NewSchool of Architecture & Design (NewSchool) is excited to announce the launch of a new, accelerated program which will allow students to pursue architectural licensure upon graduation. NewSchool is proud to be one of only 14 schools in the nation to be accepted by the National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB) to participate in the Integrated Path to Architectural Licensure (IPAL). In addition, NewSchool is one of only two institutions in California to be approved to offer IPAL at the graduate level. This initiative aims to provide students an opportunity to complete the architectural license requirements while earning their graduate architecture degree, therefore significantly reducing time to launch their careers as licensed architects.

"NewSchool, as one of only 14 higher education institutions in the nation to be selected by the National Council of Architectural Registration Board to provide the Integrated Path to Architecture Licensure, is part of something revolutionary in architecture education, and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of this initiative," said Mitra Kanaani, IPAL Coordinator, NewSchool. "Many architecture schools are so focused on the history, theory and schematic design that they are unable to get into the necessities of practice. At NewSchool, we are focused on bringing education, real-world classroom projects and meaningful internships with our industry partners, together, in the architectural curriculum."

NewSchool's IPAL program, a four year graduate degree program, is set to launch in the fall of 2016. This rigorous architecture education program aims to combine all requirements for architectural licensure, including professional experience and the Architectural Registration Examination (ARE). Upon the enactment of legislation currently pending in California's legislature and subsequent approval of new regulations from the state Board, this program could allow students to begin taking the ARE tests during the second, third and fourth years – two test sections each year. The final (fourth) year of the program will consist of a full time practicum and final ARE tests. NewSchool is currently accepting applications for the program.

"This integrated path places students in real-world situations through paid internships with our industry partners as part of the curriculum and, upon approval of pending California legislation, it will allow students to take each of the six parts of the licensure exam while they are still in school, with the goal that at graduation, they are licensed architects," said Kanaani. "Licensure not only makes architects more employable more quickly, it also gives them the freedom to do more diverse and interesting work, discovering early on which part of the field they are most passionate about."

For more information on NewSchool and the IPAL program, visit newschoolarch.edu.