RIBA Examination in Architecture for Office-Based Candidates
A unique and flexible route to qualification for RIBA Parts 1 and 2
Introduction
The RIBA Examination in Architecture for Office-Based Candidates, hereafter referred to as 'the Examination', consists of Parts 1 and 2, and is an internationally recognised qualification which has been developed from the long established RIBA External Examinations. Established in 1988 and run directly by the RIBA until 2002, it is designed to meet the learning and qualification needs of those who, for whatever reason, are unable to qualify through full-time or part-time courses in schools of architecture in the UK.
Setting the same standards as those in schools of architecture recognised by the RIBA, the Examination, when followed by the Part 3 Examination in Practice and Management, leads to:
- Full chartered membership of the RIBA.
- Recognition by the Architects' Registration Board (ARB) for UK architects' registration.
- Recognition throughout Europe under the European Union (EU) Architects' Directive.
What is meant by Office-based study?
The Examination Programme is a unique system in which formally assessed academic work is supported by learning through experience in architectural practice, with the Examination sequence mirroring the development and realisation of design projects in architectural practice. All candidates are required to have substantial experience in practice before they register, and to remain in full-time supervised architectural employment throughout their studies for the Examination. Candidates' development is supported and guided by two vital elements of the Programme:
Candidates' Offices
Individual study for the Examination must be supported by the day-to-day learning and experience of architectural practice. Therefore, for the duration of the Examination Programme, candidates are required to be employed full-time within the European Union by an EU-recognised architects' practice, with their full support, and working under the supervision of an experienced EU-registered architect who has agreed to be the candidate's Mentor. Full-time employment is deemed to be met by working at least 1,250 hours per annum for the practice. Any period of employment of less than 3 months will not be recognised. Any interval between employment exceeding 3 months in any one year may lead to the candidate being suspended from the Programme until new employment is secured. The practice may be a firm of architects, or an architects' section of a multi-disciplinary practice or local authority. Candidates are also required to keep a Professional Experience Diary throughout their period of study on the Programme. See Regulations, and Appendix D: Guide to the Role of Offices and Office Mentors.
Personal Tutors
Tutors are appointed by candidates for the duration of the Programme and must be completely independent of the candidate's office. They should be EU-registered architects with at least 3 years' qualified experience, and not retired more than 5 years. Exceptionally, candidates may choose a tutor who has substantial architectural design teaching experience within Higher Education, and not retired more than 5 years. Candidates may also be assisted by other tutors who need not necessarily comply with these criteria.
When is office-based study an option?
Office-based study is an option for anyone who meets the academic and practice-based entry requirements, who can demonstrate personal suitability for independent study and who is unable to attend a full-time or part-time course in a school of architecture – possibly due to financial, professional or personal circumstances, or through geographical remoteness.
This route should be considered carefully. Applicants who believe this to be a quick and easy way to qualify are likely to be ill-prepared for the degree of commitment required. Although time and costs are similar to those of a part-time taught course, the essential difference between this Programme and a taught course needs to be fully understood.
This is a Programme of self-preparation for the Examination, which means that candidates are required to provide themselves with their own architectural education, with the assistance of their Personal Tutor and Office Mentor. This means that the time spent in studying the subject, especially in personally experiencing notable contemporary architecture and developing a critical view of it and of architecture as a whole, is as important, if not more so, than the time spent in doing the work for the Examination.
Practice Experience Entry Requirements
In addition to the requirements concerning employment, the support of an Office Mentor, and the appointment of a Personal Tutor, the following minimum requirements must also be met:
Part 1 of the Examination:
A minimum of 3 years' practical experience and similar educational qualifications to those required by schools of architecture (see below). Graduates from related construction industry disciplines are eligible to apply for entry to Part 1 of the Examination if they have also gained a minimum of 3 years' certified working experience in architectural practice. Graduates with degrees in non-construction industry subjects are required to provide evidence of 3 years' certified post-graduate experience in an architect’s office to enter Part 1 of the Examination.
Part 2 of the Examination:
A minimum of 3 years' certified practical experience after gaining the Part 1 qualification in architecture at a school of architecture recognised by ARB and the RIBA, or through a Panel Assessment by ARB. This requirement may be reduced, at the discretion of the Panel of Interviewers, if practical experience was acquired while gaining the Part 1 qualification through a part-time course at a recognised school of architecture, or through Part 1 of the Office-Based Examination.
Candidates who will have reached the minimum practical experience by the start of the Programme's year in March may be considered for interview in the previous year. They will need to demonstrate that they are sufficiently established in the practice of architecture and supported by their practice to have the potential to succeed through this route.
