Get Ready for the Six-Month Rule:
In Effect 1 July 2009!

The new Six-Month Rule will require interns to submit their training units in reporting periods of no longer than six months and within two months of completion of each reporting period. The rule will go into effect on 1 July 2009 for interns who begin an NCARB Record on or after that date and on 1 July 2010 for all interns regardless of application date. All training unit reports must be submitted electronically.

Things Supervisors and Interns Should Know:

• The Six-Month Rule is designed to improve both the accuracy of reporting and the overall IDP experience. The IDP Guidelines have long recommended that interns submit reports to NCARB every four months. Under the new rule, interns will need to submit training units earned in reporting periods of no more than six months and within two months of completion of each reporting period. However, they can submit reports more often if they wish.
• Regular reporting will provide an opportunity for interns and supervisors to review progress made over reporting periods and develop a plan for acquiring training in the remaining areas. This benefit should help prevent interns from being surprised by falling short of required training units as they near the end of their internship. Supervisors will also be more familiar with the work documented and therefore more likely to approve training reports.
• Implementation of the Six-Month Rule is dependent on an online reporting system. The electronic Experience Verification Reporting system (e-EVR) will be available by the end of December, but the Six-Month Rule will not go into effect until at least six months after the online reporting system is launched. Should the new system not be fully tested and operational by 31 December 2008, each implementation date will be pushed back and will go into effect six months after the system is operational.
• Once interns have submitted their training units by entering them into their Record online, those units are protected while any loose ends are tied up. Interns will not be affected by any delay caused by their supervisor or NCARB. However, submitted training units can be lost if they are deemed invalid by their supervisor, or if they are not earned in accordance with the rules of IDP.
• Extensions for active military service, serious medical conditions, and birth or adoption of child are available.

All of the provisions of the Six-Month Rule are designed to make every internship experience more constructive and valuable. The rule will greatly improve the accuracy of reporting, which should help reduce the amount of time it takes interns to complete the IDP.

Six-Month Rule Examples
NCARB's Committee on the IDP has compiled the following examples of the basic methodology of the Six-Month Rule.

Example 1:
An intern taking maximum advantage of the reporting and filing periods would have through August 30 to report training units that were earned during the six month period starting January 1 and ending June 30. While the reporting period is a maximum of six months, the filing period could be any time on or after June 30 through August 30.

Example 2:
Same example as above, but there is an incidental problem with the report or supplementary information is required and it takes additional time for NCARB and the intern to resolve. The intern may still count the time between January 1 and June 30 once the problem is resolved and accepted by NCARB.

Example 3:
An intern chooses to report every three months, rather than every six months. Therefore, training units earned between January 15 and April 14 must be reported by June 14, two months after the end of the period being reported. 

If, for any reason, the intern missed his or her intended filing date of June 14, the intern could extend the reporting period to anytime up until July 14 (the full six months available) and not lose any credits.

The new filing deadline will be two months from the new end date selected. 

Example 4:
If an intern attempts to file a training unit report on October 3 for a period covering January 15 through July 14, the report will not be accepted. The intern must recalculate and resubmit the report. In this example, February 4 is the earliest possible start date for a training unit report submitted on October 3 and any units accumulated from January 15 through February 3 would be lost. If February 4 was used as the start date, then the reporting period would end on August 3, six months later, and the intern could file his or her report on October 3. 

Example 5:
An intern has become a new parent or adopted a child on January 15.  Before taking a leave of absence on January 1, the intern had completed six months of work (July 1 - December 31). Whereas the intern would normally be expected to file the training unit report by February 28, following a documented and approved request the intern would be given until August 31 to file this report.  

Example 6:
An intern has been called to active military duty on January 15.  Before this event, the intern had worked until December 31, having completed six months of work (July 1 - December 31) that could be reported for training unit credit.  Whereas the intern would normally be expected to submit the training unit report by February 28, following a documented and approved request, the intern would be given a reasonable extension for filing this report following the intern's end of active military duty.

Example 7:
Similar to Example 6, an intern who has experienced a serious medical condition could, with appropriate and approved documentation from a licensed medical doctor overseeing the intern's care, be allowed a reasonable extension of the two-month filing period.

Introducing e-EVR
Interns will soon be able to enter their Intern Development Program (IDP) training units online with the electronic Experience Verification Reporting system (e-EVR). Even though the e-EVR and the Six-Month Rule will work in tandem beginning 1 July 2009, they are two separate NCARB initiatives. The e-EVR will become the standard way for Record holders to submit Experience Verification Reports before the Six-Month Rule goes into effect.

