You loved your job, but your boss informed you that you’re part of the next wave of layoffs. In a few short weeks, your job won’t exist at that company anymore.
Now that you have to change jobs anyway, why not consider going for a career you’ve always dreamed of like architecture? A 2018 survey found that the median salary for an American architect is about $79,380.
Becoming an architect takes time and dedication to pass the certifications. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how to become an architect so you can get started on your new career ASAP!
Before College
If you’re planning on becoming an architect at an early age, there’s plenty of things you can start doing before college. Some colleges may even ask you have some advanced credits before you enter your undergraduate program.
Focus your efforts on courses that develop your math skills as well as courses in the arts and humanities.
You can also look for classes about using computer-aided design (CAD) programs because a most modern architecture uses them. Having early knowledge of those systems will only help you in the long run.
Bachelors Degree
Once you get into a good college with a bachelor of architecture program, they teach you about the history of architecture and introduce you to fundamental design concepts and the properties of materials. In these classes, you’ll learn how to examine interior space and proportions, environmental systems, building technology, and much more!
Most Bachelors of architecture degrees take about 5 years to complete. But, you may also find a combination bachelor’s and master’s degree that takes the same amount of time.
Masters Degree
The next step after your bachelor’s degree is to get your master’s degree. If you took a bachelor’s program that focused on architecture, then it will take about 2 years. For those who have a bachelor’s degree in any other field, you’ll need about 3 years to complete the coursework.
Internship
After you’ve completed all your final exams and earn your master’s degree, you’ll need to do an internship so you can get some real-world experience. The training/internship period lasts about 5 years and you must have a licensed architect to do an internship for.
How to Become an Architect With the Proper Certifications
Before you can call yourself a professional architect, you’ll need to get your certifications in order. All architects must pass the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) given by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). The ARE exam covers nine sections containing either graph related questions or multiple-choice questions.
If you want to further increase your desirability to employers, you can get other certifications as well. Getting an enterprise architecture certification helps you stand out in a sea of new architects.
Choose a Career You Don’t Want to Escape From
The life and job responsibilities of an architect tend to attract a certain kind of person. But, some people find that architecture doesn’t interest them as much as they thought before starting classes.
Make sure you do your research and look at a few career options before you make a final decision. Also, look at the job market to make sure employers are looking to fill those kinds of positions.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learned all about how to become an architect. If you’re looking for more great articles about education, studying, and more, check out the rest of our blog today!
