Licensing: Professional Education

Statement. The American Institute of Architects believes the requirement of a professional degree from a National Architectural Accrediting Board - accredited program or its equivalent should be a prerequisite for licensing. The equivalent must be a fair and equitable alternative. In addition, the AIA believes that alternate experiences to the accredited degree or its equivalent be considered as fulfilling educational and experience prerequisites to licensure on an individual candidate basis.

Explanation. Education, experience, and examination are related prerequisites for licensing and for practice. ,although each Each must be fulfilled justified independently as elements of a licensing system. One element cannot serve as an adequate substitute for another.

Professional architectural education provides exposure to a foundation of -knowledge, particularly in design, that is difficult to duplicate by other means. It is also acknowledged that ideally all a substantial majority of candidates for licensing will have earned a professional degree from an accredited architectural program.

However, restricting the route to licensure to a single process can limit the opportunity of persons who may be fully qualified and unfairly restrict their access to the practice of architecture. There is a continuing need for an equivalency evaluation process.

This policy is one of an integrated group of policies on licensing issues.

Board Approval - May 1991

September 2000 Committee Recommendation: Revise