Benefits of e-EVR
Interns should begin using the e-EVR as soon it is launched, as it offers many benefits over the paper employment verification form, which will be quickly phased out.

• Interns can enter their training units over any timeframe (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, or every six months). Units may be saved as work-in-progress and submitted for their supervisor's review at a later date.
• e-EVR will prevent some common errors, reducing the possibility of rejection during the evaluation process.
• Once interns submit an online report, their supervisor is automatically notified via e-mail that a training unit report is available for review and approval.
• Interns can check their IDP progress at any time by logging on to "My NCARB Record." They will be able to see which training units have been completed, which are pending supervisor approval, and which training areas still require additional documentation.
• The IDP progress report enables interns to identify training area deficiencies sooner so they can work with their supervisor and mentor to develop a plan to gain exposure to these areas.
• The system includes a message center that allows interns to track NCARB communications about their reports.

Nine Common Reporting Errors
Every month, NCARB must reject a significant number of employment verification forms received because the information provided does not meet the requirements set by the jurisdictions' licensing board. These rejections are frustrating to you—our customer—because you must correct the form and again obtain signoff from your supervisor before resubmitting the form to NCARB. 

NCARB is working on an online solution that will prevent many common errors at the point of submission. The electronic Experience Verification Report system (e-EVR) is due to launch by the end of the year. However, we'd like to offer a few suggestions regarding the most frequent errors we see on experience forms:

1. Direct Supervision: To earn training units in Setting A, your supervisor must be "the individual within your firm or organization who supervises you on a daily basis, regularly assesses the quality of your work and periodically certifies your documentation of training activity. You and your supervisor must both work in the same office under circumstances where personal contact is routine." Further, "architects who serve as supervisors must hold a current license in the state where they are practicing architecture and be located in the same office as you are." Beyond being an employee of and working in the same office, your supervisor must be actively licensed in the state where your office is located during the entire duration of the documented supervision.

2. Training Unit Calculation: You can document one (1) training unit for every eight (8) hours of documented work. In a 40-hour week, you can earn a maximum of five (5) training units. This is a mathematical formula. NCARB cannot accept submissions that include training units that total a sum greater than this calculation.

3. Training Category Maximums:  There is no limit to the amount of training units that you can earn in Training Setting A, but there are maximums set for all other training settings: 
   
   Training Setting B: 465 units
   (Training under direct supervision of a registered architect in a firm that doesn't encompass the comprehensive practice of architecture)
   
   Training Setting C: 235 units
   (Training in a firm outside the United States and Canada under the direct supervision of a someone not registered in the United States and Canada)
   
   Training Setting D: 235 units
   (Training that gains experience related to architecture under the direct supervision of a registered engineer or landscape architect)
   
   Training Setting E: 117 units
   (Training that gains experience in activities involving the design and construction of the built environment under the direct supervision of a person experienced in the activity)
   
   Training Setting F: 245 units
   (Full-time teaching or research in a NAAB- or CACB-accredited professional degree program)
   
   In addition, you can only document training in categories B (Construction Contract Administration), C (Management), and D (related activities, such as community service) for Setting D, categories C and D for Setting E and category D for Setting E. *Please note that it is critical for you to understand the difference between Training Setting, Training Category, and Training Area and how each of these work together. (These are explained in more detail below.)

NOTE:  NCARB cannot alter forms.  We must reject submissions that document over the maximums allowed. For example, if you worked under an engineer (training setting D) and submitted a form reporting 300 training units, your form will be rejected because the maximum allowed in this setting is 235.

Training Settings, Categories, and Areas: 

• The training setting describes the type of office you work in, including the type of supervision you receive on a daily basis (see page 17 & 18 of the 2007-2008 IDP Guidelines).
• The training categories are broken into four areas of practice: A (Design and Construction Documents), B (Construction Contract Administration), C (Management), and D (Related Activities) (see page 16 of the 2007-2008 IDP Guidelines). 
• The 16 specific training areas are specific project related activities under the training categories focused on developing skills, awareness, and the comprehensive practice of architecture required during internship (see page 16 of the 2007-2008 IDP Guidelines). 
  
  
4. Minimum Training Unit Requirements:  To complete IDP, you must document a minimum number of training units in each of the 16 training areas. The total of the minimum requirement is 465 (see page 16 of the 2007-2008 IDP Guidelines for details). The additional 235 training units required to complete the IDP can be earned in any training area(s) as long as the individual minimums for each training area are met.

5. Please confirm specific rules for your jurisdiction with your board at the beginning of the process. While there are broad similarities in the requirements for initial licensure, each state board has individual requirements. NCARB is committed to supporting the boards and you, the intern; however, as noted above, we must reject submissions that do not conform to the board's requirements.

