The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, membership association founded in 1912 to advance the quality of architectural education in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and abroad.

The school membership in ACSA has grown from 10 charter members to over 250 schools in several membership categories. These include full membership for all accredited programs in the United States and government-sanctioned schools in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, candidate membership for schools seeking accreditation, and affiliate membership for schools for two-year and international programs. Through these schools, over 5,000 architecture faculty are represented. In addition, over 500 supporting members composed of architecture firms, product associations and individuals add to the breadth of interest and support of ACSA goals.

The association maintains a variety of activities that influence, communicate, and record important issues. Such endeavors include scholarly meetings, workshops, publications, awards and competition programs, support for architectural research, policy development, and liaison with allied organizations.

Mission statement

To advance architectural education through support of member schools, their faculty, and students. This support involves:

• Serving by encouraging dialogue among the diverse areas of discipline;
• Facilitating teaching, research, scholarly and creative works, through intra/interdisciplinary activity;
• Articulating the critical issues forming the context of architectural education;
• Fostering public awareness of architectural education and issues of importance

Publications

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) represents all accredited programs and their faculty across the United States and Canada, as well as nonaccredited and international affiliate members around the world. The ACSA collects detailed information from these schools for its Guide to Architecture Schools, which exists both as a book and as a free online searchable database at archschools.org. These publications are the only complete directories of all accredited professional architecture programs in North America and are used as reference for prospective students, graduate students, educators, administrators, counselors, and practitioners. The ACSA Guide to Architecture Schools features detailed program descriptions, an index of specialized and related degree programs, an overview of the profession of architecture and the education process, advice on how to select the right school, and scholarship and financial aid information.

See also

American Collateral Organizations of Architecture:

• American Institute of Architects
  American Institute of Architects
  The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
  
   (AIA)
• American Institute of Architecture Students
  American Institute of Architecture Students
  The American Institute of Architecture Students is an international organization for college-level students of architecture. It is the primary membership and advocacy organization for architecture students in the United States. It is modeled roughly on the professional association called the...
  
   (AIAS)
• Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA)
• National Architectural Accrediting Board
  National Architectural Accrediting Board
  The National Architectural Accrediting Board is the sole authority for accredited US professional degree programs for architecture in the United States, developing standards and procedures to verify that each accredited program meets standards for the appropriate education of architects...
  
   (NAAB)
• National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
  National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
  The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards is a nonprofit corporation comprising the legally constituted architectural registration boards of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as its members...
  
  (NCARB)