Archinect - News

NCARB delays licensing exams through end of May

2020-04-27T11:44:00-04:00

Prometric, the test administration company responsible for hosting NCARB's Architect Registration Examination (ARE), has decided to keep all test centers in North America closed until May 31, 2020. According to NCARB, when the test centers do reopen they will operate at 50 percent capacity to maintain social distancing for test takers. Additionally, if a test center becomes booked beyond the 50 percent capacity limit, Prometric will randomly select candidates to reschedule.

Due to the closures and test cancellations, NCARB has offered rescheduling at no-cost and has added an additional six months to test taker's rolling clocks. The organization will be hosting a live Webinar this Thursday, April 30th, to answer questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the ARE.

Can architects really get away with cheating on their licensing exams?

2019-03-04T15:20:00-05:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards recently named and shamed eight people it said shared or received content from its Architect Registration Examination, a grueling, six-part test required to become a licensed architect — and which it says ensures people’s safety isn’t put at risk by sketchy designs.

Licensing exams are standard in many professions. However, to what lengths will people go in order to pass? The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) announced that eight individuals had been outed for cheating by a whistleblower from the group. Test materials were said to be shared via email forwarding, however one of the individuals affiliated with the incident claims what they had done was common in the industry. "It’s not like we snuck into the exam and took photos. We didn’t remove any content from any of the exams. We just had conversations,” said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “In any office, people talk about exams."

Image © gotcredit.com

Board certification is a requirement for those who wish to practice legally as architects. NCARB's CEO Michael Armstrong expresses the license as "a contract between the state and government. [...] If somebody has been inappropriately qualified … then that contract between the government and the pub...

NCARB's "licensure at graduation" announcement rubs Archinectors both ways

2014-06-04T21:13:00-04:00

Last week we reported on NCARB's announcement that it would offer a path to licensure through academic programs, making it possible for architecture students to be licensed upon graduation. The proposal prompted a pretty divisive set of reactions from Archinect commenters, some excited by the opportunities inherent in the proposal, others despairing over its potential long-term effects.

At the time of this post, the original news piece had 61 comments, the major issues raised including impact on educational standards, earning potentials and the profession's reputation. What also surfaced was a generational bias, with those already firmly set in the practice (but still not licensed) feeling disadvantaged by an opportunity that came too late for them. We've gathered the gist of the commenter's opinions here.

The PROS:

According to davvid, this new path to licensure will make it easier for graduates to get higher paying jobs more quickly after graduating, which "also increases their earni...