After four years of development, the latest version of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®), ARE 5.0, launched on November 1, 2016. The updated exam incorporates new testing technologies and features six divisions that align with current practice and the progression of an architecture project. ARE 5.0 was developed with the help of practicing architects who volunteer their time and expertise, and reviewed by experts who ensure the exam is fair, reliable, and meets national testing standards.
Developed and administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the ARE assesses the knowledge and skills of all candidates seeking a license to practice architecture in the United States. NCARB periodically updates the exam to ensure it continues to reflect the demands of professional practice.
Aligning to Current Practice
To adapt to changes in the profession, ARE 5.0 content has been restructured into six divisions organized around architectural practice and the progression of a typical project. The new divisions also align with the experience areas of the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®), helping candidates connect their practical experience to exam topics and making the licensure process smoother and easier to understand. ARE 5.0 test durations are substantially shorter than ARE 4.0—ranging from three and a half to five hours and reducing total seat time by eight hours.
In addition, ARE 5.0 features the latest graphic testing methods, replacing vignettes with two new question types: hot spots and drag-and-place. ARE 5.0 also includes case studies, which provide candidates with multiple pieces of information and require them to assess and solve the types of problems architects face on a daily basis.
Preparing Candidates for ARE 5.0
Candidates looking for insight into the new exam have access to several free study tools developed by NCARB. These include the ARE 5.0 Handbook, the ARE 5.0 Guidelines, the ARE 5.0 Community, the ARE 5.0 Demonstration Exam, and the ARE 5.0 Test Prep video series. In addition, as an incentive to take the new exam, the first 600 candidates to test on each division will receive a $100 gift card.
NCARB will continue to administer ARE 4.0 until June 30, 2018. This 20-month period of dual delivery will enable current candidates to finish the exam in a way that best suits their needs.
For more information about ARE 5.0 visit www.ncarb.org/ARE5.
Related Stories
Student Housing | Feb 19, 2024
UC Law San Francisco’s newest building provides student housing at below-market rental rates
Located in San Francisco’s Tenderloin and Civic Center neighborhoods, UC Law SF’s newest building helps address the city’s housing crisis by providing student housing at below-market rental rates. The $282 million, 365,000-sf facility at 198 McAllister Street enables students to live on campus while also helping to regenerate the neighborhood.
MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024
UL Solutions launches indoor environmental quality verification designation for building construction projects
UL Solutions recently launched UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for New Construction, an indoor environmental quality verification designation for building construction projects.
MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024
Nine states pledge to transition to heat pumps for residential HVAC and water heating
Nine states have signed a joint agreement to accelerate the transition to residential building electrification by significantly expanding heat pump sales to meet heating, cooling, and water heating demand. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by directors of environmental agencies from California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island.
MFPRO+ News | Feb 15, 2024
Oregon, California, Maine among states enacting policies to spur construction of missing middle housing
Although the number of new apartment building units recently reached the highest point in nearly 50 years, construction of duplexes, triplexes, and other buildings of from two to nine units made up just 1% of new housing units built in 2022. A few states have recently enacted new laws to spur more construction of these missing middle housing options.
Green | Feb 15, 2024
FEMA issues guidance on funding for net zero buildings
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently unveiled new guidance on additional assistance funding for net zero buildings. The funding is available for implementing net-zero energy projects with a tie to disaster recovery or mitigation.
Hospital Design Trends | Feb 14, 2024
Plans for a massive research hospital in Dallas anticipates need for child healthcare
Children’s Health and the UT Southwestern Medical Center have unveiled their plans for a new $5 billion pediatric health campus and research hospital on more than 33 acres within Dallas’ Southwestern Medical District.
Architects | Feb 13, 2024
Pierluca Maffey joins Carrier Johnson + Culture as new Firmwide Head of Design
Carrier Johnson + Culture (CJ+C) has hired Pierluca “Luca” Maffey, International Assoc. AIA, as the firm's new Firmwide Head of Design and Design Principal.
K-12 Schools | Feb 13, 2024
K-12 school design trends for 2024: health, wellness, net zero energy
K-12 school sector experts are seeing “healthiness” for schools expand beyond air quality or the ease of cleaning interior surfaces. In this post-Covid era, “healthy” and “wellness” are intersecting expectations that, for many school districts, encompass the physical and mental wellbeing of students and teachers, greater access to outdoor spaces for play and learning, and the school’s connection to its community as a hub and resource.
Office Buildings | Feb 13, 2024
Creating thoughtful tech workplace design
It’s important for office design to be inspiring, but there are some practical principles that can be incorporated into the design of real-world tech workplaces to ensure they convey an exciting, sophisticated allure that accommodates progressive thinking and inventiveness.
Airports | Feb 13, 2024
New airport terminal by KPF aims to slash curb-to-gate walking time for passengers
The new Terminal A at Zayed International Airport in the United Arab Emirates features an efficient X-shape design with an average curb-to-gate walking time of just 12 minutes. The airport terminal was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), with Arup and Naco as engineering leads.