How to Become an Architect

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Step 1: Start Preparing in High School

If possible, start preparing for your architecture education in high school. Courses in geometry, algebra, pre-calculus and physics develop your skills with mathematical precision. Courses in the arts and humanities may develop your aesthetic sensibility. Much of modern architecture is designed using computer-aided design (CAD) programs, so familiarity with technology and computers will be helpful.

Step 2: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

Bachelor's degree programs in architecture survey the history of the discipline, introduce you to fundamental design concepts and acquaint you with the properties of materials. Courses examine interior space and proportions, structural systems, environmental systems and building technology. Professional B.Arch. programs are typically completed in five years. You could also pursue a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree in architecture, but these degrees are considered to be pre-professional, and they don't qualify you for state licensure. Some schools offer 5-year combined bachelor's and master's degree programs.

Step 3: Earn a Master's Degree

Master's degree programs in architecture integrate theoretical, technological, historical and cultural factors into your design process as well as exploring how to engage in a community's cultural conversation by shaping its built environment. Ecologically sustainable building practices, historic preservation and urban planning are other possible areas of interest and exploration. Some schools have separate academic tracks depending on whether your bachelor's degree is in architecture or in an unrelated subject. For example, if you earned a pre-professional degree in architecture, it may only take you two years to earn your M.Arch. If your degree is in an area other than architecture, you'll likely enroll on a 3-year track.

Step 4: Complete an Internship

Before you're eligible for state licensing, you'll need to complete a training period under the supervision of a licensed architect. Most training periods last three years, and most architecture program graduates meet the obligation by working an internship. As of May 2013, a majority of architects worked for architectural and engineering services firms, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), so you could look to one of these firms for internship opportunities (www.bls.gov).

Step 5: Become Certified and Licensed

All architects must have state licenses to offer professional services. Apart from earning a degree and completing an internship, you must pass the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). The ARE consists of nine divisions containing either graphical questions or multiple choice questions.

The NCARB also offers national certification to architects who can provide verification of their educational history, employment record and professional references. Certification isn't required, but having it could make applying for licensing across states easier for you. According to the BLS, around 33% of licensed architects were also certified as of 2012.

To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below: