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Home » College of Architecture and Design » Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure: IPAL
The College of Architecture and Design at Lawrence Technological University was accepted in 2016 to participate in the Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL) initiative. This initiative provides selected students with the opportunity to complete the requirements for licensure while earning their degree. Organized by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the initiative encourages selected accredited programs to incorporate professional experience and examination into their curricula. Each accredited program that is accepted as part of IPAL adapts the IPAL concept to coordinate with the specifics of the college’s curriculum. To learn more about NCARB and IPAL, visit ncarb.org/IPAL or contact the CoAD iPAL Coordinator Eric Ward at eward@ltu.edu.
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.
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.
Basic Educational Requirements to be met or exceeded:
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 required for submission are:
After reviewing the Application and the Application Instructions:
As stated on the Application form, the Applicant understands and agrees:
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.
The Letter of Support must include the following:
The Letter of Intent must include the following, for both undergraduate and graduate students:
Include a current résumé, showing the student’s present (IPAL) employer, date of employment start, and duties/tasks performed for the employer.
Comply with all requirements of the Portfolio Guidelines for Application to the iPAL Program. Website portfolios are not permitted.
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.
Please provide initial documentation from the LTU Office of International Programs on your ability to work under the CPT / OPT Programs.
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.
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 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.
Please contact CoAD’s iPAL Coordinator Eric Ward at eward@ltu.edu .
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