College of Architecture + Design
Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure

The LTU IPAL Program is organized around continuous integration of internship employment and registration examinations with professional education. It is open to qualifying undergraduate and graduate students, and takes a slightly different form in each case. For undergraduate students, beginning in the summer after their third-year courses, and ongoing throughout completion of the 6+ year Master of Architecture program, employment is structured as full-time during summers, and part-time during Fall and Spring semesters to allow sufficient time for coursework. The LTU CoAD curriculum is organized to allow productive fulfillment of AXP experience requirements following the third-year courses, with subsequent coursework arranged to allow the taking of ARE examinations beginning in the spring of the fifth year. For graduate students, who frequently arrive with some amount of AXP experience or ARE examinations already completed, the IPAL Program often integrates well with their specific situation, including non-local students who are working in other states (subject to each state’s individual licensure-process requirements).

For both undergraduate and graduate students alike, two criteria are primary for IPAL Program acceptance and continuance: Students have the responsibility first to proactively secure employment with a firm that qualifies under “Experience Setting A: Practice of Architecture”. Subsequently, students have the responsibility to make continuous progress toward fulfilling their AXP and ARE requirements prior to graduation.

NCARB’s online Licensing Tool

» Program Details

The LTU IPAL Program admits all students – undergraduate and graduate – who meet the Program’s requirements for demonstrated academic performance, ongoing AXP-supportive employment, and sufficient self-management to complete all of the Program’s goals.

LTU IPAL students will be continuously employed during their time in the Program, as required to complete the 3,740 hours mandated by the NCARB AXP Guidelines. Employment will typically be 40 hours/week min. during the summer, and 20 hours/week max. during the Fall and Spring semesters. Employment arrangements can be handled in several ways, and will be determined between firms and students, consistent with IPAL guidelines. LTU IPAL students must commit to balancing sustained academic performance with providing ongoing AXP-level work to their employers, and preparing for and taking the ARE exams. Both AXP and ARE requirements must be completed prior to graduation. The firms employing IPAL students in turn commit to providing the needed range of AXP-level work for their IPAL student employees, and provide various levels of support for students preparing for and taking the ARE exams.

» Requirements for Application

Basic Educational Requirements to be met or exceeded:

• Junior Year status* (60 credit hours minimum)
• Grade point average: 3.0 minimum (cumulative)
• Courses taken or currently enrolled: Construction Systems 1 and Integrated Design 3 for undergraduate students; A portfolio demonstrating equivalent skill-levels for graduate students (if needed)

All Educational Information (through this semester) must be verifiable by the LTU Registrar.

*Note that Senior Year students may apply, however priority is given to Junior Year students.

» Application Materials to Submit

Application Materials required for submission are:

• An IPAL Application Form (completed and signed)
• A Letter of Confirmation from the student’s employer
• A Letter of Intent from the student
• A Résumé

» Application Process

After reviewing the Application and the Application Instructions:

• Make PDFs of all your materials, and combine the PDFs into one PDF for all items (If you are submitting a portfolio to demonstrate equivalent previous coursework, this must be a separate PDF.)
• Name the PDF: “Last name_First name_IPAL Application (or Portfolio)_Date”

» Application Timeline

• Completed Application Materials can be submitted at any time
• Review of Application: Approximately two weeks from submission date
• Acceptance Status (if appropriate) will be confirmed via email
• Accepted students must immediately do the following, per NCARB requirements: Confirm enrollment in IPAL with NCARB, by setting up the following (if not already done by the student): First establish an NCARB account, then establish an NCARB Record. An NCARB Record allows the student to track progress in the AXP and to be eligible to take the ARE.
• Once an account and Record are in place, IPAL students then need to grant the LTU IPAL Coordinator access to experience and exam progress, to track these against the AXP and ARE goals of the IPAL Program.

