Navigating Architecture Internships: A Comprehensive Guide

Architecture internships are crucial for aspiring architects, offering practical experience and shaping their future careers. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of architecture internship requirements, benefits, and essential steps to secure a valuable internship experience.

The Value of Internships in Architecture

Internships serve as a bridge between academic knowledge and real-world application. They provide students with invaluable opportunities to hone their skills, explore different career paths, and gain a deeper understanding of the architectural profession. Internships hone students’ skills and prepare them to start their careers. In IARc, you will gain professional knowledge and skills for a successful career. You will learn by stepping outside the classroom to turn your knowledge into application. Internships are invaluable for helping determine which career path most interests you.

Degree Program Requirements

The requirements for internships often depend on the specific degree program. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science [B.S.] in Architecture must complete an internship as part of their degree requirements. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies [B.A.] are not required to complete an internship but are encouraged to do so, especially if they plan on applying to graduate M.Arch. programs.

Timing Your Internship Search

It is beneficial to start the internship search after completing foundational coursework. Students should consider searching for internships after they have completed the two Architecture + Digital Media courses, Foundation Studio and Design Studio 1. It is recommended that students take their internship in the second semester of their junior year. Internships cannot be taken during the semester prior to graduation. In some departments, a completed internship is a prerequisite for several 400-level courses.

Finding Internship Opportunities

Securing an internship is ultimately the student's responsibility. The School of Architecture will assist students in their search for appropriate internship experiences; however, it is the students’ responsibility to secure employment. The School of Architecture does not place students in internship situations. Career Services can help you explore career options, prepare for your internship search, connect with employers and more. Do not wait until your last quarter of study to enroll in LA 371 and begin looking for an opportunity.

Networking and Preparation

Networking is a crucial aspect of the internship search. You can also attend departmental and college-wide career fairs to meet and network with potential internship providers. Students should prepare a professional portfolio, resume, and cover letter. First things first. Prepare your presentation: résumé, cover letter, and projects. Work with Career Development to prepare for your internship. They can help with your résumé, portfolio, job search, and more! Networking! Research firms you believe to have a connection to your work. Adhere to conventional, elegant graphic layout, but allow your words and images tell your story.

Approaching Firms

When contacting firms, it's important to be strategic. Follow firm guidelines for the submission of your application materials. Many firms have FTP sites that facilitate the application process. Don't ask for an internship! Instead, ask for a meeting to review your work. If you say you are looking for an internship, it puts the person on the other end of your communication in a tough situation. Currently the company may not be looking for an intern. Or they may be looking for one, but the intern supervisor may not have time to meet with you. Or they may need someone but haven't officially set the internship hiring process in motion.

One strategy is to ask the person you are contacting if they can meet with you to review your portfolio or work you have done to date in college. You want feedback from a professional. That's it. This sets up a good first meeting feeling and agenda. All the person is committing to is a meeting to discuss and give feedback on your work.

Interview Preparation

Preparation is key to a successful interview. Talk to your professors, peers, and alumni to see what they know. Talk to upperclassmen who have already done internships. Practice, practice, practice. Practice your presentation at least three times with someone. Get comfortable with your material. Do not go in cold; it may be your only shot. Career Development can help you practice by doing mock interviews.

During the Interview

During the interview, make a positive impression. Be on time, or even a few minutes early. Do not be late. Show the person your work and engage them in discussion. If you have prepared in advance, you will have questions about the company. Before beginning the conversation, clarify how much time you have for your conversation. Be pleasant and as articulate as possible. Be clear when you explain your work. Be accepting of criticism. Take notes! Ask for a tour of the office.

Read also: Internship Cover Letter Tips

Following Up

After the interview, follow up appropriately. During the conversation, if it seems appropriate, ask if they hire interns. In some cases, the person you are meeting will volunteer this information before you ask. Check in every month or so and ask about a follow-up meeting for an internship. Now, since they know you, the second meeting will be easy!

Dealing with Rejection

Rejection is a common part of the internship search. You are rejected. No one likes it, but get used to this. It's impossible to please everyone, and people are entitled to their opinions. Part of the job of finding an internship is finding a place where you want to work. If one potential employer doesn't feel the fit, that is OK. Just accept it, thank them, and move on to your next choice. You will likely have many meetings and interviews before you get the one you want. Keep in touch with them either way. You never know where it might lead.

