Description: Designing new homes or renovating existing ones for either single or multiple families.
Shadow, volunteer, or intern in an architect's office to gain exposure to the field.
Develop strong communication skills and patience which are important when working with individuals in designing their homes.
Study houses and architecture styles and read books and magazines about architecture.
Area:
Commercial/Institutional Architecture
Sub-Area:
Private Industry including:
Office buildings
Convention centers
Medical offices
Healthclubs
Motels, hotels
Casinos
Restaurants
Shopping centers
Supermarkets
Theaters
Arenas
Public/Government including:
Schools, colleges, universities
Government facilities
Military facilities
Libraries
Hospitals
Recreational facilities
Churches
Museums
Employers:
Architecture firms
Large corporations
Manufacturers
Research institutions
Transportation companies
Universities and colleges
Local and state government
Federal government agencies including:
Department of Defense
Department of Interior
Department of Housing & Urban Development
General Services Administration
Preservation firms
Self-employed
Strategies & Information:
Description: Designing office buildings, factories, laboratories, malls, schools and other commercial or government facilities.
Seek part-time jobs and/or internships to gain relevant experience.
Learn the technical side of preparing construction documents; spend time in the field to understand the mechanics of construction.
Research the various jobs and processes that will take place in the buildings.
Seek advanced training if specializing in a certain typology such as historic preservation and renovation or a certain type of building such as schools or hospitals.
Get involved in leadership roles on campus; architects may serve as project leaders coordinating the work of engineers and contractors.
Develop strong writing skills which are necessary for advancement.
Area:
Related Professional
Sub-Area:
Forensic Architecture
Urban Planning
Real Estate Developing
Contracting
Property Assessment
Landscape Design
Interior Design
Engineering:
Architectural
Civil
Mechanical
Structural
Consulting
Project Management
Facilities Management
Product Development/Marketing
Law
Insurance Liability
Writing/Journalism
Set Designers
Employers:
Federal, state, local government
Real estate firms
Developers
Contractors
Self-employed
Architecture firms
Design firms
Engineering firms
Corporate architecture departments
Law firms
Magazines, journals, publishers
Entertainment industry
Strategies & Information:
Specialized training or advanced degrees may be required, e.g. master's in urban planning, degrees in landscape design, interior design, etc.
Learn about real estate market and local supply and demand.
A contractor's license is considered valuable for working in the design/build area of architecture.
MBA degree may open more opportunities within business and industry.
Many large corporations employ architects to serve as client representatives when working with architectural firms.
Earn JD for law practice. Experience in architecture and construction will help prepare one for contract negotiation and litigation.
Take courses in English and journalism to develop writing skills. Get involved with campus publications.
Area:
Education
Sub-Area:
Teaching
Research
Administration
Information/Library Science
Part-time Instruction
Employers:
Colleges and universities
Special Collections Libraries
Strategies & Information:
A doctoral degree in architecture is preferred and/or required for full-time professorships.
Professional experience and licensure in the field of architecture is beneficial.
Develop a working knowledge in the building design or construction industry, along with knowledge of CADD, project planning, and estimating.
Create a portfolio for faculty review.
Area:
Historic Preservation
Sub-Area:
Architectural History
Curating
Architectural Conservatory
Preservation
Restoration
Research
Historic Interior Design
Employers:
Educational institutions
Private architectural firms
Government agencies
Strategies & Information:
Get experience in the construction and contracting field.
Seek knowledge about construction of buildings during earlier periods. Gain technical experience in problems that occur with historic buildings such as complications from climatic and environmental conditions over time.
Join the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
General Information and Strategies
To gain entry into the field of architecture, one must receive either a Bachelor or Master of Architecture from a school of architecture accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board, complete a full-time internship (three to five years), and pass the Architect Registration Examination.
There are master's degree programs for students who did not major in in architecture at the undergraduate level.
Architecture involves much more than designing buildings. Talk to architects and visit their offices to learn more about the field.
Architecture is a combination of art and science. Students of architecture must be able to conceptualize and understand spatial relations and be detail-oriented. Develop creativity, analytical skills, and a sense of quality.
Supplement curriculum with art and photography classes.
Oral and written communications skills are important, particularly when working with clients, construction crews, or government officials. Good writing skills are valuable for developing architectural proposals.
Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD), Building Information Modeling (BIM), and other computer technologies are prevalent in the field of architecture. Develop as many computer skills as possible.
The job market for architects, especially residential, varies with changes in economy as demand is often tied to level of construction.
One third of architects are self-employed as either partners or running their own firms.
Most architects work in firms of fewer than five people.
Related fields include: graphic, interior, or industrial planning, real estate development, civil engineering, and construction management.
Some architects specialize in a particular building type. Graduate study in the field may be helpful for specializing. Other architects may specialize in a certain function of the firm such as project management or specification writing.
Areas of specialization include: historic preservation/renovation, healthcare facilities, sports facilities, educational facilities, master planning, and interior design.
Students should design a portfolio to use when interviewing. Include freehand drawings, final drawings by hand and computer, process sketches, photos of study models and finished models, a sample of writing, and work from technical courses.
