Enrollment in the Graduate Diploma in Architecture program or referral from the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) for individuals with a professional degree in architecture from a university outside Canada.
For those students interested in pursuing a career as a registered architect, this course contributes to the RAIC Syllabus Diploma. Information about the RAIC Syllabus Diploma is available on the RAIC website.
Credit may be transferred for previous work considered equivalent.
Overview
ARCH 655: Architectural Practice Management integrates the study of management practice within the context of architecture as a profession. This course provides the necessary skill sets that architects use in the development of a successful practice. It challenges the graduate student to consider management practice issues that architects must consider and promotes strategic evaluation of project design and process.
Outline
Unit 1: Getting Work
Unit 2: Managing the Work
Unit 3: Architectural Fees and Services
Unit 4: Project Management and Integrated Project Delivery
Unit 5: Construction Project Delivery
Unit 6: Predesign Services
Unit 7: Design Services
Unit 8: Construction Procurement
Unit 9: Office-Based Construction Administration
Unit 10: Field-Based Construction Administration
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to
apply various management techniques to the successful operation of an architecture practice, including marketing, financial planning and accounting, risk management, and quality management.
determine appropriate fees for a specific project and prepare client-architect agreements.
manage architecture projects properly and efficiently from predesign to takeover and commissioning.
administer construction contracts.
Evaluation
To receive credit for ARCH 655, students must meet the following requirements:
complete all five assignments
achieve a grade of at least 50% on the final project (Assignment 5)
achieve a course composite grade of at least 67%
Note: Students who wish to be certified by the CACB must achieve and maintain a final grade point average of 2.3 or greater.
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1: Finding and Managing Work
20%
Assignment 2: Project Management and Delivery
20%
Assignment 3: Services and Procurement
20%
Assignment 4: Construction Administration
20%
Assignment 5: Final Project
20%
Total
100%
Students must visit a construction site as part of an assignment.
Students are encouraged to visit construction sites for educational purposes, and safety is of paramount importance. To complete Assignment 4 in ARCH 655, you must document information about a construction site. It is recommended that you do this from outside the perimeter of the site itself; you are NOT required to enter the actual work site to obtain pictures of the construction work. However, if you receive permission to enter the site and choose to do so, please understand that you enter it at your own risk and are entirely responsible for your own safety. Athabasca University does NOT have insurance coverage for accidents that might occur during visits to construction sites.
Materials
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. (2020). Canadian handbook of practice for architects (3rd ed.). https://chop.raic.ca/ (Online)
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.