I completed my B.Arch (5 years) from India in 2010 and since then been working in Chennai. I am planning to do my master abroad. While browsing through various forums , i came across this license issue for architects. I had broadly inferred that only if you study for atleast 2 yrs, u'll be eligible for a license to practice.
Consider the following scenario.
I do an M.arch in Interior design or Digital architecture in the U.S/U.K
This course does not enable me to get the license to practice in U.K/U.S
( Since its not an accredited course. An accredited course from what i read, is for 2 years).
My question:
With this degree,Can i work and earn under someone in a private firm?
Or, is it like,without a license i cant even get employed under someone.
I am under the impression that, The license comes to play only when a person is starting his own firm.
You need a license in the US to sign off on official documents. You cannot call yourself an 'architect' is you aren't licensed.
You can work and earn under someone with your degree.
Typically, if you are from a non-accredited course, you need to complete a certain number of hours of work experience in a registered architectural office before you can apply for the exams which allow you to gain a license.
Working @8 hours for 5 days a week for 3 years in a row gives you enough hours to be eligible for giving the series of exams. Each exam costs a few hundred dollars. There are many, many more minimum requirements such as this one. Look up the IDP/ARE websites for comprehensive answers.
"Typically, if you are from a non-accredited course, you need to complete a certain number of hours of work experience in a registered architectural office before you can apply for the exams which allow you to gain a license."
Hey!Thanks for your reply.. So you mean to say, with the B.Arch i have from my country, whether or not I do an M.Arch, if I satisfy those working hours, I am eligible for giving those exams. Anyways, I shall go through those websites. Thanks again
if your goal is to get licensed in the us/uk, you have to go to a us/uk m.arch program. however unless you are going to open you own practice, being licensed or not is not too much of a problem at least here in the states. i know many people that have successful careers without a license (under someone). alternatively, you can work for 9 years under a licensed architect in some states and get licensed (tedious process). look at ncarb.com or riba.com and comb though all the bureaucratic stuff, there is always exceptions to foreign.
btw where in chennai do you work? is there much work there?
CA and NY both have the laxest "experience-only" requirements: 5 years experience + 3 years IDP. I think CA even chops off a couple years experience for people with an arch degree from an accredited foreign institution...
In California having license to practice means having qualified for one of these that says ARCHITECT instead of COSMETOLOGIST, although sometimes hard to tell which is which.
stay in India and design/build to your heart's desire.... While living in India, I knew many contractors who designed and built works without having even stepped into a classroom.
In north america, or most countries in the west, you need an undergraduate degree, plus masters and then complete the licensing exam to have that privelege you have in India.
May 30, 12 1:00 am ·
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What exactly is the license to practice?
I completed my B.Arch (5 years) from India in 2010 and since then been working in Chennai. I am planning to do my master abroad. While browsing through various forums , i came across this license issue for architects. I had broadly inferred that only if you study for atleast 2 yrs, u'll be eligible for a license to practice.
Consider the following scenario.
I do an M.arch in Interior design or Digital architecture in the U.S/U.K
This course does not enable me to get the license to practice in U.K/U.S
( Since its not an accredited course. An accredited course from what i read, is for 2 years).
My question:
With this degree,Can i work and earn under someone in a private firm?
Or, is it like,without a license i cant even get employed under someone.
I am under the impression that, The license comes to play only when a person is starting his own firm.
Please clarify
You need a license in the US to sign off on official documents. You cannot call yourself an 'architect' is you aren't licensed.
You can work and earn under someone with your degree.
Typically, if you are from a non-accredited course, you need to complete a certain number of hours of work experience in a registered architectural office before you can apply for the exams which allow you to gain a license.
Working @8 hours for 5 days a week for 3 years in a row gives you enough hours to be eligible for giving the series of exams. Each exam costs a few hundred dollars. There are many, many more minimum requirements such as this one. Look up the IDP/ARE websites for comprehensive answers.
@CitizenWalker
"Typically, if you are from a non-accredited course, you need to complete a certain number of hours of work experience in a registered architectural office before you can apply for the exams which allow you to gain a license."
Hey!Thanks for your reply.. So you mean to say, with the B.Arch i have from my country, whether or not I do an M.Arch, if I satisfy those working hours, I am eligible for giving those exams. Anyways, I shall go through those websites. Thanks again
if your goal is to get licensed in the us/uk, you have to go to a us/uk m.arch program. however unless you are going to open you own practice, being licensed or not is not too much of a problem at least here in the states. i know many people that have successful careers without a license (under someone). alternatively, you can work for 9 years under a licensed architect in some states and get licensed (tedious process). look at ncarb.com or riba.com and comb though all the bureaucratic stuff, there is always exceptions to foreign.
btw where in chennai do you work? is there much work there?
Stay in India..we have enough architects in the USA.
CA and NY both have the laxest "experience-only" requirements: 5 years experience + 3 years IDP. I think CA even chops off a couple years experience for people with an arch degree from an accredited foreign institution...
In California having license to practice means having qualified for one of these that says ARCHITECT instead of COSMETOLOGIST, although sometimes hard to tell which is which.
Here is a bigger photo version of the identical license with a different craft.
stay in India and design/build to your heart's desire.... While living in India, I knew many contractors who designed and built works without having even stepped into a classroom.
In north america, or most countries in the west, you need an undergraduate degree, plus masters and then complete the licensing exam to have that privelege you have in India.
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