Becoming licensed in the U.S.

I am an Architect ,completed my B. Arch from India in 1993, registered in Council of Architecture and Indian institute of Architecture. I have been working from 1994 in India and from 2008 I have been working in USA based firms who have offices in India. I am a LEED AP from USGBC also.

I was  staying in USA for 2 years 2011 and 2012 and was working as an Intern for 4 months in an architectural firm. Then I came back to India and working in a USA based firm , but again going back to USA (Connecticut) this year. Please advise me how to go for licensing. All these years of working will count for IDP hours or not?

Thanks and Regards

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The best resource for you is NCARB (http://www.ncarb.org) if you wish to learn about the process of becoming licensed in the U.S.

I am not the expert, but they have a program calledn BEFA - Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect --

http://www.ncarb.org/en/Getting-an-Initial-License/Foreign-Architects.aspx

The above website outlines the process.

As for your question related to IDP.  Your work in these firms will NOT count towards IDP unless you had already applied for a NCARB Council Record and tracked your IDP.  IDP has a six month rule -- you must record your work experience at least once every six months.

Again, visit NCARB for details on IDP.

http://www.ncarb.org/Experience-Through-Internships.aspx

I do hope all this helps in becoming licensed in the U.S.

From India to St. Louis, MO

I am an architect and environmental planner with three years of professional experience in India. I recently relocated to St. Louis, USA. I would like to know if I can work in US as well. For that do I need to register for NCARB (or any other for architecture as well as planning) in US? Also, my past professional experience involved research work on urban development studies (like climate change and cities, green building etc.) Are there any such organizations in St. Louis which undertake such researches?

It would be great if you could guide me on this.

Thank you and regards.

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To work in the U.S., you would need to confirm the labor laws; I am not an expert, but it is my understanding that you must either be a U.S. citizen or have a permit to work.

With respect to being an architect, I suggest you contact NCARB - http://www.ncarb.org - to learn more.  As you are an architect in India, you will need to follow the process of becoming an architect in the U.S.  Aside from NCARB, contact the state department of professional regulation in the state of Missouri to learn the requirements of the state.

As for your research, I am sorry I cannot be of direct help.  You may wish to contact the School of Architecture at Washington University.

Sorry I cannot be of more assistance.

Best.

Foreign Architect

I am writing to find out if I can practice as an architect in Massachusetts following a BArch from a state university in Malaysia.  The name of the school is Universiti Sains Malaysia (http://hbp.usm.my/index.php/programmes/undergraduates/archi)

Who should I talk to concerning my question? Please advise. 

I hold a degree in Economics and an MBA and have worked in the high-tech corp for 12 years. I'm currently evaluating my career and would like to go back to school in architecture, something that I've always wanted to study. 

Many thanks

__________

Bottom line, you can become licensed in Massachusetts and the U.S. from the degree you list below, but the process is more longer and more complicated with a foreign degree.

Your best source for more information is the following:

EESA - Education Evaluation Services for Architects - as your degree would be a foreign country, you would need to have it evaluated against the NCARB Education Standard. ( https://www.eesa-naab.org/home.aspx)

NCARB - Foreign Architects - outlines what is needed. ( http://www.ncarb.org/Getting-an-Initial-License/Foreign-Architects.aspx)

Another route that may be more challenging and expensive is to purse the NAAB accredited Master of Architecture (3-4 years) from a U.S. institution.  Just a thought.

Architectural Specializations

Dear Dr. Architecture,

I’m a graduate of B.Arch from India. I have a few years of experience working in architectural firms in Hong Kong. I have seen many people’s comment on the net saying they had their advices from Dr. Architecture. I have never known who it was, after only coming across your website ARCHCareers.org and found it was you. The website was very interesting and I personally need some advices from you.

I have completed my professional degree of B. Arch (five years). Although B.Arch and M.Arch are professionally equivalent, the term Bachelors and Masters make people tend to think the B.Arch is lower than the M.Arch. Moreover many large architectural corporate firms job requirements were a Master degree rather than a Bachelor Degree. Even many architects think B.Arch is not as equal to M. Arch.

