IMPORTANCE OF ARCHITECTURAL

EDUCATION IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

ByMausmi Hajela
Sch.No.-051110015
Subject: Professional Practice
Subject coordinator- Dr.Jagdish Singh

GLOBALIZATION AND ARCHITECTURE

In todays world, the need for built environment and design
professionals is acute given the boom in infrastructure
required to advance economic development and national
prosperity. Whilst graduates in these disciplines are
currently employed quickly, at higher salaries than ever
before, changing modes of practice require new types of
skills and knowledge sets so that graduates are well
prepared for emerging practice paradigms. The importance
of maintaining relevance in their skills on graduation is
critical to the mass of recruits entering these disciplines
each year. It is also essential that professional education
prepares graduates to make sound, ethical (especially
related
to
sustainability
and
globalisation),
and
technologically appropriate, well-founded decisions on
behalf of the community.

AN ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION SHOULD BEGIN WITH AN

UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROFESSIONALS RESPONSIBILITIES TO
SOCIETY, BUILDING USERS, AND CLIENTS.

How people perceive themselves affects the philosophical

framework that underlies their approach to life, actions, and
relationships.
In the opening weeks of a medical education, first-year
students are tutored on their responsibility for caring for
peoples health and the serious implications of their actions
for others.
Medical school begins with the Hippocratic Oath and the
immense obligations of the doctor to the patient, the
patients family, and thus the community.
These are the keystones in this educational process, and
they are addressed immediately.
Consequently, the foundation for an individuals approach
to the profession is established, and students formulate the
principles for their future professional practice.

Should not architectural education establish the same

understanding of the architects responsibilities to society,
building users, and clients?
Architects have similar ethical and professional demands
placed on themselves for the health, safety, and welfare of the
public, especially given the impact that design choices impose
on individuals, communities, and the global citizenry.
Environmental stability, the wise use of land, the design of
public spaces, energy conservation, community improvement,
resource allocation, adaptive reuse, building function,
aesthetic delight, air quality, safety and security, and so many
more of the issues that we address in the course of our
professional lives must be approached with an inherent
understanding that being an architect carries immense
responsibility.
Our education must be founded on such an understanding

EFFORTS MADE IN THIS DIRECTION

In 2004 and 2005, the American Institute of Architects

recognized these responsibilities as it rewrote the AIA public
policies and position statements.
There are only 10 public policies, and they emphasize the
power the architect has to affect people and communities, the
built environment, and the natural environment.
During the development of the 2009 Conditions for
Accreditation, the National Architectural Accrediting Board
heard repeatedly from educators, traditional and nontraditional practitioners, regulators, and students that like the
first days of medical school, architectural education should
begin with students developing an understanding of
professionalism and ethics.
All believed it was critical that developing an understanding of
what it means to be a professional must begin at the beginning
and not at the end of a professional education.

As a result, the 2009 Conditions seek to expand and strengthen

students exposure to and growing understanding of the foundational
principles that guide and direct architecturally educated individuals
throughout their lives. Numerous improvements to the Conditions
implement these concepts. The following are but some of the
highlights:

Knowledge of the diverse needs, values, and behaviors that
characterize different cultures and the implications of this diversity on
the societal roles and responsibilities of architects.

Integration of ethical perspectives with regard to safety and codes,
societal stability, air quality, environmental impact, budgets, systems
selection, and material use.

The role of professional judgment regarding social, political, and
cultural issues in design and practice.

Responsibilities to the public regarding registration law, building
codes, contracts, the environment, preservation, and open spaces.

Legal principles and ethical issues in practice.

A curricular framework that recognizes the importance of a broad

education including general studies, architectural studies, and
electives.
The expectation that educational institutions provide financial,
human, information, and physical resources that are appropriate to
the context of the institution, appropriate for the accredited program,
and support student learning and achievement.
The need for institutions objectively to assess progress against
defined objectives as well as the programs strengths and
weaknesses and then use the results of this assessment to design
and implement changes that lead to improvements.
The expectation that the academy will provide adequate public
information regarding accreditation, candidacy, and problems a
program may be facing.

Students enrolled in the accredited degree program are

prepared: to be active, engaged citizens; to be responsive to
the needs of a changing world; to acquire the knowledge
needed to address pressing environmental, social, and
economic challenges through design, conservation and
responsible professional practice; to understand the ethical
implications of their decisions; to reconcile differences
between the architects obligation to his/her client and the
public; and to nurture a climate of civic engagement, including
a commitment to professional and public service and
leadership.
Self-reflection is necessary for your improvement and ethical
growth. Are you acting professionally and ethically? Do you
seek to grow, expand your horizons, and face the tough
personal issues that define who you are? Those who do so
become more valuable to themselves, to those around them,
to their community, and to the global society in which we all
live. In the end it all comes down to this: Be the change you
seek in the world.

