We are privileged to share in a marvelous profession that combines learning and theory with application and service in a lifetime career. The one thing that I would change concerning architectural internship is a change in the perception that is held by the profession that architectural practice differs from academic learning. I would like to see that everyone from freshman student to the most elderly architect perceives that there is no separation between the academy and the profession and there is a seamless flow of ever increasing understanding and ability in the life of an architect. Architectural education is a lifelong experience wherein the world of practice allows us to apply the principles and ideas that we learn in the academy and to learn from the application of those principles in a cyclical fashion so that we return to those learning experiences with which we began.

The current situation provides a too rigid framework that distinguishes between what we call work and what we call education. The clearest expression of that separation is in the transition from the academy to the professional office in the phase we call internship. Educators need to take greater responsibility in confirming and extending the educational process of each student and emerging professional. Professional practitioners need to take greater interest in and provide a commitment to a balanced professional experience that builds on the academic environment and extends those learning experiences through each of the IDP training categories.

The current IDP is focused too much on completion of requirements without an overall philosophical goal of education as an extension of the academy. I propose that the academy make a commitment (if not be required) to a beginning discussion of the training categories, perhaps through the use of the Emerging Professional Companion, as a part of the academic curriculum that defines an accredited degree. As a means of extending and connecting the training experiences with the academy format for learning, I propose that the supervising office integrate the IDP process training categories with the NCARB examinations by requiring that the intern take the examination that tests each category immediately upon completion of that training category or categories. In this way each intern will understand that the training categories are real extensions of their academic curriculum and immediately engage the registration process.

But to fully accomplish the goal of removing the separation between the learning and profession, it will require the cooperation of each of the governing or controlling agencies. In order to accomplish the integration of learning and application, in particular, I propose that the academic agencies have increased involvement and responsibility in the registration and internship processes. Just as NCARB and AIA are rightfully involved in the accreditation processes, so academics should be involved in the licensing processes so as to insure the continuation of the educational process.

Note: IDP Coordinators were asked to respond to a more specific question based on their unique experiences with the interns.