ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE EXAMINATION

Introduction

The Architectural Practice Examination, (APE), is a national examination. It

was developed by AACA in conjunction with the Architects Registration
Boards and has been in operation in the present form since 2000. It is
coordinated nationally by AACA which provides all examination documents
and monitors implementation and examination results. Quality assurance
processes are in place for all aspects of the APE to ensure nationally
consistent application of examination procedures. The examination is based
upon the AACA National Competency Standards in Architecture.

The AACA National Competency Standards in Architecture are those

standards which have been developed by the profession and accepted by all
of the Architects Registration Boards in Australia as defining the minimum
level of knowledge and experience necessary for a person to enter the
architectural profession.

The APE and Registration as an Architect

Architects Registration Boards in all Australian States and Territories have
legislated duties to determine eligibility for registration.

On successful completion of the APE candidates may submit to any

Registration Board in Australia for registration as an architect. Registration in
any State or Territory entitles an architect to reciprocal recognition for
registration in all States and Territories and in New Zealand.

The Structure of the APE

The APE is a three part process:

Part 1 Logbook and Statement of Experience
Part 2 National Examination Paper (NEP)
Part 3 Examination by Interview

Candidates must satisfactorily complete all three parts to pass the APE.

Assessment procedures for the APE are based on the AACA National
Competency Standards in Architecture. The AACA National Competency
Standards in Architecture (NCSA01) can be obtained by referring to the
Publications page.

Details of the examination process including formal requirements for entry, the
mandatory competencies for Part 1 and the hours required in relation to each
can be found in A Guide for Candidates (NCSA01/GC) available on the
Publications page, and in the Logbook of Experience in Architectural Practice
(NCSA01/LB) .

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The following is a summary of the examination process. For full details of the
process, please consult the documents referred to above.

Part 1 – Application and Submission of Logbook

Applicants for the APE should contact their respective Architects Registration
Board for an application form and Logbook.

When candidates submit for entrance to the APE they are required to support
their application with a record of practical experience in an AACA Logbook.
This requires documentation of 3000 hours of practical experience across
seven ‘mandatory competencies’ and describes that experience in a
‘Statement of Practical Experience’. A satisfactory Logbook and Statement is
required for eligibility to undertake Part 2.

Part 2 - The National Examination Paper (NEP)

Having satisfied Part 1 candidates may be admitted to the NEP. The NEP is a
‘multiple choice’ examination conducted on the same day in all jurisdictions
offering the exam. It normally consists of seven or eight ‘scenarios’ which give
rise to a total of between thirty and forty possible answers some of which are
correct and others, incorrect. Candidates are required to identify the correct
answers.

Penalty marking applies if incorrect answers are identified. To succeed in the

NEP a candidate must achieve 60%.

There is no pre-determined number of candidates that will succeed in the

Paper in any given examination and no adjustment is applied to the results,
except in cases where it has become clear that questions or answers have
been capable of misinterpretation. A moderation process has been developed
to cater for such circumstances if they arise.

Part 3 - Examination by Interview

Candidates who successfully complete Part 2 - the NEP - are invited by the
relevant Board to submit for an interview conducted by two experienced
practitioners, qualified to conduct APE Interviews. Interviews are conducted
over a period of approximately 45 minutes to one hour and are informed by
the Logbook and Statement material submitted by the candidate in support of
his/her application to sit the APE. The interview will seek to confirm the
experience claimed by the candidate and to consider the candidate’s
response to practice situations that may be beyond the candidate’s personal
experience. Reports of interview are prepared by the examiners using a
proforma report sheet. Unsuccessful candidates are provided with an
indication of the competency areas found unsatisfactory during interview.
Records of the results (pass/fail) of interview are kept by the relevant Board
and by AACA.

Satisfactory completion of the interview is completion of the APE. Successful

candidates may apply for registration to their Architects Registration Board.