Given the seismic shift in the economics of the profession of

architecture, the ability of students, new graduates, and emerging and
mature professionals to understand and act as responsible and ethical
individuals is even more critical. Where we stand on this largely
depends on where we sit.

For those in traditional practice, it means considering anew what it
means to be ethical beyond the traditional definitions of ethical
practice. In addition, practitioners need to realize that part of their own
education and continuing growth comes through the mentoring of
students and interns.
For those in higher education, it means espousing the belief that a
broadly educated student with a deep understanding of the
professional and ethical obligations of the profession who is capable of
making decisions and understanding the implications of those
decisions is perhaps the best outcome of any architecture education.

HOW WELL PREPARED CURRENT GRADUATES ARE

FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO
HELP BETTER PREPARE STUDENTS FOR MEETING THE CHALLENGES
OF TODAY?

The three stakeholders (professionals, academics and students) generally

held rather different views about the key challenges facing the industry.
Recent graduates and final year students focused on the challenge of
getting their first job, as well as the importance of social skills and
developing specific personality traits such as humility and confidence.
Whereas the academic cohort focused on the global economic crisis
and the importance of graduates developing critical thinking and
transferable skills. For professionals, the focus was on attitude, skills
and abilities of new graduates, particularly in terms of critical thinking
and addressing issues such as sustainability.
Despite the different emphasizes, however, there were some general
commonalities about what these stakeholders perceived as the key
challenges facing their professions:

1. Development of critical thought and lifelong learning

All stakeholders, in different ways, emphasised the importance of critical
thinking, problem-solving skills and life-long learning. All acknowledged
that graduates need a strong conceptual skill-base to build on, which is
what university should provide.
The development of thinking was the prime consideration for professionals;
all were very clearthat they did not expect new graduates to arrive and do
everything, but they need to posses a conceptual skill-base and ability to
understand the problem. It was generally agreed also that university was
the platform to provide the space for exploring this skill It's the one time in
their lives that for maybe 4-5yrs that they can be free. They can be global
about their thinking. The development of thinking was the prime
consideration for professionals; all were very clear that they did not expect
new graduates to arrive and do everything, but they need to posses a
conceptual skill-base and ability to understand the problem. It was
generally agreed also that university was the platform to provide the space
for exploring this skill It's the one time in their lives that for maybe 4-5yrs
that they can be free. They can be global about their thinking.
2. Development of interpersonal social skills.
Students spoke passionately about the importance of inter-personal, social
and communication skills, describing how humility, leadership and
teamwork were critical qualities for success in the workplace. I think all of
the things, you know communication and how to talk to somebody and
how to present your work and all of these things that are really, really
important in the real world.

3. The impact of the global economic crisis.

Although all stakeholders saw the global economic crisis as a
challenge, they generally focused on different aspects and
consequences. For students, there was an acknowledgement that
jobs would be more difficult to get But now that the market is not as
buoyant and things are a little bit uneasy, people who, who were
potentially the best students in the corium of graduates are now
finding it really difficult to find work (Students, F3). For academics,
most saw the solution, and their role to be educating students to be
lifelong learners and to be adaptable I was thinking along the same
lines it implies that they need to think broader. There is a range of
vocations that we can probably prepare them for beyond a normal
and a traditional approach. A lot of them get to the end of the course
and I dont want to really be an interior designer or an architect but
we can give them an education that gives them skills that they can
adapt to complimentary type roles

DEMOCRATIC INDIAN SOCIETY, THAT IS PLURAL DIVERSE AND SO DEEPLY

ROOTED INTO RELIGION, AND IS VERY MUCH CREATIVE, CAN BE ENGINEERED
INTO A SYSTEM, IS ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION EMPOWERED TO DO SO?

In India the situation after independence and the government

policies towards architecture are presently not conducive to the
development of architecture.
What was prevalent before independence although initially
introduced by British government and although the same, was
subsequently abandoned by them in their own country, strangely,
India is still following such old practices. Thus there is a need to
revise such practices, so that the young professionals are
enhanced and improved for future.
Education of an architect for all time to come is an important
endeavor. One cannot expect students to come out of college as
proficient products. Schools all over the world have grown around
personalities rather than stipulated curriculum of studies. It is
important to understand that in architecture only 5% is design, rest
is what comes as a product of understanding of students in the
architectural schools.

COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTURE
(Incorporated under the Architects Act, 1972)
Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, 1983*
In exercise of the powers conferred by clauses (e), (g), (h) and (j) of subsection (2) of section 45 read with section 21 of the Architects Act, 1972 (20 of
1972), the Council of Architecture, with the approval of the Central
Government, hereby makes the following regulations, namely :1) Short Title and Commencement
1. These regulations may be called the Council of Architecture (Minimum
Standards of Architectural Education) Regulations, 1983.
2. They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official
Gazette.*
2) Definitions
In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires "Act" means the
Architects Act, 1972 (20 of 1972);
1. "Council" means of Council of Architecture constituted under Section 3;
2. "Executive Committee" means the Executive Committee constituted under
Section 3;
3. "Faculty" means the full-time teaching staff members in the service of the
institution;
4. "Institutions" means the colleges/departments/schools of architecture in India
imparting instructions for recognized qualifications;
5. "Recognised qualifications" means any qualification in architecture for the
time being included in the Schedule or notified under section 15 of Act.

3) Duration and Stages of the Course



The architecture course shall be of minimum duration of 5 academic years or 10

semesters of approximately 16 working weeks each inclusive of six months/one
semester of approximately 16 working weeks of practical training after the first stage in
a professional office.

The architecture course may be conducted in two stages.

The first 3 academic years / 6 semesters of approximately 16 working weeks each of

the course shall be a basic standard course and shall be the first stage:
Provided that candidates admitted to the course shall complete the first stage within 5
years of admission to the course.

The second stage of the course shall be of 2 academic years / 4 semesters of

approximately 16 working weeks each.

The completion of first stage shall not qualify candidates for registration under the
Architects Act, 1972.

Admission to the Architecture Course

No candidate, with less than 50% marks in aggregate, shall be admitted to the architecture
course unless he/she has passed an examination at the end of the new 10+2 scheme of
Senior School Certificate Examination or equivalent with Mathematics and English as
subjects of examinations at the 10+2 level.
Where 10+2 scheme is not introduced, candidates must have passed after 11 years
schooling the Higher Secondary/pre-university/ pre-engineering or equivalent
examinations in the Science group of any recognized University or Board with English,
Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as compulsory subjects.

The Institutions may subject the candidates, seeking admission to the architecture
course, to aptitude tests specially designed to assess the candidates' aptitude;
Provided that no separate aptitude tests may be conducted where admissions are
made through competitive examinations.
o The institutions shall not give weightage of more than 50% marks for aptitude tests in
the
matter
of
admissions.
*Published in the Gazette of India, Part III Section 4, 26th March, 1983 and 27th
August 1983.
o

5) Intake and Migration



The sanctioned intake of candidates at the first year level shall not exceed a maximum of
40 in a class. If more than 40 candidates are admitted, separate classes shall be
organised.

The institutions may permit, at their discretion, migration of students from one institution to
another subject to the maximum number of students not exceeding the permitted
maximum intake in a class.
6) Courses and periods of Studies

The institutions imparting instructions in architecture required for granting recognized

qualifications may follow the courses and periods of studies as prescribed in Appendix-A.

The institution shall, as an integral part of architectural education curriculum and as a part
of teaching programme, arrange for study tours, visits to places of architectural interests.

7) Professional examination, Standards of proficiency and

conditions of admissions, qualification of examiners
 The University or an independent examining body shall conduct the
examinations at the end of each stage.
 The sessional work shall, as far as possible, be assessed by a jury
of internal and external examiners.
 The weightage of marks for subjects having both class work marks
as well as examination marks may not exceed the ratio of 50:50.
 The pass percentage shall not be less than 45% in each subject and
shall not be less than 50% in the aggregate.
 Candidates who have passed in the internal assessment, shall only
be permitted to appear in an examination.
 An examiner for any of the subjects of examination shall have a
minimum of 3 years teaching/professional experience in his/her field
of
study.

8) Standards of staff, equipment, accommodation, training and other

facilities for technical education

The institutions shall maintain a teacher/student ratio of 1:8.

The institutions shall have a minimum number of 12 faculty members for
a student strength of 100.

The institution with the maximum intake of 40 in a class may have the
faculty pattern as prescribed in Appendix-B.

The institutions shall encourage the faculty members to involve in
professional practice including research.

The institutions shall provide facilities as indicated in Appendix-C.

The institutions shall encourage exchange of faculty members for
academic programs.
Not withstanding anything contained in these regulations, the institutions may
prescribe minimum standards of Architectural Education provided such
standards does not , in the opinion of the Council, fall below the minimum
standards prescribed from time to time by the Council to meet the requirements
of the profession and education thereof.

CONCLUSION






Though there are extensive guidelines given by the council of

architecture, there is a need to explore ways to smooth the
transition between university and work needs to be a priority for
universities and industry. Notably, this process is not about
assistance in terms of developing curriculum vitas, but rather
about assisting students (especially those without mandatory work
experience in their degree) to identify practical tangible work
opportunities and how to target them.
Students shall develop an understanding of the traditional
practices and implement them.
There shall be emphasis more on the development of designs and
ideas.
The computer aided software are a boon as well as a curse to the
education of an architect; thus they shall be used as tools to aid
our drawing work, rather than being used for deign generation.