6. Provisional Completion of IDP:  As you submit documentation of your internship to NCARB, we update your Record with the new information. A thorough, comprehensive review of your Record does not take place until it appears that you have completed your internship. Errors in submissions may be uncovered at that time. We cannot waive requirements to satisfy IDP. The best defense against deficiencies in your Record is to be sure that you are knowledgeable about the policies and procedures required to successfully complete IDP.

7. Origin of Form Submission:  Employment verification forms must be sent to NCARB by the supervisor.  The same holds true for transcripts. NCARB can only accept official transcripts directly from the college or university; student-issued transcripts are not accepted.

8. Signature Dates:  The supervisor must sign and date the form after the date the intern signs. Also, all signatures must post-date the period of employment documented on the form.

9. Supplementary Education for Post-Professional Degrees:  To earn the allowable 117 training units for the completion of a post-professional degree in architecture, the following must be verified:  (a) that the second degree was earned after the first degree [not simultaneously], (b) that the first degree was NAAB- or CACB-accredited, and (c) that the post-professional degree is a Master of Architecture.

Improving our services and processing times is our top priority. You can improve your NCARB experience by ensuring that you are familiar with the IDP Guidelines and your jurisdiction's internship and licensing requirements. You can access your Record online at https://www.ncarb.org/Recordsvc/Logon.asp—many details about your file are available there for your convenience.  We do recommend that you keep copies of all submitted documentation. You can also contact us with questions at 202/783-6500 or by e-mail at customerservice@ncarb.org. 

From IDP to Certification—Plan Ahead and Save Money!

NCARB Record: $285 for three years with one free transmittal of your Record included

If you are a student or have graduated within six months of when you open an NCARB Record, you may split the $285 into two payments. You may pay $100 when you start your Record and wait to pay the rest ($185) when you are ready to have your Record transmitted to a jurisdiction or when you request an Authorization to Test for the Architect Registration Examination^® (ARE^®). The initial fee keeps your Record active for the first three years after graduation. After that, it costs $60 to maintain your Record each year until you become registered, regardless if you have paid $100 or $285 up front.

Certification
If you plan to pursue NCARB certification after you become licensed it is beneficial to keep your NCARB Record active. If you have kept an active Record during and after your internship, the application fee and certification fee are waived and the renewal fee is half price for the first three years. If you let your Record lapse, you will need to pay a $175 certification fee and a $100 Record reactivation fee for each year your Record is lapsed (up to $500) as an application fee. The renewal fee for certification per year is currently $190, but would be reduced to $95 per year for the first three years after you are certified if you have maintained your Record as outlined above.

See the Difference: Keep Your Record Active!
If an intern takes three years to complete IDP after starting an NCARB Record, another three years to pass the ARE, and then he or she decided to become certified, here is the difference in the actual cost between keeping a Record active vs. inactive:

It is a difference of $580! Ensure your mobility now. The NCARB Certificate supports your requests for reciprocal licensure and is a requirement for reciprocity in some jurisdictions. 

Contents
Six-Month Rule
Introducing the e-EVR
Nine Common Reporting Errors
From IDP to Certification

Save the Date!
NCARB Presents:
The Six-Month Rule Webinar

Learn about the Six-Month Rule at your desk with NCARB's web seminar. Your questions will be answered by Nick Serfass, AIA, LEED AP, Assistant Director, IDP and Rachel Kros, AIA, Manager, Programs.

Due to overwhelming response the 1:00 webinar has filled, and we’ve added another at 3:00 pm. Please register quickly as space is limited.

Date:
Wednesday, 29 October 2008

Time:
1 p.m. EDT
and
3 p.m. EDT

Cost:
FREE!

REGISTER FOR 3:00 p.m.

Supervisor Guidelines available in December
A supervisor's understanding of the Intern Development Program is vital to an intern's experience. As a result, NCARB has developed Supervisor Guidelines to assist supervisors in knowing what is expected of them as they guide interns through the program. The guidelines will be available to download on NCARB's web site in December.

IDP Outstanding Firm of the Year—Call for Entries

The IDP Outstanding Firm Awards Program is now accepting submissions for the 15 January 2009 deadline. This program honors firms who choose to make nurturing their interns on the path to achieving licensure a priority.

The IDP Outstanding Firm Awards Program was expanded in 2008 to recognize firms employing interns that meet 12 essential criteria with the "IDP Firm Award." Firms that not only meet the 12 criteria, but also demonstrate excellence in at least three of these categories will receive an "IDP Outstanding Firm Award."

Click here for details and submission materials.

Questions? Contact Steph Burns at sburns@aia.org or 202/626-7530.