Architect boards seek to erase “intern” title

Architect boards want a sharper line drawn between licensed architects and those who are still in training.

Graduates of architecture schools, before passing their licensing exam, are often termed “architects in training” or “intern architects.” But according to the National Council of Architectural Regulation Boards (NCARB), lending such a label to an unlicensed individual could create a false sense of expertise.

NCARB President Dale McKinney said at a recent press conference that the debate over how to use the term ‘intern’, while “fraught with controversy,” isn’t a new debate. But an NCARB task force released a report that made several recommendations to restrict the use of terms like “intern” and “intern-architect.”

The Task Force recommended that:

• The role of regulation should be restricted to the title “architect,” which should “only apply to licensed individuals”
• Any other title held by those pursuing a license is acceptable.
• NCARB should discontinue the use of the word intern, intern-architect, “or any other regulatory ‘title’ describing those pursuing licensure.”

The NCARB unanimously accepted the recommendations in April. McKinney stated in a press release that such changes are “the beginning of the beginning of a process with many moving parts.”

Read the press release here.