ARE Education

This part of the site is still being developed, but in the meantime some links have been provided for convenience. Don’t forget to check out the exam guides and practice programs for each Division on the NCARB website.

About the ARE

The ARE is a seven-part examination that must be passed over a five-year timespan in order to receive a license to practice architecture in the 50 states of the US and its dependent territories, as well as Canada and a few other adopting jurisdictions. Some states, notably California, require an additional examinaton or interview before a license is granted.

ARE Divisions

The ARE currently consists of seven (7) divisions, each of which can be taken independently of the others. However, all seven divisions must be passed within a five-year “rolling clock”& failure to do so requires the older exams to be re-taken.

The following links will take you to the appropriate page for additional information about each division along with links to study material (some on this site, some on external sites).

• BDCS: Building Design & Construction Systems
• BS: Building Systems
• CDS: Construction Documents & Services
• PPP: Programming, Planning & Practice
• SD: Schematic Design
• SPD: Site Planning & Design
• SS: Structural Systems