How to Become an Architect

An architect's talents involve more than having a creative imagination and drawing skills. They extend to proficiency in areas such as engineering, computer literacy, and oral and written communications. Self-discipline is also necessary, beginning with a total of approximately eight years of higher education and mandatory post-college internships.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• CADD Manuals
• College Catalogs
• Individual School Requirements And Application
• Architectural Magazine Subscriptions
• Postage Stamps
• Pens
• Stationery
• Pens

1. Meet with your high school guidance counselor for advice on courses to best prepare you for an architecture program in college. Realize that you will need to take extra courses in math and science. If you hate math, seek another career.

2. Maintain at least a B average.

3. Contact colleges well before your senior year in high school for admission requirements. Make certain the schools are among the 105 schools of architecture accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). Some state licensing boards will give only partial academic credit to students from non-NAAB schools.

4. Decide if you want to enroll in a five-year Bachelor of Architecture program, which is the most popular type today. Other options can include receiving a bachelor's degree in a related field followed by a two-year Master of Architecture degree, or getting an unrelated bachelor's degree followed by a three-to-four-year Master of Architecture degree.

5. Apply to several schools whose admission requirements you have met. Make certain you send in all requested paperwork.

6. Work toward receiving your degree with honors as soon as you have been officially accepted. Since competition among student architects is intense, this will be to your advantage later on.

7. Work part-time and during summers at architectural firms, even if the salary is minimal.

8. Learn computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) as soon as possible. An increasing number of firms are requiring that knowledge.

9. Look for a position as an intern-architect well before you graduate. Get letters of recommendation from professors and supervisors at your part-time and summer jobs, and include pertinent computer skills on your resume. You'll need to spend about three years in that position before you can take your state's Architect Registration Examination (ARE) for your architect's license.

10. Prepare intensively when the time comes to take the ARE.

11. Send in your application for the exam well before the due date.

Tips & Warnings

• Note that individual programs of NAAB-approved architectural schools will differ, so choose carefully.
• Realize that the licensing requirements of individual states may vary.
• For further information about education and careers in architecture, write to: Director, Careers in Architecture Programs, The American Institute of Architects, 1735 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20006.
• Be prepared to work long hours, including nights and weekends, during job deadlines.
• Be prepared to take frequent refresher courses as technology advances in the 21st century.

Who Can Help:

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[fsfdrasch]

on 7/3/2009 This e-how is really bad! What do you think architecture is? At the end it does not matter if you have done a bachelor in this or a bachelor in that, if you finished shoof with high grades or not. The projects you develope, your portfolio is the MOST important thing when applying to an architecture atelier. But much before that Eugmire: One does not study architecture because he likes to draw or he likes to build things on Cad programs. One should only be willing to become an architect, if you know the enormous cultural responsability you have as such. If you know, you were born to do architecture and nothing else, then try as hard as you can to enter a school. But be aware, once you are "in" you have to commit to Architecture 100%. It won't be your job it will be you... if you think in terms of esthetic, and like creating things you should mabe try industial design. "Like" Architect...

[fsfdrasch]

on 7/3/2009 This e-how is really bad! What do you think architecture is? At the end it does not matter if you have done a bachelor in this or a bachelor in that, if you finished shoof with high grades or not. The projects you develope, your portfolio is the MOST important thing when applying to an architecture atelier. But much before that Eugmire: One does not study architecture because he likes to draw or he likes to build things on Cad programs. One should only be willing to become an architect, if you know the enormous cultural responsability you have as such. If you know, you were born to do architecture and nothing else, then try as hard as you can to enter a school. But be aware, once you are "in" you have to commit to Architecture 100%. It won't be your job it will be you... if you think in terms of esthetic, and like creating things you should mabe try industial design. "Like" Architect...

[SusanM]

on 3/7/2009 Great eHow! You can find some additional information here: http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Become_an_Architect

[chord0]

on 1/20/2009 To Epugmire:
If you like the Drafting and have money to pursue this dream, go ahead go back to school, but in your First jobs or maybe the first 5 years working in it, you would probably will be entry level and make a lot less money than with a bachelors in anything. On the other hand, architecture is in high demand, and international business is not, so probably you are having a hard time finding a job in that field already.
chord0

[mpaulson]

on 9/1/2008 Epugmire, if you will - follow your "dream", Find a way to make it happen - there you will find success and career fulfillment, you're young and have plenty of time - you are very fortunate, you know what you want to do! Pursue your "dream"