In an ongoing effort to ease the path to licensure, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has accepted proposals from 12 accredited US architecture schools to implement an "Integrated Path" to licensure. The initiative would give students the opportunity to complete the Intern Development Program (IDP) requirements and take the Architect Registration Exams (ARE) prior to graduation. Students would not be required to pass all ARE divisions in order to graduate.
“The programs in this inaugural class exhibited a high degree of creativity, and are focused on strengthening the relationship between schools, the practice community, and licensing boards,” said Licensure Task Force (LTF) Chair Ron Blitch, a Louisiana architect who is a former NCARB President and current member of the NAAB Board of Directors and the Louisiana State Board of Architectural Examiners.
“Each program took a slightly different approach, and many built upon already existing requirements for internship through exposure to practice prior to graduation. We are especially pleased that the integrated path participants are striving to negate any increased costs to students through paid internships and minimizing additional tuition. This effort will reach a subset of students who are hyper-focused on achieving licensure in a more concentrated and structured manner. This will occur without sacrificing any of the rigor obtained through accredited education, the IDP and the ARE,” Blitch said.
NCARB's LTF will now provide feedback to the 12 proposals, before releasing the names of the participating schools. All programs will be "coached" by NCARB as they move forward. Programs needing more development will be encouraged to resubmit proposals after implementing the Task Force's feedback.
A new Request for Proposals (RFP) for the second round of participation will launch in early 2016 and will be repeated on an annual basis. It will be managed by a new Integrated Path Evaluation Committee appointed by the NCARB President Ward.
News via NCARB
