When people think of architects, they usually picture people who spend their whole days drawing plans for various buildings. But the reality of working as an architect is very different. When you’re an architect, you’ll be:
- Creating construction drawings
- Monitoring staff
- Attending meetings
- Invoicing clients
- Managing clients
- Reviewing work done by contractors
- Researching the next project
While designing plans is an important part of your career as an architect, it’s a small part of what you need to do. But how can you become an architect in the first place?
Attending Architecture School
You’ll need to attend architecture school before you can become an architect. There, you’ll learn how to solve problems related to the field. You’ll be learning about design, the history of buildings, as well as how they were constructed.
You’ll need to examine information, and then solve problems using the knowledge you’ve gathered. At many architecture schools, you’ll be taught to think innovatively. This, for many students, ends up rewiring their brains. As a result, the person they are when they graduate is very different from the person who first joined the course.
The field of architecture is also vast. There are various niches that you can choose to specialize in. These include:
- Sustainable buildings
- Residential buildings
- Hospitals
- Industrial buildings
- Interiors
- Masonry
- Waterproofing
- Rendering or CAD
- Many more
When you become an architect, you’ll be able to find a niche that you’re interested in, where you can make use of your talents and skills.
How Can You Become An Architect
If you want to work as an architect, you’ll need to be licensed first. There are three things that you need to do to get your license. These include:
- You’ll need to get your architecture degree from an accredited University. This can take between five to seven years.
- Then, you’ll need to complete around 3740 hours of practical work, where you’ll be supervised by an architect that’s licensed.
- Finally, you’ll need to complete a licensing exam, which has six parts to it. In each part, you’ll be tested on different aspects of the profession.
Getting licensed to work as an architect can be time-consuming, but it can also be rewarding. Consider getting insurance for architect as well. This is because once you start working as an architect, you’ll be exposed to certain risk factors. These include getting sued by dissatisfied clients. When you have insurance for architect, you can better protect your career as well as your finances. If you would like to learn more about insurance for architect, then click here.
What Educational Requirements Do You Need To Meet?
In order to get your license, you’ll need to first complete a course in architecture, from an institution accredited by the NAAB. You can then get your BArch, which will require you to complete around 150 hours worth of credits.
You can then choose to get your MArch, where you need to get around 168 hours’ worth of credit. Around 30 of these credits will need to be at the graduate level. If you want to pursue further education, then you can apply to get your DArch. You’ll need to have your BArch, or around 120 hours worth of credit hours alongside around 90 hours worth of graduate credits.
Should you want to pursue a career in architecture without getting these degrees, then you can apply for the EESA program. Also known as the Education Evaluation Service For Architects, you can get the NAAB to review the existing educational qualifications that you already have. Then, they’ll decide whether you’ve met the requirements you need to get your accredited degree.
Architectural Experience And Sitting For The Registration Exam
The Architect Experience Program, also known as the AXP, is an apprenticeship program. It’s mandatory that you partake in this apprenticeship before you can sit for your licensing exam. The good news is that you’ll get paid for the work that you do. So you’ll already be earning, while you’re still a student.
After you complete your apprenticeship, you’ll need to sit for the Architecture Registration exam. This exam consists of six sections. You’ll mainly need to answer multiple choice questions, as well as questions related to case studies. You’ll also be able to take this exam according to your schedule. While many people finish the exams in a year, for others, it can take as much as two and a half years to complete.
Once you’ve completed your exams, you’ll need to pay your licensing fees. Then, depending on the state you’re based in, you may also need to go through additional interviews. The exact requirements for getting registered vary from state to state, so make sure you find out what the requirements are for your state.
Conclusion
Becoming an architect can be a time-consuming process. You’ll need to get your degree from an accredited institution, complete your apprenticeship, and also sit for licensing exams. It can take as many as eight to ten years to become an architect. Use this guide to learn about what you should do, to become a licensed architect.