» Disclaimers and Authorizations

As stated on the Application form, the Applicant understands and agrees:

• That the IPAL Program has no connection with the curriculum; that participation in the Program has no credit hours associated with it; that participation in the Program does not guarantee admission to the CoAD Graduate degree program, or guarantee continuing association with CoAD/LTU should other events intervene.
• That submission of an Application does not guarantee selection for the IPAL Program; that selection does not guarantee continuance in the Program, which is contingent on continuous progress being made in accordance with the student’s Letter of Intent.
• That all information submitted for the IPAL Program must be in conformance with the LTU Academic Honor Code.
• That participation in the IPAL Program does not guarantee completion of all of the components of the Program, or completion of these by graduation; or achievement of actual licensure.
• That upon graduation, students immediately cease to be part of the IPAL Program (per NCARB requirements), and must establish a separate licensure-path arrangement with a specific jurisdiction of their choice.
• That the ability to take the ARE exams under the IPAL Program (vs. under a specific jurisdiction) ceases at graduation or at any point that a student leaves the Program prior to graduation.

» Application Form

The Application Form must be completely filled-out, and signed and dated.
The Educational Information must be complete and verifiable by the LTU Registrar.
For International Students: Additional information required below will be submitted separately from the Application Form and other Application Materials.

Application Form

» Letter of Support from Employer

The Letter of Support must include the following:

• Confirmation from the student’s employer that the organization meets the criteria of NCARB’s “Experience Setting A” (per NCARB’s AXP Guidelines, most recent edition).
• Acknowledgement and support from the employer regarding the student’s intention to join the IPAL Program. The employer must be in agreement with the LTU IPAL Program parameters, as follows:

For undergraduate students

1. Typically 20 hours per week employment during the Fall and Spring semesters, and 40 hours per week employment during the summer.
2. Exposure of the student to the full spectrum of AXP-eligible work-tasks, such that the student could complete their AXP requirements within 4300 work hours (roughly three and two-thirds years, at the above rate.)

For graduate students

1. Employment-hours sufficient to help the student complete their AXP requirements prior to their intended graduation date. 
2. Exposure of the student to the AXP-eligible work-tasks that the student still needs to complete, such that the student could complete their AXP requirements prior to their intended graduation date.

» Letter of Intent from Student

The Letter of Intent must include the following, for both undergraduate and graduate students:

• An outline of how the student plans to manage their education, work, and testing efforts in order to complete all aspects of the Program by their intended graduation date; specifically:
  1. A projection of the student’s target graduation date, and of the number of semesters remaining at CoAD prior to the target graduation date. (For undergraduate students, the LTU IPAL schedule assumes eleven semesters (Summer, Fall, Spring) over three and two-thirds years, beginning the summer after the Junior year.)
  2. A listing of AXP hours already completed (if any), in each of the six AXP categories.
  3. A listing of approximate dates for taking the six ARE exams. (The LTU IPAL schedule assumes one exam will be taken in each of the final six semesters, beginning in the Spring semester of the first graduate year.)

» Résumé

Include a current résumé, showing the student’s present (IPAL) employer, date of employment start, and duties/tasks performed for the employer.

» Portfolio

Comply with all requirements of the Portfolio Guidelines for Application to the iPAL Program. Website portfolios are not permitted.

References

Provide three References, with contact information for each (including an email contact). References should not include parents or guardians, and at least one Reference must be other than an LTU faculty member.

» Additional Information for International Students

Please provide initial documentation from the LTU Office of International Programs on your ability to work under the CPT/OPT programs.

» LTU Links

Quick Tips (OCS)

Cover Letter

Resume Checklist

Interviewing

Office of Career Services (OCS)

Resume assistance is offered during individual appointments in the Office of Career Services. Workshops are scheduled throughout the Fall and Spring semesters; for upcoming workshops and events, you can check the Handshake newsfeed page for locations and times.

Career Services Events

The Office of Career Services offers various services to help people explore and succeed in their careers. These include job search assistance, resume and cover letter critiques, thank you letter composition, interview guidance, career and professional development, and more.

» AIAS

AIAS Facebook page

AIAS uses Facebook to post when any workshop events, such as portfolio workshops, will occur. BFor upcoming events, there is also a calendar hung on the first level of the architecture building, near the stairs adjacent to the old architecture building where AIAS events are posted.