History of the IDP

In 1976, NCARB introduced the Intern Development Program (IDP) after working with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) throughout the 1970s to develop a more structured program for interns to ensure they were gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to practice independently. Administered by NCARB, jurisdictions gradually began adopting the program to satisfy their experience requirement.

Mississippi became the first state to require the IDP in 1978, and Arizona became the most recent in 2009. All 54 U.S. jurisdictions accept the IDP to satisfy their experience requirement.

Since 1976, the only significant change to the program came in 1996 when interns were required to record actual training units earned rather than the percent of time spent in each training area. The program has been monitored annually by NCARB’s Committee on the IDP, which has recommended other minor changes over the years based on interpretations of the current practice of architecture.

Gathering Empirical Data

A great deal has changed since the IDP was developed. In order to keep pace with the profession, NCARB decided to base future changes to the program on up-to-date empirically derived data.

Since 2005, NCARB has conducted six studies to inform the IDP and align it with current practice. These include the IDP Final Evaluation Report in 2005, the IDP Core Competency Study in 2006, the Direct Supervision Study in 2007, and the most significant, the Practice Analysis of Architecture in 2007.

2007 Practice Analysis of Architecture

The 2007 Practice Analysis survey and analysis represent the greatest outreach and response from architects ever received. The results of previously conducted practice analyses have been used to shape the foundation of an architect’s entry into the profession and the Architect Registration Examination^® (ARE^®). The 2007 study was the first time the analysis was also used to inform the IDP.

The purpose of the study was to identify the tasks and knowledge/skills that are important for recently licensed architects, practicing independently, to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The nearly 10,000 architects that participated identified nearly 90 tasks and 100 areas of knowledge or skills as important.

The survey was also used to understand the “point-of acquisition” for each knowledge/skill. Respondents indicated if the knowledge/skill was acquired by completion of a professional degree, during internship, or after licensure. The survey identified which knowledge/skills need more exposure during education and internship. IDP 2.0 addresses all knowledge and skills that were identified as important during internship.

The next practice analysis is schedule for spring 2012.