YEARBOOK 2016 - 2017 | XJTLU DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

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2016-2017 YEARBOOK Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Department of Architecture 西 交 利 物 浦 大 学 建 筑 系
PRACTICE
Most countries, including China, the UK and the US, require a
minimum of two years of practical experience, in a registered
architect’s office, to register as a fully qualified architect. Our
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees have Royal Institute of British
Architects (RIBA) part 1 and part 2 international validation and
this qualifies our students to take the UK pathway to qualification
as well as the Chinese pathway to become a class 1 registered
architect.
For those students who wish to gain work credentials in the UK
and obtain registration with the UK Architects Registration Board
(ARB). They will need to complete an RIBA part 3 examination and
a minimum of 2 years practical experience. Students who do not
wish to register in the UK can become a Chartered Member of the
RIBA through taking the Part 3/MEAP examination. For this course
they need to have completed 5 years post foundation education (with
or without RIBA validation) and 2 years practical experience.
The first practice year can be completed before the Part 2
examination and at XJTLU we consider this period of work
experience to be an important year of learning for intellectually
understanding the workings of the construction industry. We
(as well as the RIBA) consider it desirable and recommend our
graduates to do their first year of practice after completing
their undergraduate studies. For some of the most highly ranked
professional postgraduate programmes worldwide it is mandatory to
complete to the first practice year after the bachelor’s degree.
Our Department has developed, and continues to develop, links
with architectural firms, design institutes and industry as a way
of engaging students with 'real-world' perspectives. My role as
Professional Studies Advisor (PSA) is to work with employers and
students in a joint effort to ensure the best possible professional
development and experience for students. We will also advise
employers and students on all aspects of professional experience,
including commenting on matters such as salary levels and student
capabilities. We support and monitor students work experience
throughout the practice years. Graduates may ask the PSA or
any other teacher in our department for advice on how to find
such a position, or on how to monitor their years of practice. Our
practice procedures are based on the UK PEDR, Professional
Experience and Development Record (www.pedr.co.uk). The PEDR
is a structured as a three-month record that must be verified by
a suitably qualified employer and PSA within two months of the
completion of the period. The PSA is responsible for reviewing the
PEDR sheets quarterly and commenting on the breadth, scope and
adequacy of the professional experience gained by the student. The
RIBA provides guidance for students and employers on the PEDR
website, and encourages students to gain experience either under
the supervision of an architect or another qualified construction
industry professional at this stage.
Teresa Hoskyns, Professional Studies Advisor
2016-2017