Career Development
We are committed to helping our students find jobs and internships, attain licensure and hone professional development skills such as portfolio-building and networking.
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Architect Licensing Advising
The School of Architecture Architect Licensing Advisor is responsible for providing guidance to students interested in developing their path to professional architecture licensure. Through workshops offered annually, students will learn and be instructed on starting their NCARB record, begin the Architectural Experience Program (AXP), and learn about the Architect Registration Exam (ARE).
Students learn about the path to licensure in the following ways:
- Presentations about architecture licensure to undergraduate and graduate students at orientation, in the First Year Seminar, and in upper year studios;
- Formal presentations each academic year about AXP and the ARE open to all students in the School of Architecture;
- Office hours by appointment are available for students to ask questions about licensure, AXP, and/or the ARE.
Although the School of Architecture's curriculum does not include internships as an academic requirement, we strongly encourage our students to engage in paid summer internships before graduation. Most of our students gain internship experience prior to graduation.
Career Development
Kristen Frambes, Director of Alumni & Professional Relationships, serves as a point of contact for the School of Architecture. Students and alumni can turn to her as a resource for internship and job searches, available opportunities, and networking and building relationships with school alumni and alumni firms.
Kristen also administers the Opportunity Knocks newsletter with job and internship opportunities for current students and alumni.
Contact Kristen at kframbes@andrew.cmu.edu for more information or with any questions.
Assistant to the Head & Director of Alumni and Professional Relationships
American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
AIAS
The CMU chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) elects a Professional Development Coordinator, an executive board position, to collaborate with the campus Career and Professional Development Center, the school's Architect Licensing Advisor, and professionals from the architectural community in Pittsburgh to provide career development programming and professional networking to its members.
The CMU chapter of AIAS creates a connection between students and the professional and academic world of architecture by offering members a diverse set of events and experiences including firm visits, local and national networking opportunities, community service build initiatives, and exposure to cutting edge developments within the field of architecture. More information available on the AIAS CMU website.
Career and Professional Development Center
The Carnegie Mellon University Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) provides career consulting, coordinates professional development programming, and hosts career fairs throughout the academic year. Information on all available employment opportunities for CMU students and alumni can be accessed online through Handshake, the central recruiting tool for the CPDC.
Architecture students are introduced to the CPDC during orientation and in the First Year Seminar course and are assigned to CPDC Career Consultant Peter DePasquale to assist with career and professional development during their time in the School of Architecture.
Career Fairs
Creative Arts and Opportunities Conference
Each spring semester, the CPDC hosts the Creative Arts and Opportunities Conference (CAOC) career fair for students in the College of Fine Arts. CAOC attracts architecture, design, and technology companies to recruit our students for paid summer internships and full-time employment opportunities.
Interchange
In partnership with the CAOC, the School of Architecture also hosts Interchange each year. Interchange is a recruiting event for the School’s undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD programs that invites employers to tour our labs and studios to view students’ design and research work. Employers have the opportunity to meet and greet with our students, as well as conduct on-site interviews.