The American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) is the only college in the United States that fully integrates professional training in the traditional building trades with a liberal arts core curriculum.

Students study the humanistic traditions like architecture, history and English; practical skills like math, foreign language and science; and creative skills like drawing and drafting. Taken together, these disciplines develop the creative thinking and problem-solving skills that great artisans need. Students earn a four-year baccalaureate degree in one of the following specializations:

Architectural Carpentry
Blacksmithing
Classical Architecture & Design
Plaster
Architectural Stone
Timber Framing

or a two-year associate’s degree in Fundamentals of Architectural Carpentry & Timber Framing, Blacksmithing, Plaster or Architectural Stone.

Classes in the traditional liberal arts are integrated with historic preservation, drawing and drafting, architectural history and design, material science, and construction management. In addition to the liberal arts classes that most traditional colleges have, ACBA's students spend two-and-a-half days each week in apprentice labs learning the artistry and hands-on skills in their craft.

ACBA is not for everyone. Yet for those who can imagine creating additions to the built environment that will last for generations, saving historic structures for the future, and connecting to our past to bring a new way of thinking into the next century, we welcome you! Take a closer look at the unique educational experience found at ACBA.

We encourage you to come for a visit. Whether you are graduating high school, coming from another college, or looking for a career change doing something you are passionate about, being able to observe what students are learning on any given day will give you a better idea as to whether ACBA is the right college for you. Meanwhile, below is a short video produced by PBS NewsHour about ACBA.