Internship Requirements and Credit

Internship requirements can vary depending on the academic department and program. Internship requirements vary depending on your academic department. Meet with your advisor to learn what’s required for each internship. Internship compensation requirements vary in each department. Meet with an advisor to discuss the type of internship you should search for.

Hour Requirements

Specific programs may have minimum hour requirements. ARCH-2199 is the required summer internship. It may be completed in any summer prior to entering the final year. Total hours required are 280. Internships must be approved by the department and require a minimum of 240 hours of work at a single site in one semester.

Compensation

Internship compensation policies can vary. Internship compensation requirements vary in each department. Meet with an advisor to discuss the type of internship you should search for. If you have a paid internship, compensation will be handled by the organization you are interning for. SCI-Arc's Architecture Program supports the AIA's requirements that all student interns and employees be compensated for their work in any architectural, landscape, or design practice. While compensation should be negotiated with your employer, we suggest students be paid $15 per hour, minimally, as an employee.

Read also: Your Guide to Nursing Internships

Internship for Credit

Some institutions offer the option to receive academic credit for internships. Undergraduate and graduate students who have completed 3B, 1GB, or 1GBX design studios and who are in good academic and have cleared financial status related to tuition and fee balances, have the option to participate in an internship for credit/CPT course. Each internship for credit/CPT course is recorded as units toward a degree, equivalent to a three-unit elective seminar. A BArch student cannot take more than six units of internship for credit/CPT during their degree program. Internship for credit/CPT units will not be considered in the overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Internship for credit/CPT employment must be a supervised, temporary position and can be authorized for part-time (10-20 hours per week) or full-time (30-40 hours per week).

To initiate the internship process, students must first meet with their academic advisor in the spring or fall semester, prior to starting their internship search. The completion of the student’s internship is recorded and credited through the Internship Course, which is a zero-unit pass/fail class. To take this class, students who expect to complete their internship requirements prior to the end of the coming semester should register during Priority Registration in WorkDay for an Architecture Internship Placeholder (ARCHT 3980-01).

Once successfully completed, a final letter from the employer and student exit interview is required to be submitted to the Career Services Advisor.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for International Students

International students may need to utilize Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to participate in internships. CPT authorizes international F-1 status students to engage in paid internship/employment when it is required as an integral part of academic program for which academic credit is given. To qualify for CPT, international students must be in lawful F-1 status and have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for at least one full academic year prior to the proposed CPT start date. Students may not start a CPT internship until the Registrar/International Advisor authorizes them to engage in CPT.

NCARB and AXP

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) are important for students seeking licensure. This internship can count for NCARB Architectural Experience Program AX-P. The internship hours for ARCH-2199 can be used towards architecture licensure through the NCARB Internship. Student's intent upon becoming registered architects in the USA after graduation should enroll in the AXP as soon as possible. AXP is the internship program required by all registration jurisdictions. The work experience accomplished during ARCH-2199, the department's minimum Internship experience (280 hours) can be recorded as acceptable experience in the AXP (3740 hours) and thus accelerate one's pace towards architectural licensure. Prior to graduation, ALL students are required to register for NCARB IDP and fulfill 500 hours of internship through NCARB. The Department of Architecture requires that students fulfill 500 hours of internship to graduate. The department believes that this is an essential part of each student’s professional development. Students are eligible to begin professional internship immediately upon enrolment in the program at any point in the curriculum. NCARB charges an initial and annual fee. During your internship students will record their internship hours through their NCARB account. The hours are then approved by their qualified supervisor at work.

Students are encourage to start a record with NCARB to record their hours toward the requirements for licensure.

Internship Agreement

Prior to starting an internship, students may need to complete an internship agreement. Prior to beginning their internship, students must complete an Internship Agreement form with their future employer/mentor and return the form to the program director for approval.

Employer Responsibilities

Employers also have responsibilities when hiring interns. All internships (including internships taken for credit or CPT) must be paid. This means that the employer must pay the intern no less than minimum wage pursuant to law. In addition, the employer must be in compliance with all applicable state and federal employment laws including regarding overtime and working conditions. SCI-Arc recommends that students and employers establish the terms and expectations of an internship in a written agreement prior to commencing work, and that students be considered as non-exempt employees.

