Entry Requirements:
To be eligible for the Part 3 examination at the University of Cambridge candidates must:
- Have ARB/ RIBA Parts 1 and 2 (or confirmed equivalence, see below).
- Have recently completed a minimum of 24 months’ practical experience under the direct supervision of a professional working in the construction industry.
- At least 12 months of the 24 months experience should be completed in the UK, under the direct supervision of a UK-registered architect.
- Each period of practice must normally have lasted at least 3 months.
Students may register for the Course in their second year of practical experience but must have 2 years of supervised practice in order to qualify to take the examinations.
As part of the assessment process this experience will be documented by Professional Experience Development Record (PEDR) and be approved and countersigned by each candidate’s Professional Studies Adviser (PSA).
Each student is allocated a PSA once accepted onto the course. It is anticipated that any Part 1 experience intended to count towards practical experience will already have been countersigned by the PSA appointed by the Part 1 provider.
Before they apply, applicants are advised to consult the following links for further information on practical training requirements and PEDR:
ARB: Practical training requirements
RIBA: Professional Experience and Development Record
Please note that the University of Cambridge differs from some other Part 3 providers in ONLY accepting candidates who have ALREADY OBTAINED confirmed equivalence of their qualification from the ARB. This policy has been adopted in the interests of the candidates as the ARB equivalence process have proved extremely unpredictable. Applicants are required to submit their equivalence documents as part of the application process.
Fees:
For the year 2019-20 the Course Fee will be £3250 (including registration fee of £250)
The full fee will then be payable by successful candidates by 31st July 2019.
How to Apply
Applications for 2019-20 will be accepted from January 21st, 2019.
Applicants should complete the online application form available at the Institute of Continuing Education website.
You will need to submit copies of your academic certificates for Part 1 and Part 2 as part of this online application process (or confirmed equivalence, see above).
PLEASE BE AWARE that the Institute of Continuing Education will require references from the referees nominated in your application form. Your application is not actually considered complete until these have been received. Applicants are STRONGLY ADVISED to ensure that referees have their references prepared and ready to send, when required, otherwise the consideration of their application may be delayed.
Timescales for Applications 2019-20
Applications will be accepted until May 17th, 2019. When the complete application reaches the Department, it will be considered by the Course Director.
Applicants may be invited for an interview on the telephone with the Course Director as part of the assessment of their suitability for the course. The Department will then make a recommendation to the Academic Policy and Operations Committee (APOC) at the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) as to whether an offer of a place on the course should be made.
Conditional offers of admission will be made following approval of the APOC at ICE. At this stage, successful candidates will be asked to make a non-refundable registration fee of £250 to secure their place. The remaining balance of fees (£3000) will be payable no later than 31st July 2019.
If your application is unsuccessful, at any stage in the admissions process, we shall notify you by email.
Assessment Criteria
In assessing applications we will ultimately be looking to select candidates who will succeed and benefit from the course. We would look for a good academic grounding, suitable practical training experience, commitment and motivation.