The full form of B.ARCH is Bachelor of Architecture.

The Bachelor of Architecture is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) as a professional degree, allowing the recipient to qualify for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). NAAB-accredited B.Arch. programs must include at least 150 semester credit hours, or the quarter-hour equivalent, of which at least 45 semester hours, or the quarter-hour equivalent are in general studies.

There are also universities that offer a four-year degree such as a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies or a Bachelor of Science in Architecture (B.S.Arch) or a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (B.A.Arch). These are non-accredited, pre-professional degrees, and so these students must enroll in a Master of Architecture (M.Arch) program to be professionally licensed. However, enrolling in a pre-professional program often gets a student into a shorter M.Arch program. Any architecturally-related curriculum may eventually make licensure possible, depending upon the laws or regulations of the jurisdiction in which the licence is required.

The course of study of the Bachelor of Architecture includes studio courses on design and aesthetic theory, as well as practical courses on structures, building mechanical systems, electrical systems, plumbing and construction. Student work is often in the form of drawings and renderings, either through computer-aided design or drafting by hand. Students also build physical models and create presentation boards for drawings and graphics.

In nearly all architecture schools in the United States, student life and work revolves around a studio class. Other classes in the architecture curriculum are designed to support the concepts emphasized in studio. One particularly rigorous aspect of studio classes is the “critique” or “review.” Students “pin-up” their models and presentation drawings for instructors (and students) who offer constructive criticism.

Colleges and universities in the United States where either an NAAB accredited Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture degree can be obtained are listed below. Many schools offer an M.Arch as the first professional degree, preceded by a nonprofessional B.A./B.S. in Architecture undergraduate degree.