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The following description was given orally (over the phone) by a practicing architect in northern Alberta. What follows here is a summary of the facts as he gave them. |
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Architecture is much like art, in that you should be good at drawing and like to do it, before you get to an architecture program. In fact, you will need a portfolio of drawings to provide, as part of the entrance requirement. Architecture is a graduate degree program; you need to complete university first (with pretty good marks) before applying. There are only a few places in Canada where you can get this program; in Alberta it's at the University of Calgary. A person contemplating a career in architecture should be creative, self-motivated, and have good enough marks in high school or college to qualify. (Translation: you will need really good marks!) Architects may work for architectural or engineering firms, or be self-employed. Working for a firm, you can expect to make $30-50,000 per year. Architects who run their own businesses can make a lot more. The actual job involves more than just preparing designs; architects also prepare building design specifications, contract documents, and cost estimates. A good working knowledge of materials, applied math, as well as familiarity with computers, is a requirement. |