Restrictions

To avoid conflicts of interest, certain restrictions may apply. To help mitigate potential conflicts of interest, students may not work for faculty members as interns during the same term in which they are enrolled in the faculty member’s class or serving as their Teaching Assistant (TA). The Director, Vice Director, and Program Chairs are prohibited from hiring SCI-Arc student as interns. Faculty who want to hire a SCI-Arc student as an intern are required to immediately notify the SCI-Arc Career Services Advisor/Directors’ Office of the internship and provide written acknowledgement of the internship assignment signed by both the student and the faculty member. Faculty who fail to comply with this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. For minor infractions, faculty may be subject to discipline such as a conduct warning, reprimand, or suspension from hiring SCI-Arc students as interns.

Student Reporting

Students are often required to report their internship positions. Students are responsible for informing the Career Services Advisor/Directors’ Office of their confirmed internship position prior to the start of the internship. At the end of the internship assignment, students will be asked to complete an exit interview with the Career Services Advisor.

Alternate Experiences

Some programs may allow for alternate experiences to fulfill internship requirements. A 10-week, full-time summer work experience under the direct supervision of a registered architect or 360 hours of accumulated professional office experience or 360 hours of approved alternate experiences. Students must document the experience by either establishing an NCARB AXP experience record or by submitting a portfolio with letters of recommendation from the supervising architect to the instructor of record.

Landscape Architecture Internships

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) degree also have specific internship requirements. An internship is required for all students who are pursuing a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) degree. Third year (Junior) standing in Landscape Architecture is a prerequisite to enroll in LA 371. A minimum of 90 hours of work experience is required for course credit and students must enroll in LA 371 within 18 months of the completion of the work experience. The work experience should offer the student the minimum wage for the jurisdiction where the internship takes place, although in some cases volunteer opportunities will be considered. Students should consider completing the work experience during the summer quarter (mid-June to mid-September) although options are available for other times throughout the year. The purpose of the internship program is to expose students to a broad spectrum of office practice and procedures related to the Landscape Architecture profession. Access to a range of individuals in the firm and to a range of job tasks and project types is heavily encouraged.

If you are not sure whether an internship experience you are considering is acceptable for the LA 371 Internship course requirement, please discuss it with the department head before pursuing or accepting the opportunity. The student is responsible for contacting potential employers, providing them with an application for employment and providing a portfolio as required. In addition, the student should present a copy of the Internship Program Guidelines, the Internship Program Introduction Letter from the Department Head, and the Intern Evaluation form. The intern is expected to be a responsible and productive member of the firm or agency, utilizing his/her employable skills to the highest extent on behalf of the employer while observing and gaining knowledge of office operations. During the internship, the student is expected to work diligently under the direction of the employer and is required to keep a daily journal of experiences, activities and work samples. A reflection essay (1000 words) on what he/she gained from the experience and work collaborations. Employers should sign the Introduction Letter from the Department Head that outlines the internship's educational goals as well as complete the Intern Evaluation and Site Self-Assessment forms (provided by the student) summarizing the student's value to the firm or agency. Employers should include the approximate dates of employment, an outline of the duties and responsibilities performed, and any areas needing improvement. The LA 371 course is administered and coordinated by the Department Head or a faculty member.

Students should consider "shadowing" a professional or professional project for 90 hours. This option requires personal initiative to: research a project, review public information, review press coverage, meet with key individuals and stakeholders (owners, city employees, architects/planners/landscape architects, community groups on both sides of the project). Create a summary report along the lines of the Internship Journal that documents what you did, who you met with, how many hours you spent, key observations and lessons learned, etc.

Important Considerations

Several important considerations should be kept in mind throughout the internship process.

State-Specific Requirements

Students planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether, if they complete a California State University program, they will meet their state's requirements for licensure or certification. California State University programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student for California licensure and certification requirements. Admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. The California State University has not determined whether its programs meet other states' educational or professional requirements for licensure and certification.

Graduation Requirements

Students should ensure that they complete their internship requirements before applying for graduation. IMPORTANT NOTE: Students shall not apply for graduation unless the internship requirement is complete or will be completed during the semester they anticipate to graduate.

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