CERTIFICATION COUNTDOWN

Apply Now For Certification—Two Alternatives to Professional Degree Requirement Will Expire July 1, 2000

If you were an architect prior to July 1, 1984, you may qualify for NCARB Certification without an NAAB-accredited degree; but you need to apply before July 1, 2000!

Beginning July 1, 2000, architects will be required to hold a professional degree from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) or the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB), or have a CACB-certified professional degree from a Canadian university in order to meet NCARB's education requirement for Certification. If you do not have a recognized professional degree from an NAAB-accredited school, NCARB will currently accept one of four alternatives:

1. A high school diploma and the subsequent accumulation of five education credits before July 1, 1984. You may earn these credits with 10 years full-time or 20 years part-time experience in architecture, verified by an architect, or with a combination of such experience and post-secondary education.
2. A high school diploma, registration by an NCARB member board before July 1, 1984, and accumulation of five education credits before or after that date.
3. An EESA-NCARB (Educational Evaluation Services for Architects) evaluation report from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) stating that you have met the NCARB Education Requirement with post-secondary education completed partially or entirely outside of the U.S. If you do not meet any of the above alternatives, this clause may apply if you have a pre-professional degree, e.g., Bachelor of Arts or Science in Architecture, plus other acceptable course work; however, such individuals are encouraged to earn the professional degree previously described.
4. Satisfaction of the Broadly Experienced Architect (BEA) evaluation process if you do not meet any of the alternatives outlined above. To qualify for consideration, you must have at least 10 years of substantial and verified post-registration experience in responsible charge of an architectural practice.

After June 30, 2000, the first two alternatives to the professional degree requirement will expire. While the Broadly Experienced Architect alternative will continue to be available (see July 1999 News Clips), it is a far more complicated and expensive route to certification and NCARB highly recommends that you apply for certification using alternatives 1 or 2 above before July 1, 2000. Council Record applications that are already in process on July 1, 2000 and that meet all certification requirements in effect prior to that date will be approved for the Council Certificate. For further information about education requirements for architects registered in the U.S., request a copy of the NCARB Education Standard or direct specific questions to the Council's Operations and Services Department at 202/879-0528. Learn about the benefits of certification at www.ncarb.org/certification.