<p>I'm sure it's been talked about somewhere in this message board, but what happens to people who go to Architect school and don't become licensed architects? I can't remember the exact percent, but at the school I will be attending this fall, it's estimated only a small percent of us will graduate to become licensed architects. So my question is: what happens to the rest? I'm sure they get a job doing something architect related, but how far can they go in the career of architecture without a license? Is getting a license the only way to secure your career as an architect?</p>
<p>You can work in the office of someone who is licensed. I worked for a woman who practiced interior design though her degree was in architecture - she did a lot of semi-architectural work and had a couple of licensed architects working for her. Though mostly it didn't matter as her architectural projects were all in Japan at the time I was working for her.</p>
<p>If you don't get a license and want to actually design buildings, you will have to work for a licensed architect and have him/her review and seal all of your plans.</p>
<p>I know a number of non-practicing architects. One works for a large city as an urban planner, one is a zoning attorney, and two are developers.</p>
<p>I just read in the New York Times about a guy who went to architecture school, but has started a web design firm.</p>
<p>My daughter is an architecture student. Her class started with about 90 or more as freshmen, but by the start of junior year, there were only about 50 still in the program. I think there are several reasons: architecture is not what they thought (mostly art, not engineering), they did not realize how much of a time commitment it was, or they just did not have the aptitude or dedication. Also, some did not pass studio and either changed majors or had to repeat the year.<br>
This would account for almost half of the students who started in the program not becoming licensed architects. By the way, what school are you attending?</p>
<p>When you look around at the building industry there are a lot of places that architectural graduates go;</p>
<p>-City, state, and federal agencies as project managers. For example the in-house staff that we are working with at a university is made up pretty much of architecture graduates. They select the architect and contractor and oversee the project.
-Developers and large corporations will have a large staff or architects to supervise their projects. Also some of the development partners and dealmakers will come with an architecture degree.
-Sales representatives. Many of the folks who represent lighting manufacturers, and other building products have architectural training.
-Contractors are hiring increasing numbers of architects. Some create BIM models and help with technology, others become project engineers.
-Media firms. Firms from web design to animation houses like to hire architects.
-Industrial design. Lots of architects end up in product design.
-Interior design. Most of the best interiors firms would rather hire architecture graduates because of the more rigorous schooling.</p>
<p>Architecture is the most rigorous of the design fields and the skills you pick up are attractive to a wide range of fields. My worry is that as a profession we may lose to many of the best graduates to related fields.</p>
<p>rick</p>
<p>cagb1016, I will be going to the Boston Architectural College. I have a related question to those who did choose a different path. Did you have a strong passion for architecture and then it just kind of faded while you were in school?</p>
<p>I don't think anyone not doing architecture would be on this forum, so I guess that question is directed to those who know someone like that.</p>
<p>Also Rick, thanks for your always insightful replies.</p>
<p>my fall back plan if i suddenly don't like architecture anymore is to become an animator. i figure i will be learning a lot of the same 3D rendering/ tech skills as an architect that it takes to do those cool pixar-esque animations.</p>