The School of Architecture at Woodbury University is among the first 13 accredited architectural programs to be accepted for participation in the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL) initiative.

For current and prospective Woodbury Bachelor of Architecture students, the university’s participation means they will have an opportunity to complete the five-year program in six years, incorporating two years of internship, and passing the six-part architects’ registration examination prior to, or at the point of receiving their professional B.Arch degree. Following their second year, participating students will need to work each summer in internships that the School of Architecture sets up, plus complete a one-year internship between their fourth and fifth years. This effectively means that successful students will have the opportunity to have a license upon graduation.

The initiative encourages programs that are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) to propose a pre-graduation integration of education, experience requirements and the opportunity to take each of the six divisions of the new Architect Registration Examination® 5.0.

“From the perspective of a school with a preponderance of first-generation college students who reflect the multicultural diversity of our region, we see NCARB’s Accelerated Path to Architectural Licensure initiative as an important stepping stone to improving the diversity — including gender diversity — of licensed architects,” said Norman Millar, AIA, Professor and Dean of Woodbury’s School of Architecture. “We embrace the opportunity to work closely with a consortium of architecture firms and our state board in the process.”

The 13 accepted schools represent a wide range of accredited B.Arch and M.Arch programs in 9 jurisdictions, and are split between public and private institutions. Woodbury is one of just three California institutions invited to participate. Also accepted into the inaugural class: the University of Southern California and NewSchool of Architecture and Design, in San Diego.

The acceptance of initial participants culminates a two-year effort of the Council’s Licensure Task Force (LTF) to design an integrated path framework that promotes individual academic program flexibility while addressing all regulatory requirements for architectural licensure. The LTF is comprised of licensing board members, former

presidents of related architectural organizations, recently licensed architects and aspiring architects, deans and instructors, and members of the public.

“For the 13 programs, this is an innovative and exciting opportunity to further integrate experience and examination into the academic curriculum,” said NCARB President and LTF Member Dennis S. Ward, NCARB, AIA. “Each of these programs has impressed our Licensure Task Force with their creativity, commitment to maintaining their NAAB-accreditation, and a desire to provide a conduit for students who choose a rigorous path that will enrich both the academic and experience elements of architectural licensure. We look forward to coaching these programs, and future program participants, as well as celebrating the licensure of their alumni. Over the next few years we will provide support to our licensing board members as they work to evolve their regulations toward accepting this new licensure path.”

Integrating experience and examination in the education process will provide an additional option for those students enrolled in an NCARB-accepted pathway, Ward noted: “It will provide an exciting new option for many future architects, and greatly enhances the academy/practitioner/licensing board relationship.” Each program will implement the integrated path according to the schedule developed with its administration and faculty.