Area
Employer
Information/Strategies
Area:
Residential Architecture
Sub-Area:
- Single Family Housing
- Multiple-Unit Residential
- Tract Homes
- Senior/Assisted Living
- Remodeling/Renovations
- Research
Employers:
- Architecture firms
- Real estate developers
- Construction firms
- Individual homeowners
- Self-employed
Strategies & Information:
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.