Before
selecting an architecture school, you first need to understand the actual
route to architectural licensure. Consider that your formal education
in architecture is only one-third of the path to becoming an architect.
There are three "E's" to fulfill before becoming an architect:
education; experience; and exam. When totaled, the entire path to licensure
typically requires eight to ten years to complete. First, you will need
to gain a "accredited professional degree" in architecture;
second, you will need to complete a three-year internship (working under
the supervision of a licensed architect); and third, you will need to
satisfactorily pass the nine-part A.R.E. -- Architect Registration Exam.
After completing the three "E's", you are a "licensed"
architect.
Another critical
issue to understand before beginning the selection process is that of
the Òaccredited professional degree.Ó As stated in the National Architectural
Accrediting Board (NAAB) Conditions and Procedures:
Since
most state registration boards in the United States require any applicant
for licensure to have graduated from a NAAB-accredited program, obtaining
such a degree is an essential aspect of preparing for the professional
practice of architecture. (NAAB, p. 1)
Further,
"accreditation in any field signifies that an institution or program
has been evaluated by an accrediting agency and meets its established
educational standards" (see appendix NAAB Student Performance Criteria).
Thus, by obtaining a professional degree in architecture accredited by
NAAB, you are assured that the program from which you graduate substantially
meets those standards that, as a whole, comprise an appropriate education
for an architect.
Note that
schools of architecture are not accredited -- only specific professional
degree programs.
Unlike most
other professions, the educational degrees available to you are quite
varied and can be quite confusing. Each type of degree program is designed
to offer a particular level of expertise to students and to enable them
to make a variety of career and educational selections. Essentially, there
are three types of degree programs -- pre-professional, professional,
and post-professional.
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