RIBA: Practice in the UK - Short Course

The course covers similar ground to the RIBA Part 3 course but will not lead to accreditation as an architect. It is designed for people who have already qualified in the European Economic Area and who have a qualification covered by the Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC). For more details on qualification equivalence, contact the ARB. For the accredited RIBA 3 Examination in Professional Practice.

This course is different from the Part 3 course in the following ways:

• you do not need to have done RIBA Part 2 to do the course
• it does not assume that you already have an understanding of the UK construction industry
• it is not focused on assessment

You can read the RIBA Visiting Board Report for our architecture courses from January 2012.

The RIBA: Practice in the UK short course will be delivered in 10 sessions. Each session will last two and a quarter hours and, while the structure can vary slightly from week to week, it will typically include:

• an introductory lecture of about an hour
• a lecture, case study or interview with or by a professional related to the field (these guest speakers are drawn from across the industry and will include lawyers, journalists, architects, clients and representatives of professional boards)
• the opportunity to ask questions or explore opinions

The aim of each week is to complement theory with a real-life, worked example to reinforce the ideas, and to offer a different perspective. Each session is supplemented by a handout, which includes a summary of the main points and resources for further study.

Over the course of 10 weeks, we will cover:

• the architectural industry in the UK: how it is structured, how to become an architect, the state and role of the architectural press, and the role of the architect and other consultants
• the UK legal framework and how it relates to the architect: planning and building control, rights of way, rights of light, party wall, contract and procurement (two weeks)
• the rights and responsibilities of the architect: the role of the ARB and RIBA, employment rights and responsibilities, health and safety and the new Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) rules, building information modelling (BIM) and its implications
• practice issues: finding and charging for work, setting up practice and insurance

On completion of the course, you'll receive a RIBA Continuing Professional Development Certificate of Attendance. In between the last two sessions of the course, a short case study and a series of questions will be issued. This will be completed in class as a joint exercise. While it will not be formally marked, this is an opportunity to test understanding. Constructive feedback will be given.