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APE RESULTS 2000 – 2007

Results of Part 2 (NEP) from 2000 to 2007

The NEP results as a percentage pass rate for all States and Territories from
year 2000 to year 2007 are set out below;

2000 83%
2001 68%
2002 72%
2003 66%
2004 65%
2005 82%
2006 91%
2007 92%

The examination became a closed book exam in 2005.

Results of Part 3 (Examination by Interview) from 2000 to 2007

Satisfactory completion of the Part 3 expressed as a percentage pass rate for
all States and Territories from year 2000 to 2007 are set out below:

2000 90%
2001 90%
2002 86%
2003 90%
2004 86%
2005 81%
2006 82%
2007 82%

A total of 2840 candidates have been successful during this period.

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QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCESSES AND NATIONAL
CONSISTENCY OF THE APE

General

Quality assurance for the APE is achieved through a range of measures in the
administration of the exam, national monitoring procedures, APE publications
and review processes.

The APE is normally undertaken by candidates in their home State or Territory

which administers the examination between once and twice a year, depending
on the number of applications. To ensure national consistency of procedures,
the various State and Territory Boards have adopted the documentation and
quality assurance procedures promulgated by AACA as the coordinating
body.

Each jurisdiction appoints a suitably qualified Convenor and examiners to

conduct Part 3 interviews; the Convenor also takes responsibility for oversight
of the APE within the jurisdiction. A National Convenor is appointed by AACA
to oversee the APE and report to AACA on a regular basis. AACA has
established a ‘National Assessment Panel’ which among its other
responsibilities monitors APE procedures.

APE Convenors confer regularly on procedures and review each examination

‘round’.

The APE has been adopted by Architects Registration Boards in all

jurisdictions for the purpose of determining whether candidates have achieved
a satisfactory level of practical architectural experience for registration.

All aspects of the APE are coordinated through the AACA structure and office,
including policy formulation, publication of support documents, review and
monitoring of implementation and outcomes.

All policy decisions on the APE are taken by consultation with the key
participating groups as identified below and ratified at Council, which is
comprised of Chairpersons and Registrars of all Architects Registration
Boards.

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The key participating groups in the APE process

AACA Council Architects Boards

AACA Executive

National Assessment Panel

NEP
weighting
review
National APE Convenor group

State & Territory APE Convenors

State & Territory APE examiners

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Quality Assurance in Relation to the Three Parts of the APE

Part 1 Logbook

The AACA Logbook provides a national structure for determination of

candidates’ eligibility to proceed to Parts 2 and 3.

It defines agreed mandatory experience and provides a consistent structure

for documentation of experience. There is provision for supervising architects
to sign, verifying the candidate’s experience as documented. In addition,
candidates must supply a Statutory Declaration attesting to the truth and
accuracy of the Log Book and Statement of Practical Experience as a record
of their architectural experience.

On receipt of Logbooks by Boards they are checked to ensure all required

documentation has been provided, and to ensure apparent compliance with
the minimum hours required under each of the mandatory competencies for
approval to proceed to Part 2.

The operation of the Logbook is monitored by Convenors and discussed at

regular national meetings of Convenors.

Part 2 - National Examination paper (NEP)

Writing and setting the exam

An ‘item bank’ of scenarios and questions is under continuous development
and is maintained by the National Convenor and AACA.

Scenarios and questions may be submitted by members of the profession in

accordance with the AACA standards for design of questions. An annual
meeting of Convenors approves questions for inclusion in the item bank.

The National Convenor is responsible for coordination of the setting of

examination papers for each year. Draft papers are prepared taking into
account matters such as appropriate level of difficulty, consistency between
papers and avoidance of State specific issues which may disadvantage
candidates and relationship to the National Competency Standards in
Architecture. A weighting review panel scrutinises the papers which are then
approved by the National Assessment Panel for independent review by an
architect academic who also has legal qualifications. The paper/s may be
returned to the weighting group and National Convenor for review. Throughout
this process, issues such as clarity, fairness and relevance to the purpose of
the examination are considered.

