectural education, but the architectural profession as well.
In the spring and summer of 2005, the Tulane School of Architecture undertook to
develop a list of both aspirant and peer group programs of architecture. While initially
faculty generated during a formal Strategic Planning Initiative session, this aspect of
strategic planning research is an ongoing charge of the School of Architecture's
Curriculum Committee.
The aspirant programs are indeed programs of excellence (some rank high on the list in
several surveys) that reflect in several ways Tulane's educational program, whether in
size, student and faculty quality, type of location and facilities, administrative structure,
and/or alumni participation. These programs are known as programs of distinction
because of their high degree of visibility, and because their students, according to the
Design Professions Survey among others, are perceived to be exceptionally wellprepared
for the rigorous pursuit of architectural practice at entry level positions. Many
of these programs are part of the Benchmark Analysis appendix at the end of this
document.
Peer group programs of architecture include those that Tulane School of Architecture is
directly competitive with for students and faculty of quality. They are also understood,
with some exception given to financial resources, as similar in type of program
(undergraduate), size, kinds of programs, special events and physical facilities. In
addition, they stand near or at the same level as Tulane's program in surveys of likely
matriculation. Included in this group are programs and schools of architecture located at
Cornell University, Rice University, Washington University in St. Louis, Syracuse
University, University of Virginia, Miami University, University of Texas at Austin, Notre
Dame, and Carnegie-Mellon University. These programs are also included in the
Benchmark Analysis appendix at the end of this document.
5. SWOT Analysis
The School of Architecture underwent review by the National Architectural Accrediting
Board (NAAB) in 1999 and 2002. The accreditation process is comprised of an
Architectural Program Report (APR), prepared by the School, followed by a site visit with
a team comprised of members of the five collateral organizations governing architectural
in the United States. These five organizations are: the National Architectural Accrediting
Board (NAAB), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the American Institute of
Architectural Students (AIAS), the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture
(AIAS), and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). In
aggregate, these groups represent diverse architectural constituencies.