An architect in a white hard hat and an orange patterned jacket checks a set of drawings with two builders beside a pool they are building.
Photo: gabedem, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Lettering on both builders' T-shirts and the logo on a car key blurred; cropped to remove a distant bystander and a cement bag's brand name; resized to 1000 px wide.
Engineering & Tech

Architect

Architects design the buildings we live, learn and work in, and make sure they are safe, useful and good to be in.

At a glance

Pay

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Years of study

UTech's BA in Architectural Studies takes at least four academic years.

University of Technology, Jamaica, Caribbean School of Architecture (school page), checked Oct 2026

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Jobs

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The path

  1. Your CSEC subjects and where to study

    Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (plus a portfolio and an interview)

    University of Technology, Jamaica

    You need: 5 CSEC passes, including English A and Mathematics

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (course of study), checked Oct 2026

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  2. Your licence

    One way to register with the Architects Registration Board is to work for at least two years under a registered architect (at least one of those years in a Member State) and pass the exams the Board asks for.

    Architects Registration Board, The Architects Registration Act (text on the Board's website), checked Oct 2026

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  3. Your first job

    To get into the BA you show a portfolio of at least ten pieces of your best creative work, and you may be called for an interview.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (course of study), checked Oct 2026

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    Computer-aided drawings do not count in the BA portfolio, so leave them out.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Caribbean School of Architecture (school page), checked Oct 2026

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    The portfolio can include free-hand drawings of things like buildings, landscapes, objects and people.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Caribbean School of Architecture (school page), checked Oct 2026

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    A BA in Architectural Studies on its own leads to jobs such as architect's assistant, building officer or inspector, graphic designer, furniture designer and set designer.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (course of study), checked Oct 2026

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    To go on to the Master of Architecture you need the BA in Architectural Studies with at least a lower second-class honours degree, plus a portfolio and an interview.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Master of Architecture (course of study), checked Oct 2026

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    The Master of Architecture takes at least two more academic years.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Caribbean School of Architecture (school page), checked Oct 2026

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    The Master of Architecture prepares graduates to become registered architects.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Caribbean School of Architecture (school page), checked Oct 2026

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    UTech's BA in Architectural Studies and Master of Architecture are validated by the Commonwealth Association of Architects and accredited by the University Council of Jamaica.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Caribbean School of Architecture (school page), checked Oct 2026

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    The Architects Registration Board lists the steps: a qualification from a school accredited by the Commonwealth Association of Architects, practical experience under a registered architect, and the Professional Practice Examination.

    Architects Registration Board, Registration, checked Oct 2026

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    In the Architects Registration Act, a "Member State" means a full member country of the Caribbean Community.

    Architects Registration Board, The Architects Registration Act (text on the Board's website), checked Oct 2026

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    Internships for UTech's architecture students are supported by the Urban Development Corporation of Jamaica and the Jamaican Institute of Architects.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Caribbean School of Architecture (school page), checked Oct 2026

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    With the Master of Architecture you can work as a registered architect (after registering), an urban designer, an interior architect, a construction project manager or a lecturer.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Master of Architecture (course of study), checked Oct 2026

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    Once registered, an architect needs a licence to practise every year: it depends on good standing, keeping up with training (CPD) and an annual fee.

    Architects Registration Board, Registration, checked Oct 2026

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Sources for these sections

No AI writes these facts. Each one comes from the source named under it and is checked again every year.