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Conduct of the exam
All States and Territories conduct the NEP on the same day once or twice a
year depending on the number of candidates presenting.

Exam room procedures are provided to Boards for conduct of the exam on the
allocated day. These procedures detail protocols for the appropriate conduct
of the examination. Candidates do not retain a copy of the exam paper.
Beginning in 2005, the exam has operated as a ‘closed book’ exam. Normal
security procedures are used in each jurisdiction to ensure security of exam
documents.

Marking of the exam and release of results

State and Territory Architects Registration Boards mark the exam with an
AACA prepared marking template. Each marking session includes a process
of checking of marking and recording of results. Results are approved by the
State Convenor for submission to AACA along with analysis of candidate
performance against each item on the paper.

Upon receipt by AACA of all results they are tabulated and issued to State
and Territory Convenors. The National Convenor then initiates a
teleconference of all participating jurisdictions to discuss any issues that may
have arisen during the conduct of the particular paper. There is provision at
this stage for ‘moderation’ of the outcome of particular questions if the
analysis indicates this may be required.

There is no ’statistical moderation’ of results. All candidates who receive 60%

or better pass the exam. The National Convenor approves release of results
to candidates. Each jurisdiction informs candidates of their results using a
‘proforma’ letter. Candidates have access to a procedural appeal process.

Part 3 - Examination by Interview

Appointment of examiners
Part 3 examiners are nominated by each of the State and Territory Architects
Registration Boards for annual endorsement by AACA. They are practitioners
with a minimum of five years’ experience subsequent to registration, and are
required to satisfy CPD requirements. New examiners are briefed by the
State/Territory Convenor and provided with AACA Guidelines for Assessors,
the Logbook and any relevant procedures applied in the jurisdiction.
Examiners are required to participate in briefing and de-briefing sessions at
least once a year or after each examination. Their performance is monitored
by Convenors in each jurisdiction and by the National Convenor.

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Conduct of the Part 3 interview
Interviews are conducted according to national guidelines to ensure equity,
fairness and appropriateness of interview procedures.

Candidates are assessed against the AACA National Competency Standards

in Architecture and reports of interview are prepared using proformas.
Candidates with an unsatisfactory result are advised by the relevant Board of
aspects of the Competency Standards in which they failed to demonstrate
sufficient knowledge or understanding. Results of interviews are provided to
AACA.

Satisfactory completion of Part 3 is regarded as completion of the APE.

Successful candidates may apply for registration in any jurisdiction in
Australia.

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REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE APE

The Architectural Practice Examination (APE) includes a protocol for review of

the process after each five year period. The purpose of the review is to ensure
that the APE continues to provide an appropriate, transparent, and reliable
mechanism by which persons wishing to register as architects in Australia can
have their qualifications and experience assessed against the AACA National
Competency Standards in Architecture.

APE DOCUMENTATION

AACA has produced a suite of documents that underpin the APE, providing
guidelines and procedural requirements to ensure national consistency and
quality outcomes.

The key APE documents are:

The National Competency Standards in Architecture (NCSA 01)

The NCSA01 provides the assessment criteria for the APE and for
other examinations (available on the Publications page).

A Guide for Candidates (NCSA01/GC)

The NCSA01/GC includes an overview of the APE, as well as Review
of Academic Equivalence and the National Program of Assessment
(available on the Publications page).

Reference Guide for APE Candidates (NCSA 01/REF/G)

The NCSA01/REF/G Provides reference information for intending APE
Candidates (available on the Publications page).

The Logbook of Experience in Architectural Practice (NCSA01/LB)

The NCSA01/LB is Part 1 of the APE and is available from State and
Territory Registration Boards or the AACA.

Sample Part 2 exam papers and a selection of typical references are

available on Publications page.

Candidates are also advised that the RAIA Practice Notes are an
essential reference and other relevant texts are identified.