In India the architecture curriculum is of 5 years to attain B.Arch. Then an M.Arch (2 years) which is considered a Post Graduate-Masters. But many people mistaken it to be M.Arch – Graduate degree. Moreover just a basic M.Arch degree of 2 years is never opted by majority of the students instead they go for Masters in some specialized field. Many people from India after completion of B.Arch go to U.S.A or U.K. for pursuing M.Arch – Graduate degree (which is equivalent already) without this knowledge.

I learned from your website that the B.Arch and M.Arch degree is professionally equivalent. My degree is not recognized by the HKIA (Hong Kong Institute of Architects) although I’m recognized in India by the COA (Council of Architecture, India). I thought of doing a Masters in some specialized field in U.K. or in U.S.A rather than just doing a basic Masters. So I’m looking in for a Post Professional Masters in some specialist field relating to architecture.

It’s confusing for me to take into a specialism because I really don’t know which interests me. I thought working for some time would help me figure out which stream to take but still I’m confused as the work which I normally do in the office is all general planning and design. I wanted to know all the available specialism streams in architecture so that I would know which would interest me.

I hope you could sort out my problem and I truly appreciate any time you have to advise me.

Thank you in advance.

___________

First, the BArch and MArch (from U.S. institutions) are professionally equivalent in the U.S. in terms of accreditation.  This is not necessarily the case with foreign degrees such as yours.

If you desire a post-professional degree, you would be well served to seek a M.S. in Architecture in the United States.  However, if you ever wish to become licensed in the U.S., you may wish to obtain the professional M.Arch.  Another route is the BEFA program through NCARB.

With that said, you question involves specializations.  Unlike perhaps medicine, the list for architectural specializations would infinite long, but the list below is a starting point.  It is from ARCHSchools.org, a database of accredited programs in the U.S. and Canada.  If you desire, you can search programs based on the specializations.

Also, as you have the professional degree from India, you could also pursue a degree in a related discipline such as Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, etc.

Architectural Design

Art and Design

Building Information Modeling

Building Technology/Environmental Systems

Community Design

Computer-Aided Design

Energy

Engineering

Environment/Sustainability

Graphic Design

History

Housing

Interior Design/Architecture

International And Regional Architecture

International Development

Landscape Design

Photography

Preservation

Professional Practice

Sacred Spaces

Sustainablility

Tectonics

Theory/Criticism

Urban Planning and Design

Dr. Architecture

I have completed B.Arch (2004) and Masters in Urban Development and Planning (2007) from India. In total I have 2 years of experience in Architecture, but not in Urban Planning. Due to some personal reasons I have stopped working. Now I am in U.S.A on dependent Visa. I really wish to work again as I am passionate about Architecture. Can you please suggest me some short term courses to brush up my architectural skills . It would be a great help if guide me on some queries-

As I m a foreign Architect so is it mandatory to pass ARE and evaluate my education through EESA?

Can I work with Architectural firms without being registered in U.S.A. As I want to gain the experience in this field not practice by my own?

Do I need to work as an intern with architectural firms? As I don’t have work permit?

Can you suggest me about firms which provide services for both disciplines (Architecture and Urban Planning)? Where I can work as an Architect and Planner?
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As your questions are very specific, I may not be the best person to address them, but I will do my best and possibly refer you to other resources.

 If your desire is to become a licensed architect in the U.S., I suggest you review the NCARB website -- All jurisdictions require an education, training, and exam requirement (www.ncarb.org). As a foreign architect, you may wish to learn more about the BEFA program -- http://www.ncarb.org/Getting-an-Initial-License/Foreign-Architects.aspx -- 



An individual may certainly work for an architecture firm without being licensed in the U.S., but please become knowledgeable on work permits given your visa status. I am not an expert of this and suggest you contact someone who is -- perhaps, the U.S. Government. 

