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Architect: Education and Job Training Requirements for Becoming an Architect

Published Jul 28, 2009

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Would you like to walk through a skyscraper's top floor and know that you created its design? Then consider becoming an architect by learning to draw blueprints and match your client's desires to construction materials and building codes. Earn a professional degree (like the Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture) and pursue state licensure to bring your architecture dreams to life!

Architect Career Summary

Architects plan the construction of all sorts of buildings, from schools to stores to homes. First, an architect meets with the client to see the new building's site and learn how it will be used. Then he or she draws a blueprint, or design proposal, the College Board explains. Architects decide what materials will be used in the building. They must ensure that the building will comply with governmental safety codes. Architects meet with the construction crew and engineers as the building work begins.

Education Required to Become an Architect

Studying math and physics is vital for architecture. You must earn more than a 4-year bachelor's degree to become an architect. Some schools offer a special 5-year professional bachelor's degree, explains the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This degree may be called the Bachelor of Architecture. Other schools offer a 4-year bachelor's degree program, the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Architecture. A would-be architect with a B.S. or B.A. needs a 2-year professional master's degree, the Master of Architecture. Some 3-year or 4-year master's degree programs exist for graduates with a non-architecture bachelor's degree. Seek a degree program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), www.naab.org.

Job Training and Certifications Required to Become an Architect

Before architecture school graduates can become licensed as architects, they must undergo a 3-year internship of job training with an architect. As they learn about architecture and practice designs, their supervisors review their work. After the internship, the new architect must earn licensure from the state by passing an exam. Many states require that architect candidates hold a NAAB-accredited professional degree. Some architects choose to earn certification from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, which may help an architect transfer licensure from state to state.

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