A tool to assist architects in transitioning from the current licensing exam to the new version debuting in late 2016 has been unveiled by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). NCARB released a Transition Calculator tool for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) that will help licensure candidates transition from ARE 4.0 to ARE 5.0. A version of the nationally used exam, ARE 5.0, will launch in late 2016 and run concurrently with ARE 4.0 until June 2018 to allow candidates to select the transition plan that works best.
The ARE is a multi-division test developed by NCARB and taken by all candidates seeking architectural registration in the United States. The release of ARE 5.0 will be the latest update to the exam.
When determining how to transition candidates to ARE 5.0, NCARB developed options that will help candidates when making a plan:
Dual Delivery. ARE 4.0 will continue to be available after ARE 5.0 launches in late 2016. Candidates will be able to transition anytime during the period of dual delivery up until ARE 4.0 is retired on June 30, 2018.
Self-Transition. ARE candidates who began the testing process in ARE 4.0 will have the option to “self-transition” to ARE 5.0 as soon as it launches—or at any time before ARE 4.0 is retired. This will allow candidates to continue testing in the version that is most convenient for them. Once a candidate begins to test in ARE 5.0, however, they may not transition back to ARE 4.0.
Tools and Resources. NCARB is introducing more interactive tools and resources as the launch of ARE 5.0 approaches. NCARB representatives are available to help candidates determine the best strategy for the transition. In addition, the ARE 5.0 Transition Calculator has been created to assist licensure candidates immediately.
ARE 5.0 Transition Calculator
NCARB has designed the ARE 5.0 Transition Calculator to help candidates develop a personalized testing strategy. Candidates can log in through their My NCARB account to import their current testing status to the calculator.
The calculator will help candidates develop a personalized testing plan. It also shows how the test divisions used in ARE 4.0 will evolve in the ARE 5.0 test structure, to help any candidate plan for successfully completing their test taking. For candidates who have already begun testing, the calculator will help track exam expiration dates for individual divisions so that they can complete the ARE within five years.
The calculator is used in conjunction with NCARB’s Credit Model to determine which plan works best for each individual.
Practicing architects, who volunteer to serve on NCARB’s Examination Committee, partner with a test development consultant to review the content covered in each of the divisions of ARE 4.0 and ARE 5.0 to find a reasonable level of alignment. As a result, candidates have the opportunity to receive credit for ARE 5.0 divisions based on ARE 4.0 divisions passed.
For more information on the ARE 5.0 Calculator visit here. For the ARE 5.0, visit here<.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture Billings Index flat in May, according to AIA
After a slight decline in April, the Architecture Billings Index was up a tenth of a point to 42.9 in May. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings.
| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture Billings Index drops to lowest level since June
Another stall in the recovery for the construction industry as the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) dropped to its lowest level since June. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the August ABI rating was 41.7, down slightly from 43.1 in July. This score indicates a decline in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings).
| Aug 11, 2010
RTKL names Lance Josal president and CEO
Lance K. Josal FAIA has been named President and CEO of RTKL Associates Inc., the international planning, design and engineering firm. Josal succeeds RTKL’s current President and CEO, David C. Hudson AIA, who is retiring from the firm. The changes will take effect on 1 September 2009.
| Aug 11, 2010
Balfour Beatty agrees to acquire Parsons Brinckerhoff for $626 million
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, investment and services group, has agreed to acquire Parsons Brinckerhoff for $626 million. Balfour Beatty executives believe the merger will be a major step forward in accomplishing a number of Balfour Beatty’s objectives, including establishing a global professional services business of scale, creating a leading position in U.S. civil infrastructure, particularly in the transportation sector, and enhancing its global reach.
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction unemployment rises to 17.1% as another 64,000 construction workers are laid off in September
The national unemployment rate for the construction industry rose to 17.1 percent as another 64,000 construction workers lost their jobs in September, according to an analysis of new employment data released today. With 80 percent of layoffs occurring in nonresidential construction, Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, said the decline in nonresidential construction has eclipsed housing’s problems.
| Aug 11, 2010
Billings at U.S. architecture firms exceeds $40 billion annually
In the three-year period leading up to the current recession, gross billings at U.S. architecture firms increased nearly $16 billion from 2005 and totaled $44.3 billion in 2008. This equates to 54 percent growth over the three-year period with annual growth of about 16 percent. These findings are from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Business of Architecture: AIA Survey Report on Firm Characteristics.
| Aug 11, 2010
CHPS debuts high-performance building products database
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) made a new tool available to product manufacturers to help customers identify building products that contribute to sustainable, healthy, built environments. The tool is an online, searchable database where manufacturers can list products that have met certain environmental or health standards ranging from recycled content to materials that contribute to improved indoor air quality.
| Aug 11, 2010
ICC launches green construction code initiative for commercial buildings
The International Code Council has launched its International Green Construction Code (IGCC) initiative, which will aim to reduce energy usage and the carbon footprint of commercial buildings.Entitled “IGCC: Safe and Sustainable By the Book,” the initiative is committed to develop a model code focused on new and existing commercial buildings. It will focus on building design and performance.