The position you would work within a firm would be more dependent on your experience level than anything. You would NOT be able to be an architect as you are not licensed. Again, check out resources about work permits.



I do not recommend specific firms, but there are many resources that list firms. Most chapters of the American Institute of Architects have websites of firms.

Dr. Architecture

EESA

I just came across your blog - i wish i had found it a year or so earlier; perhaps you can help?

when did EESA start accrediting foreign degrees?

when did NCARB stop accepting foreign degrees? - and why? was it protectionism?

why i ask - i am Bartlett educated to RIBA part 2, living & working in New Orleans since 1981

after 2 years IDP my boss encouraged me to sit the licensing exam - all my peers were going through it - it was a fun study group - BUT they had just stopped accepting foreign, (as the Washington NCARB office put it - 'even English') degrees - and i could not proceed (was this 1983 or 4?)

5 or so years of full time practice later i was invited to teach at Tulane - i LOVED teaching and sought to become better qualified - but did not ,and do not, seek a full time tenured position

i continued practice locally - solo and as a part time consultant to several firms - and teach until 1993 when i returned to London for a couple of years (coincident with personal responsibilities) and achieved a Masters degree in Advanced Architectural Studies

i returned to New Orleans, continued my practice and teaching at TUSA

as of 2007 new requirements for my position include licensure and the new administration put me on 'probation' regarding the issue in 2008, stating they were looking for steps toward that end, now the new administration is stating i have had enough time - despite faculty recommendations that the process, thru' registration, will take about 3 years
________

First, EESA does not accredit foreign degrees, they evaluate foreign academic credentials as they meet the NCARB Education Standard; below is their website and a statement from their website. I am not sure when EESA begin providing this serve on behalf of NCARB, but I think it was about 2003 or so.

EESA
EESA assists those individuals who wish to apply for NCARB certification or for registration by an NCARB member board and who do not have a professional degree in architecture from an NAAB-accredited program of study. EESA works with internationally educated applicants and with architects in NCARB’s Broadly Experienced Architects (BEA) program.

https://www.eesa-naab.org/

Second, NCARB did not stop accepting foreign degrees, instead, they contact with NAAB for the EESA process to evaluate foreign credentials against the NCARB Education Standard. To learn more, visit the NCARB website - www.ncarb.org.

You may also wish to review the BEFA program of NCARB assuming that you have what is listed as the minimum requirements.

http://www.ncarb.org/en/Getting-an-Initial-License/Foreign-Architects.aspx

NCARB offers an alternative for certification through our Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect (BEFA) Program. At a minimum, this program requires:

• A professional degree in architecture from an accredited/ validated/officially recognized architecture program
• An architect credential in a country other than the United States and Canada (NCARB provides certification for architects registered in Canada) that:
• Has a formal record-keeping method for disciplinary actions for architects; and
• Provides reasonable reciprocal credentialing opportunities for U.S. architects
• A minimum of seven years of comprehensive, unlimited practice as a credentialed architect over which the applicant exercised responsible control in the foreign country where the applicant is credentialed

I highly suggest you contact NCARB to learn the process. I hope this helps!

Dr. Architecture

Becoming an Architect with Foreign Education

Hello Dr. Architecture, I would like to get more information on the steps needed to be taken to work in the U.S. [my husband is an Architect who studied abroad (University of Buenos Aires - Argentina)]. He has extensive experience in the field and would like to know what information he needs to provide to revalidate his Architecture degree. Thank you.
________

First, your best source to learn the requirements of becoming an architect in the U.S. is NCARB - National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (www.ncarb.org). They have links to the state registration boards as an individual must ultimately be licensed by U.S. jurisdiction.

They do have a program, Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect (BEFA) that is a multi-step process to assist foreign architects with experience to become licensed.

Also, individuals may have to have their foreign education evaluated by EESA - Education Evaluation Services for Architects as part of the process.

Dr. Architecture