Movies and TV shows glamorize architects.  They depict young highly successful people wearing business suits and hard hats to construction sites to point out the flaws in construction to grizzled and scruffy project superintendants.  Reality is a lot different.  It takes years to become a licensed architect with four main steps and many smaller steps along the way.

            The first step is Education.  In most states in order to gain a license you must hold a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).  There are three types of architectural degrees:  a Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Architecture, and a Doctorate of Architecture.  The lower degree, the Bachelor degree, is a intensive blend of classes and studios that requires late nights in studios finishing projects, intensive study of the history of architecture as well as the structural systems, and a dedicated work ethic.  This program is a minimum of 5 years with many people taking 6-7 years to complete.  There are a few other education options some states offer since all state architectural registration boards set their own standards. 

            The second step is Internship.  Most states require a completed internship program such as the Intern Development Program or IDP.  IDP is a training program that ensures that each architect in training gains knowledge in all areas of practice.  In this program a graduate electronically submits reports of their training every six months.  Training units can be earned for full time paid internships under the direct supervision of a licensed architect.  The IDP program requires 5,600 training hours in four categories including Design and Construction Documents, Construction Contract Administration, Management, and Related Areas (Community Service).  The internship process usually takes a minimum of three years to achieve.

            The third step is the Examination.  It is called the Architectural Registration Exam or ARE.  Each state has its own requirements for when you can take the exam.  Some states require the IDP training to be completed prior to taking the exam, while others allow testing and IDP to go on simultaneously.  The exams are computer based and consist of seven separate sections (individual tests) that can be taken in any order.  Each section consists of multiple choice, check all that apply, and fill in the blank questions as well as graphic vignettes.  The seven sections include:

1.  Programming, Planning, and Practice
2. Site Planning and Design
3. Building Design and Construction Systems
4. Schematic Design
5. Structural Systems
6. Building Systems
7. Construction Documents and Services.

Each section can be taken multiple times, however, if a section is failed, there is a six month waiting period before it can be taken again.  Once the first section is passed, an applicant has five years to pass the remaining 6 sections, or they start over. 

            The fourth Step is Licensure.  A person must be licensed in order to call themselves an architect and/or provide architectural services.  The first three steps must be completed along with the application for a license to gain Licensure.  After the license is received most states also require continuing education each year.

            Therefore, the process to becoming an architect can be a long and arduous journey.  It is not the young glamorous lifestyle often portrayed, but it is a very rewarding career if a person has the dedication to follow through and get a license.