Architecture as a Career What does an architect do? The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture provides information on high school preparation, the history of architectural education, and architectural practice. Similar information is available from The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Professional qualifications Dalhousie's professional architecture program (BEDS/MArch) is fully accredited by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board, based on the CACB's Student Performance Criteria. This enables a Dalhousie MArch graduate to become a graduate intern in an architectural office and to work toward professional registration as an architect. The degree is also recognized in the United States, so an American citizen who graduates from Dalhousie's MArch program can become a graduate intern in the United States and complete the professional registration examination there. Students from other countries should contact their national architectural organization for professional registration requirements. A statement from the Canadian Architectural Certification Board "In Canada, all provincial associations recommend a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit Canadian professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes two types of accredited degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture and the Master of Architecture. A program may be granted a five-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards. Master's degree programs may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education. However, the pre-professional degree is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree." For a full description of architectural accreditation, please check the web site for the Canadian Architectural Certification Board in Canada or the National Architectural Accrediting Board in the United States. Information for high school students If you are thinking about architecture as a career and want some advice on how to prepare, please download a Future Prospects in Architecture brochure.