UMA architecture program wins national accreditation
Courtesy University of Maine at Augusta
University of Maine at Augusta architectural students with Professor Amy Hinkley (center). UMA was just awarded accreditation from the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
The University of Maine at Augusta architecture program has earned the nod of approval from the National Architectural Accrediting Board, becoming the only public higher education institution in the northeastern United States with a professionally accredited five-year degree program.
“We are thrilled to achieve accreditation,” Eric Stark, UMA's architecture program coordinator and an associate professor, said in a news release.
He later told Mainebiz that the initial planning for accreditation began in 2010, followed two years later by a visit for eligibility. "We then had candidacy visits in 2013, 2015 and 2015, and our visit for initial accreditation in November of 2018," he said.
Stark added that he believes having the accreditation will help lure more students who might otherwise choose other schools to earn their degree in architecture, including better-known private universities.
For a student certain that they want to become an architect, he said, a degree from an accredited program is one of three essential elements, namely the education piece. The other two are experienced in the form of internships and licensing exams. Collectively, all three are known as the three E's.
"Now a student knows for certain they can receive the required education piece from UMA," he said. "To date, our students have put their trust and faith in us to achieve this monumental goal."
While Stark could not immediately give the number of students currently enrolled, he pointed to the program's small size as one of its greatest strengths.
"We are small in size, and leverage this to teach to the individual and not just the subject," he said.
He also highlighted the program's integrated approach to coursework combining design studio with non-studio coursework to mirror the collaborative nature of architectural practice, and hands-on experience for students.
"We do all of this with a lens toward community involvement so that our students understand the responsibility architects have toward their respective communities, and they learn how to use their talents and skills to the betterment of our shared built environment," he added.
For those wishing to apply for the 2020-21 academic year, rolling admissions are currently open, with applications scheduled to be reviewed next on May 16, according to the school's website.
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