Examination entry: Admissions and Registration
Admission Procedure
Admission to the Programme comprises three stages:
Stage 1 | An application form for prospective candidates is downloadable from the website at http://www.brookes.ac.uk/schools/be/media/part1form.pdf. This form should be completed and submitted to the Examination Manager. |
Stage 2 | Subject to meeting the eligibility requirements, a second stage application form and extract from the Guide, Syllabus and Regulations will be sent out. On completion, this form should be submitted to the Examination Manager, together with a CD containing a personal portfolio of sketches, photographs, personal projects, together with current work in practice; any written studies or reports (academic and/or work-related); any other relevant academic project work; copies of all qualifications. At this stage, applicants with accredited prior learning and experiential learning may request exemption from certain parts of the Part 1 Examination. |
Stage 3 | Short-listed applicants will be invited to attend an interview, and this should be regarded as having the status of an entrance examination. |
Applicants are assessed for suitability by an Interviewer who is drawn from a Panel consisting of Examiners on the Programme. Emphasis is laid upon the quality of office experience gained; individual ability and potential to develop, as demonstrated in the portfolio of personal and office work; also on assessing suitability for independent study, and the support and learning-base provided by their employment.
Applicants are required to submit the following:
Evidence of the minimum academic requirements | Certified evidence of the required amount of office experience | |
Part 1 |
|
3 years |
Part 2 | Part 1 qualification in architecture as recognised by ARB and the RIBA | 3 years post Part 1, or possibly less if practical experience was gained by taking a Part 1 course part-time, or by passing Part 1 of the Office-Based Examination. |
In addition, all applicants must supply:
- A statement of support from the applicant's current employer.
- A statement of not more than 300 words explaining the applicant's suitability for office-based study, and the reasons for choosing to apply.
- A portfolio of personal work that includes a sketchbook, original sketches, photographs, projects, and a range of work carried out by the applicant in practice. Applicants for Part 2 should also include their final Part 1 project.
All candidates who are applying for entry from outside England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are required to provide evidence of English Language qualifications.
Credit for Prior and Related Study
The sequence of assignments in Parts 1 and 2 of the Examination is both developmental and inter-related, and all examinations and project assessments are mandatory. Credit for Prior Learning (APL), for Prior Experiential Learning (APEL), and for other relevant qualifications may be awarded, but only on the recommendation of the relevant Subject Examiner.
What Will It Cost?
Qualifying through the Examination will probably cost around the same as qualifying through part-time study at a school of architecture. In additional to paying the annual fee, candidates pay tuition fees to their personal tutor(s) with whom they need to work at various stages of the Examination programme – most notably on design projects, and when researching and developing their Part 2 Case Study/Dissertation. This is likely to cost £30-40 per hour.
Without the resources of a university library on their doorstep, candidates are likely to need to buy a larger quantity of their own learning materials: how much will depend on the resources of their practice library, and whether they can establish links with local university libraries. Additionally, the facilities at the British Architectural Library are available to all registered candidates and these will prove invaluable. The Library holds a small collection of exemplary work – both written and drawn – and provides a postal/electronic service for candidates unable to visit in person.
How Long Does It Take to Qualify?
Written and examinations and design projects are arranged sequentially to consolidate the learning process.
Part 1 may be completed in a minimum of 4 years and
Part 2 in a minimum of 2 years.
As well as minimum times, there are maximum times after which candidates who have not complete may be withdrawn from the Examination. For Part 1 this is 8 years and for Part 2 it is 6 years.
What Is The Time Commitment?
Candidates will need, on average, to be able to allocate around 15 hours a week to their Examination work. Whilst there is flexibility, progress is best achieved by establishing a regular study pattern. Not all this time will be spend working on Examination projects, reading, researching and writing reports or essays. Building and gallery visits, local lectures, discussions with tutors and architects, and contact with other candidates are all vital to individual development and success. At some points in the Examination, candidates will need to spend more time on studies than at others.
How Is Work Assessed?
Candidates register in March for the subjects they are to take in the Examination year. Following formal written examination at the first stage of Part 1 and Part 2, subsequent written work involves essays and project-related reports which are completed in the candidates’ own time and submitted for assessment at various stages of the Examination. Design work is a primary focus of the Examination and each candidate develops a personal portfolio of projects under the guidance of their independent tutor. This is monitored and assessed through periodic review criticism, and leads to undertaking a set final design project which is formally examined at the end of both the Part 1 and Part 2 stages.
When is the closing date for applications?
Application forms must be received no later than 31 August for the following March intake.
