(June 22, 2021 - Sudbury, ON) - Laurentian University’s McEwen School of Architecture (MSoA) is pleased to announce that the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB)/Conseil Canadien de Certification en Architecture (CCCA) has granted the professional Master of Architecture Program ‘Initial Accreditation’ for a term commencing July 1, 2021.
English, Francophone, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives are all central to the unique tri-cultural mandate of the program. Through Elders in residence, Indigenous faculty members, French design studio instruction, and local community-design and design-build exercises each year, students are exposed to an array of methods, knowledge, and experience that is uniquely ‘Northern’. The lessons learned from these local contexts are then extrapolated to address global issues in the disciplines of architecture, landscape design, and sustainable built environments.
The school’s cooperative education model is rooted in Northern Ontario’s (Canada’s) cultures and experiential learning. It features an integrated co-operative program where students obtain practical experience through work-term placements with related architectural and design employers.
Since its opening in 2013, over 250 students have successfully completed their undergraduate degree (BAS) at the School, and 100 students have since graduated from its Master of Architecture (M.Arch) program.
“The McEwen School of Architecture has a lot to be proud of and this external validation is further proof of the high quality student experience being delivered at Laurentian University. This achievement is thanks to many years of exceptional work from staff, faculty, and students of the school. The confidence expressed in the school by the accreditation team at the CACB also reflects a broader confidence in the future of Laurentian.” said President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Robert Haché.
The McEwen School of Architecture (MSoA), one of Laurentian University's professional schools, is located in downtown Sudbury, Ontario. The MSoA offers a four-year Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS), followed by a two-year Master of Architecture degree (M.Arch). The School’s accreditation status covers both programs leading to the Master of Architecture degree.
“It is a proud moment for us all -- a culmination of the hard work on the part of faculty, staff and students who have shared the vision and a common passion for the School, through its various stages of development. We are grateful for all those who have contributed to those efforts and supported the School in so many ways. The CACB/CCAA’s initial accreditation has been a goal we are thrilled to celebrate together today.” -- Dr. David Fortin, Director of the McEwen School of Architecture.
“The MSoA International Advisory Board’s guidance and the support of our extended community, which spans all of northern Ontario, have been instrumental to this achievement. Co-op employers, collaborators and colleagues, partners and donors, so many individuals have invested time, energy and resources in a new generation of architects educated in the North who are unique agents of change for our communities. These significant contributions must be acknowledged. This achievement has been a collective effort and as such, is deeply rewarding.’’ -- Dr. Terrance Galvin, Founding Director, McEwen School of Architecture.
About the CACB Accreditation Process
“The CACB only accredits Programs that are intended by their institution to be professional degrees in architecture that lead to licensure. Professional accreditation of a Program means that it has been evaluated by the CACB and substantially meets the educational standards that comprise, as a whole, an appropriate education for an architect.”
The full CACB/CCCA Accreditation process had three phases: Eligibility, Candidacy, and Initial Accreditation. After launching the undergraduate program in September 2013, the McEwen School of Architecture was successful in its bid for CACB Eligibility in 2017. It achieved CACB Candidacy Status in 2018 and submitted its third and final ‘Architecture Program Report’ for Initial Accreditation in 2020. The MSoA was eligible to apply for the final stage of Initial Accreditation only after the “completion of a minimum of 2 years of continuous candidacy status.” The School also had to follow the criterion of “completion of the professional degree program, for which accreditation is sought, by one graduating class.” This means that the M.Arch graduating classes of 2019 and 2020 will be grandfathered in according to CACB procedures.
The MSoA calibrated its timeline to meet the above national criteria for a new professional program in Architecture. At the provincial level, the MSoA also had the support of the Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA) who, in conjunction with the CACB, allowed M.Arc graduates from both years to begin logging their intern hours towards licensure in architecture offices across Canada.
Applications for the newly accredited MSoA professional program remain open. All interested applicants should contact the school directly at architecture@laurentian.ca.