RIBA: Practice in the UK

This short course is specifically designed for EU qualified architects (covered by the Professional Qualifications Directive) who are working or preparing to work in the UK. It equally serves as a refresher course if you're returning to practice after taking time out from your career. The Sir John Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design (The Cass) is a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Continued Professional Development (CPD) provider.

Course aims and benefits:

This short course will provide an introduction to all aspects of working as an architect in the UK. This includes making appointments and setting fees, as well as working with sub-consultants and the wider design team. You'll also gain an understanding of the constraints around the construction industry such as planning, appointing contractors, different contractual options, and managing health and safety risk. It will also contain sessions on professionalism, the roles of the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and an introduction to British law.

The course covers similar ground to the RIBA Part 3 course, but will not lead to accreditation as an architect. It is designed for people who have already qualified in the European Economic Area and who have a qualification covered by the Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC). For more details on qualification equivalence, contact the ARB. For the accredited RIBA 3 Examination in Professional Practice, please visit our RIBA 3 course page.

This course is different from the Part 3 course in the following ways:

• you don't need to have completed RIBA Part 2 to do the course
• it doesn't assume that you already have an understanding of the UK construction industry
• it's not focused on assessment

You can read the RIBA Visiting Board Report for our architecture courses from 2017.

The RIBA: Practice in the UK short course will be delivered in 10 sessions. Each session will last two-and-a-quarter hours and, while the structure can vary slightly from week to week, it will typically include:

• an introductory lecture of about an hour
• a lecture, case study or interview with a professional related to the field (these guest speakers are drawn from across the industry and will include lawyers, journalists, architects, clients and representatives of professional boards)
• the opportunity to ask questions and explore opinions

The aim of each week is to complement theory with a real-life, worked example to reinforce the ideas and to offer a different perspective. Each session is supplemented by a handout, which includes a summary of the main points and resources for further study.