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Professional Practice Exam
Examination Regulations and Procedures are revised from time to time. Candidates intending to apply for any Section of the Examination are advised to re-check the RIAI website www.riai.ie for the most recent versions of RIAI documents before doing so.
The purpose of the RIAI Examination in Professional Practice is to establish whether the candidate:
- fully understands the nature and responsibilities of professional practice,
- has sufficient knowledge of Irish law and contract procedures, and
- has had enough practical experience of all the stages of a building project for independent practice as an architect in Ireland.
A candidate for the Examination in Professional Practice must have:
- a recognised qualification in architecture
and,
- a minimum period of post-qualification supervised practical experience
Recognised qualifications in architecture include:
- a prescribed qualification in architecture
- the RIAI Final Examination;
- a qualification recognised by the Competent Authority in another EU Member State;
- a qualification recognised by the professional or registration body in a non-EU state and assessed by the RIAI as equivalent to a prescribed qualification.
Post-qualification supervised practical experience must have been acquired under the supervision of an RIAI Member or equivalent, i.e. a Registered Architect or Registered Member of a UIA Member Section (see Practical Experience Information Sheet).
The Examination Cycle
The Professional Practice Examination Cycle starts on 1 March (closing date for receipt of applications) and finishes with the publication of Examination Results in March of the following year. The Cycle includes four Sections:
- Lecture Series
- Written Examination
- Case Study
- Oral Examination
A candidate must have accumulated at least 1 year of supervised practical experience before taking the Written Examination and at least 2 years of supervised practical experience before submitting a Case Study and taking the Oral Examination.
Information Package
The information package contains all files listed below.
- Examination Calendar 2011 / 2012
- Examination Regulations
- Practical Experience Information Sheet
- Case Study Information Sheet
- Syllabus
- Syllabus Appendix
- Reading List
- Past Examination Papers
- Guidelines for Employers & Mentors
DOWNLOAD EXAMINATION APPLICATION PACKAGE
Contents Examination Application Pack:
00_Examination Calendar 2011/2012 and Examination Calender 2012/2013
01_Procedures
02_Guidance for Applicants
03_Application Form
04_Verification of Qualification in Architecture
05_Certificate of Practical Architectural Experience
06_Curriculum Vitae Format
07_Case Study Proposal
08_Involvement in Case Study Project & Nomination of Mentor and 08b_Confirmation of Mentor_May2011
09_Confirmation of Involvement in Case Study Project
10_Declaration of Authorship
11_Disability Notification
12_Payment Form
Examination Fee
The Application Fee must be included with your Application to the RIAI. This fee covers the Written Examination, Case Study and Oral Examination and can be paid either by cheque or credit card. The fee is non-refundable. There is a fee of €100 for repeat attempts of any section of the Examination.
Transcript Evaluation Fee
Candidates who are required to submit an Academic Transcript with their Application must include an additional Transcript Evaluation Fee, see Fee Schedule.
The Deadline for submission of Applications for Admission to the RIAI Examination in Professional Practice is 1 March.
The onus rests with the applicant to ensure that the application is complete and that all required supporting documentation is submitted in a timely fashion.
Failure to do so may mean that the application will not be considered.
Lecture Series
The joint RIAI/UCD Lecture Series is administered by the School of Architecture at University College Dublin (UCD). It covers the prescribed Syllabus for the RIAI Examination in Professional Practice. The course is not mandatory, but candidates are strongly advised to attend.
Application Procedure
- Confirm your eligibility to take the Professional Practice Examination with the RIAI
- Access the UCD website at: www.ucd.ie/arcel/architecture/postgraduate/index.htm and apply to attend the Lecture Series
Enquiries for the Lecture Series should be made to:
Ms. Orla Hegarty
Course Director
Email: orla.hegarty@ucd.ie
General: professionalpractice@ucd.ie
DT119 Professional Diploma in Architectural Practice (PDAP)
DIT – the Dublin School of Architecture – is commencing a new professional practice programme in architecture, the Professional Diploma in Architectural Practice, in January 2012. The course comprises of three 5-credit lecture-based modules and one 15 credit case study module. Each of the three lecture modules may also be taken individually as CPD. For further information, see the DIT Website.
If you have any questions regarding the RIAI Examination in Professional Practice please contact the Education Section of the RIAI.
