Becoming an architectural designer requires a minimum of five years of education, internship training, and a professional licensing exam. Skills in drawing, spatial visualization, communication, and CADD software are essential. Landscape architects have similar education requirements.
To become an architectural designer, most countries require a minimum of five years of a degree in architecture or a related field from an accredited university and a license granted by the approved professional architectural organization in that country. Upon graduation, general architectural designers are usually required to complete a period of internship training under a licensed professional architectural designer for a period of several years. Once the training period is completed, the candidate must take a professional licensing exam as the final step towards becoming an architectural designer.
A person must have certain skills and abilities to become an architectural designer. Artistic skill, the ability to draw and the ability to visualize objects spatially are essential. The successful architectural designer must also be able to communicate complex ideas, because architects frequently meet with clients, construction staff, and other professionals involved in the design and construction process. To become an architectural designer, knowledge of computer-aided drafting and drafting (CADD) software is essential to complete drawings and communicate complicated design concepts. A basic understanding of finance and engineering is helpful in considering budget requirements and structural concerns in the overall design of a structure.
Most countries, including the US, require completion of a five-year Bachelor of Architecture program. Some colleges offer post-professional or master’s degrees for architectural designers who want to specialize in a specific field, teach, or do research. Some colleges offer abbreviated degree programs to prepare students who already have a degree in another discipline and want to become an architectural designer. Educational programs are rigorous and teach students architectural history, building principles, and CADD, with a solid foundation in physical sciences, mathematics, and the liberal arts. The design studio is perhaps the most important part of an architectural designer’s education and is where the student learns how to apply the concepts learned.
In the US, the American Institute of Architects and the National Board of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) require several years of training with an experienced licensed architectural designer before taking the licensing exam. In Australia, the National Education Committee of the Australian Institute of Architects oversees the accreditation of degree programs in architecture and has licensing, training, and licensure requirements very similar to those in the US. Most other developed countries require a five-year architectural education program and a period of internship or post-professional training to become an architectural designer.
Landscape architecture designers plan outdoor spaces for people to live, work and use. Education requirements are similar to those for structural architecture designers. Landscape architects in the US must complete a bachelor’s or master’s program in landscape architecture, a period of training, and take a licensing exam before practicing landscape architecture design.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
