You want to be an architect. That is great news!
Welcome to a profession with thousands of years of history behind it and limitless possibilities ahead.
Architects not only design buildings, but also public spaces, furniture, exhibits, and so much more! They are also responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Not only do architects make things, they work to improve public health, prepare for natural disasters, and advocate for climate change.
There are three things you need to become an licensed architect:
- Education – a NAAB-accredited professional degree
- Experience – the Architect Experience Program
- Examination – the Architect Registration Examination
There are many resources out there to assist you :
- NAAB School Search
- StudyArchitecture.com
- NCARB Becoming an Architect
- ArchCareersGuide.com/
- NCARB ARE 5.0 Handbook
- American Institute of Architecture Students
- American Institute of Architects
There are 176 NAAB-accredited and candidate programs at 139 institutions from which to choose. As you begin to investigate architecture programs keep in mind there are two common paths to obtaining a NAAB-accredited, professional architecture degree:
- Obtain a Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.) degree, which is a five-year, professional undergraduate degree. This is different than a four-year pre-professional degree in architecture, such as a Bachelor of Science in Architecture.
- Obtain a Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) degree:
- If you want to study architecture at a 4-year pre-professional degree program, most M. Arch. programs will take two-years to complete.
- If you want to study, or have already obtained, a degree in any non-architecture subject, most M. Arch. programs will take three-years to complete.
You can find us, and others, on social media:
- Follow @imadethat on Instagram or visit imadethat.com to see what students are making in architecture school.
- Find Study Architecture on Facebook
- Follow AIAS on Twitter