NCARB helps architect students get licensed sooner through IPAL

New York, NY The road to licensure for architects is getting shorter and shorter, thanks to a recent initiative by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). The Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL) provides students the opportunity to complete requirements for licensure while they are still earning their degree. Through the initiative, schools are encouraged to incorporate the Architectural Experience Program (AXP, formerly the Intern Development Program) directly into the curriculum, as well as the opportunity to take the Architect Registration Examination (ARE).

NCARB reports that 21 design programs at 17 schools are already participating in IPAL, integrating education, experience and examination requirements in order to provide a structure for students who wish to pursue licensure early in their careers.

Each school’s IPAL participation is unique, with faculty and staff developing individual schedules for review and acceptance by NCARB.

According to Paola Sanguinetti, Ph.D., department chair of the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design and Planning – which has been participating in IPAL since the initiative launched in 2015 – IPAL is galvanizing the school’s partnership with the profession and helping students “excel in their education and profession.”