Architecture 645: Architectural Practice in Canada

Course Orientation

Introduction

Welcome to Architecture 645: Architectural Practice in Canada. This course is intended for students in the Graduate Diploma program at the RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University or for international Architecture graduates referred from the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) who require education in professional practice in architecture in Canada. The course is a requirement under the new Canadian Education Standard (CES)^[1], and it fulfills several of the CACB Student Performance Criteria.

Prerequisites include a B.Sc. (Architecture) from Athabasca University or its equivalent. Referrals from the CACB may have a professional degree in architecture from a foreign university.

The main purpose of the course is to provide an understanding of the legal and regulatory context for architectural practice in Canada and how the profession is governed and regulated.

Course Description

This course examines both the theoretical and practical aspects of architectural practice in Canada. Architecture is never created in isolation; therefore, the various stakeholders involved in the design and construction of buildings (such as builders, Authorities Having Jurisdiction, consultants, owners, and clients) and their relationship to the architect is explored. The course covers the current context in which architects practice and the laws and regulations that govern that practice in Canada, and it also looks to the future and the position of the architect in society and around the globe.

Learning Objectives

After completing the course, you should be able to achieve the following learning objectives:

• Describe the general purpose and content of the Architects Act and its regulations of the jurisdiction in which you work.
• Apply Codes of Ethics in everyday practice.
• Develop a personal conviction on the role of the architect in society.
• Nurture appropriate professional relationships and administer the contractual role of the architect with others in the design and construction industry (e.g., clients, Authorities Having Jurisdiction, consultants, and building product manufacturers).
• Apply building codes, standards, and other regulations to the design and construction of buildings.
• Analyze how architectural practices may be organized and know the regulations governing the formation of a practice.
• Discuss potential new leadership roles for architects.

Evaluation

You will be evaluated based on five assignments. In order to pass ARCH 645, you must complete all five assignments. Each assignment is worth 20% of your grade in the course. The minimum pass mark for the final project assignment is 50%. It should be noted that students who wish to be certified by the CACB must achieve and maintain a final grade point average of 2.3 or greater. This means that while a mark of 60% would constitute a pass in the course, marks of 67% or greater are required for students who wish to pursue registration or licensing in architecture.

Assignments may consist of essays, reports, and/or presentations that must be submitted at specified periods during the course of study. You may be required to attend one meeting of a planning board, City Council, or Committee of Adjustment/Minor variance where a development or building project is on the agenda, and you will be required to visit the office of the local construction association.

All work completed in each assignment must be original and conform to the policies and guidelines outlined in the graduate calendar. All written work (essays) must follow the APA Publication Manual. You may wish to consult the Write Site Resource Centre to review writing processes and APA style guidelines.

Your instructor will facilitate online activities and grade the assignments.

Summary

Assignment Goals

There is a pervasive goal embedded throughout the course—to gain a clear understanding of the scope of regulations that govern the practice of architecture. Canada is unique in the world in that the practice of architecture is regulated by its members. We are both the regulator and the regulated.

Course Materials

Architecture 645: Architectural Practice in Canada is taught using digital materials, online resources, and instructor support.

• The Course Orientation you are now reading contains important information about ARCH 645 and the procedures you must follow to successfully complete it. The suggested study schedule is of particular importance, although you may want to modify it to suit your own schedule. Discuss modifications with your instructor to ensure you complete the course in a timely fashion. Links to the assignments are provided on the course home page. Read this Course Orientation entirely before you begin the course; there are many useful sections that will help you achieve success.
• There are ten units in the ARCH 645 Study Guide. Each unit contains commentary, learning outcomes, self-study questions, and the list of readings assigned for that unit.

• Hobbs, J. (Ed.). (2009). The Canadian Handbook of Practice for Architects, 2nd ed., Vols. 1–2 (CHOP). Ottawa: The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. (online resource)

  CHOP readings are accessible online within each unit.

• Athabasca University’s digital reading room (DRR) contains both required and recommended readings for this course. You will be directed to the readings in the Study Guide.

Suggested Study Schedule

Study Schedule to download

Footnote

^[1] The Canadian Education Standard is now called Conditions and Procedures for the Certification of Educational Qualifications Required for Admission (Registration or Licensing) to The Architectural Licensing Authorities in Canada.