Experience

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• Guidelines for Work Experience Used to Obtain Educational Credit
• Qualifying Foreign Country
• Work Experience Credit

Guidelines for Work Experience Used to Obtain Educational Credit

The following guidelines apply to work experience used to meet the educational requirement:

• Candidates may satisfy the entire five year educational requirement through work experience under the direct supervision of an individual licensed as an architect in a U.S. or Canadian jurisdiction in an organization engaged in the lawful practice of architecture.
• Candidates may only receive work experience credit obtained under the direct supervision of a U.S. registered civil or structural engineer, U.S. licensed landscape architect, California licensed general building contractor, or California certified building official after they have met the five year education requirement and/or work experience obtained under an architect licensed in a U.S. jurisdiction.
• Candidates who work on the property of the U.S. federal government (e.g., U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, etc.) will be granted work experience credit as long as the experience is obtained under the authority of a licensed architect, registered civil engineer, registered structural engineer, or licensed landscape architect.
• A candidate who uses work experience under an architect as an education substitute may not also submit the same work experience for earning AXP/IAP credit hours.
• Independent, non-licensed practice or experience regardless of claimed coordination or liaison with licensed professionals is not considered.

Qualifying Foreign Country

The term "qualifying foreign country" means a foreign country whose standards and qualifications for issuing a license to practice architecture are equivalent to those required in California. Requirements must include education, experience, and examination components. Foreign countries that do not require licensure for architectural practice would not meet the requisite equivalency for the granting of training experience credit.

Work Experience Credit

Work experience is submitted on an Employment Verification Form and is completed by both the candidate and employer(s). The Board evaluates training (work) experience based upon a calendar month of 40-hour work weeks. Credit is granted for both part-time and full-time work experience. Overtime may be considered. Work experience credit is granted toward meeting the ARE eligibility requirement or the additional three years of experience required for licensure as follows:

• 100% credit for work experience under the direct supervision of U.S. licensed architects.
• 50% credit for work experience under the direct supervision of architects licensed in qualifying foreign countries up to a maximum of seven years of credit. Candidates should contact the Board for information about which countries qualify.

Credit may also be granted for work experience obtained under the authority of or on the property of the U.S. government.

Candidates may receive credit for work experience obtained under the direct supervision of professionals other than licensed architects only after they meet the ARE eligibility requirement. Credit will be deferred if such experience is obtained prior to ARE eligibility.

Credit for work experience obtained under other licensed professionals applies as follows:

• 50% of credit for work experience under the direct supervision of U.S. registered civil or structural engineers and/or licensed landscape architects up to a maximum of two years of credit.
• 50% credit for work experience under the direct supervision of California licensed general building contractors or California certified building officials up to a maximum of one year of credit.

Candidates required to complete AXP should review NCARB’s AXP Guidelines to determine whether such experience is accepted.

NOTE: Prior to being eligible to take the CSE, all candidates must work at least one year under the direct supervision of an architect licensed in a U.S. jurisdiction or two years of experience under the direct supervision of an architect registered in a Canadian province.