flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

NCARB wants the title ‘architect’ confined to those who are licensed

Architects

NCARB wants the title ‘architect’ confined to those who are licensed

The Council is urging state licensing boards to come up with a substitute for the pre-licensure title ‘Intern.’  


By John Caulfield, Senior Editor | May 17, 2015
NCARB wants the title ‘architect’ confined to those who are licensed

“This issue has been fraught with controversy,” said Dale McKinney, FAIA, NCARB’s President, during a press conference at the AIA Show in Atlanta. Photo: NCARB

A record-high number of candidates—37,178 at the end of 2014­—were actively working toward an architect license required by the 54 state and jurisdiction licensing boards across the country.

It is common for candidates to be described, in the press or by many jurisdictions, as “intern-architects” or “architects in training,” or by some other nomenclature that might confer a false level of expertise or legal status.

The National Council of Architectural Regulation Boards (NCARB) wants to change that. Following the recommendations of a Future Title Task Force it formed last year, NCARB is embarking on an initiative that would “sunset” the term “intern” for those who are on a training or testing path to become architects.

NCARB is taking steps to erase “intern” from its internal lexicon, according to CEO Michael Armstrong. It plans to remove the word from its communications and correspondences. As an example, someone registered for the Architect Registration Examination “is an ARE candidate,” he said.

NCARB officials made this announcement during the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Convention 2015 Expo in Atlanta last week.

This debate isn’t new. “This issue has been fraught with controversy,” said Dale McKinney, FAIA, NCARB’s President. “We know that in the last several years, concerns have been raised regarding the credibility of the term ‘intern.’”

That’s not surprising, given the sheer number of architect candidates out there. In its “NCARB By The Numbers” report, which it will formally release in July, the Council estimates that nearly 10,000 new candidates had started on the path to licensure in 2014, 4% more than the previous year.  The number of candidates who had completed the Architect Registration Exam was up 17% to 3,719.

The Task Force, chaired by McKinney’s immediate predecessor, Blake Dunn, considered several factors, particularly the regulatory impacts of extending the title “architect” beyond the licensed community. The Task Force recommended that:

• The role of regulation should be restricted to the title “architect,” which should be applied only to licensed individuals;

• Any other title held by those pursuing a license does not need to be regulated.

• NCARB should discontinue the use of the work intern, intern-architect, “or any other regulatory ‘title’ described those pursing licensure.”

(In April, NCARB’s board of directors voted unanimously to accept the Task Force report, which also determined that the term “architect emeritus” is acceptable because those people described as such, while they may not be practicing, still have obtained their license.)

NCARB is taking steps to erase “intern” from its internal lexicon, according to CEO Michael Armstrong. It plans to remove the word from its communications and correspondences. As an example, someone registered for the Architect Registration Examination “is an ARE candidate,” he said. “A person recording experience hours is a Record holder.” The Council is renaming its Internship + Education Directorate with the new title Experience + Education Department, or E2. And it is likely that its Intern Development Program—which the Council recently streamlined and overhauled—will be renamed.

Dennis Ward, AIA, who becomes the Council’s president on June 21, pointed out that 30 jurisdictions or licensing boards currently reference one or more titles that include the word intern or “architect in training.”

With its announcements, NCARB, said Armstrong, is asserting “our role as an advisory organization. We’re putting down a leadership marker.” But he and McKinney were quick to note that proposals to change the Council’s Model Law or regulations would need to be presented by delegates of the state licensing boards. The earliest such proposals could be presented for comment would be next Spring, and for a vote of the Membership at the Council’s Annual Business Meeting scheduled for Seattle in June 2016.

During its press conference at the AIA Expo, NCARB stated that U.S. licensing boards reported 107,581 licensed architects at the end of 2014, representing the third consecutive year of increased growth in the profession.

Read NCARB President Dale McKinney's full announcement.

Related Stories

Architects | Jun 15, 2016

Design Thinking makes its way into Yale School of Management

The school will introduce Design Observer co-founders Jessica Helfand and Michael Bierut as faculty.

Retail Centers | Jun 14, 2016

Zaha Hadid and Gensler among finalists for Sunset Strip billboard design competition

The concepts are curvy, sleek, and multidimensional, and feature sharp digital displays.

Movers+Shapers | Jun 14, 2016

VERTICAL INTEGRATOR: How Brooklyn’s Alloy LLC evolved from an architecture firm into a full-fledged development company

Led by an ambitious President and a CEO with deep pockets, Alloy LLC's six entities control the entire development process: real estate development, design, construction, brokerage, property management, and community development.

Office Buildings | Jun 14, 2016

Let's not forget introverts when it comes to workplace design

Recent design trends favor extroverts who enjoy collaboration. HDR's Lynn Mignola says that designers need to accommodate introverts, people who recharge with solitude, as well.

Building Team | Jun 13, 2016

BD+C launches Women in Design+Construction Conference

Inaugural 2.5-day event will convene 125+ leading AEC women in Dana Point, Calif., November 9-11, for professional development, networking, and career training.  

University Buildings | Jun 9, 2016

Designing for interdisciplinary communication in university buildings

Bringing people together remains the main objective when designing academic projects. SRG Design Principal Kent Duffy encourages interaction and discovery with a variety of approaches. 

BIM and Information Technology | Jun 7, 2016

Conquer computational design: 5 tips for starting your journey

Data-driven design expert Nathan Miller offers helpful advice for getting your firm ready to use CD tools and concepts. 

BIM and Information Technology | Jun 7, 2016

6 ways smart AEC firms are using computational design methods

Rapid prototyping, custom plug-ins, and data dashboards are among the common applications for computational design.

Building Team | Jun 2, 2016

Managing risk when building in challenging locations

AEC firms recognize the upsides of exploring new, emerging markets. Whitehorn Financial's Steve Whitehorn offers four principles that can help guide you to success.

Airports | Jun 1, 2016

LaGuardia Airport’s massive redevelopment begins construction

The development consortium has secured financing for the $4 billion project, and signed an operating lease through 2050.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021