A person must typically go through several stages of training and licensure in order to become a building architect. Most architects must complete an architecture program at the professional level. This is frequently followed a mandatory internship for several years. Most countries require architects to pass an exam in order to obtain a license to practice architecture.
Because architects must have a good understanding of aesthetics, building standards, and the public need for living spaces, the steps to becoming a building architect are often rigorous. A building’s design can be highly regulated. What is permissible, safe, and comfortable for people to live in and use should be known to an architect. Some architects specialize in specific types of structures, such as offices, apartments, or hospitals.
Obtaining a professional degree is the first step toward becoming a building architect. This degree can take various forms depending on the accreditation requirements of the country where the student is studying. Any professional architecture degree in the United States must be accredited the National Architectural Accrediting Board, a national organization (NAAB). The Canadian Architectural Certification Board is an equivalent governing body in Canada (CACB).
In the United States, there are three main paths to earning an accredited architecture degree. A student can first pursue a five-year professional Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.) degree. Second, a student can combine a four-year non-professional Bachelor’s degree in architecture with a two-year Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) program to earn a four-year non-professional Bachelor’s degree in architecture. A four-year Bachelor’s degree in another subject and a three- to four-year professional M. Arch. degree are the third options for earning an accredited degree.
A student will usually have earned a professional degree from an accredited program after five to eight years of education. The student must then complete a three-year internship program to become a building architect. He or she may work as a salaried employee of an architecture firm during this time while continuing to learn the profession.
An architect-in-training usually takes the architecture licensure test after completing such an internship. While not all countries require the same level of training as the United States to become a building architect, most do require architects to pass a similar certification exam. This exam differs from one country to the next, as well as from one state to the next. Most state licensing boards in the United States follow the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ certification criteria (NCARB).