Seventeen US architecture schools now offer their students a faster track to becoming an architect; NCARB’s Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL). Students in IPAL programs will document the same number of hours of work experience, pass the same exams, and earn the same architecture degree as their non-accelerated counterparts – but they will have the opportunity to accomplish all of this before they graduate from college.
California leads the way, with three participating institutions (New School of Architecture and Design, University of Southern California and Woodbury University), but IPAL is making an impact in architecture schools from coast to coast, and NCARB has pledged to work with state licensing boards to increase the number of jurisdictions which will accept this alternative to the traditional sequence of school, then work, then testing.
Typically, architectural training begins with graduation from a professional degree program, then employment in an office under the supervision of a licensed architect. Along the way, the candidate must take and pass the six divisions of the Architect Registration Exam (ARE).
IPAL allows students to compress these activities by taking them on all at the same time.
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Institutions Offering IPAL and NAAB-Accredited Degrees Offered:
- Boston Architectural College: B.Arch M.Arch—IPAL only available at master's level. Boston, MA.
- The Catholic University of America: M.Arch. Washington, DC.
- Clemson University: M.Arch—IPAL can be started as an undergraduate. Clemson, SC.
- Drexel University: B.Arch—2+4 program; 2 years full-time study followed by 4 years of internship and part-time study. Philadelphia, PA.
- Lawrence Technological University: M.Arch. Southfield, MI.
- New School of Architecture and Design (two programs): B.Arch, M.Arch—IPAL only available at master's level. San Diego, CA.
- North Carolina State University (two programs): B.Arch, M.Arch. Raleigh, NC.
- Portland State University: M.Arch. Portland, OR.
- Savannah College of Art and Design: M.Arch. Savannah, GA.
- University of Cincinnati: M.Arch. Cincinnati, OH.
- University of Detroit Mercy: M.Arch. Detroit, MI.
- University of Florida: M.Arch. Gainesville, FL.
- University of Kansas: M.Arch. Lawrence, KS.
- University of Maryland: M.Arch. College Park, MD.
- University of North Carolina-Charlotte (two programs): B.Arch, M.Arch. Charlotte, NC.
- University of Southern California: B.Arch, M.Arch—IPAL can be started as an undergraduate. Los Angeles, CA.
- Woodbury University (two programs): B.Arch, M.Arch—IPAL available at both levels. Los Angeles & San Diego, CA.