NCARB is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in architecture through our work as a regulatory organization. Public health, safety, and welfare is ensured more effectively when architecture professionals reflect the communities they serve—in terms of not only race, ethnicity, and gender, but also age, disability status, background, and other factors. Here are some of our current initiatives to foster a more inclusive architecture profession.

Programs

One of the core ways NCARB impacts the profession is through the development and administration of the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®), the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®), and the NCARB Certificate.

  • Addressing Impediments—NCARB worked with an independent auditor to conduct an assessment of unconscious bias in our programs and services. Using findings from that report as well as data from NCARB by the Numbers and other organizational studies, we’ve made several programmatic changes to address impediments on the path to licensure that disproportionately impact candidates from underrepresented groups. These include:
    • Free Practice Exams—To ensure that all candidates have access to affordable, high quality study materials, we launched free practice exams for each division of the ARE, available to all candidates with an active NCARB Record. Our data indicates that candidates who use these practice exams prior to testing are 15 percentage points more likely to pass.
    • Retiring the Rolling Clock—In May 2023, NCARB retired the rolling clock policy—which placed a five-year expiration date on passed divisions of the ARE—and implemented a new score validity policy for the exam. We also reinstated more than 6,600 passed ARE divisions, impacting thousands of candidates.
  • Building on Belonging Study—Since 2020, we have partnered with the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) to conduct a study on pinch points on the path to licensure. Phase one, Baseline on Belonging, provided valuable insights that were used to inform changes to our programs and services to address areas of disparity. Now in phase 2, Building on Belonging, we’re addressing items in our joint Action Plan and conducting additional research to explore specific topics in depth.  
  • Pathways to Practice—NCARB is committed to ensuring that the future of licensure is accessible to individuals of all backgrounds. We’re working with our volunteers and licensing board members to develop the next iteration of the path to licensure. This includes exploring options for individuals without a degree from a National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) accredited program, as well as options outside of the existing experience and examination programs.
  • Inclusive Record Options—NCARB is working to ensure our Record services are inclusive for all individuals. In 2023 and 2024, we launched new options within My NCARB to include preferred names, pronouns, and additional gender options.

Volunteers and Leadership

In recent years, NCARB members, leaders, and other volunteers committed to encouraging greater diversity in our volunteer community.

  • Expanding Our Leadership Pool—In 2023, NCARB’s members passed an update to the organization’s leadership structure, creating additional pathways to serve on the organization’s Board of Directors. While most positions on the Board require you to have served on a U.S. architectural licensing board, two new at-large director positions are open to individuals who have volunteered on an NCARB committee or served on a licensing board. This, combined with an additional update to remove the NCARB Certificate requirement for certain Board of Directors positions, has significantly expanded the pool of individuals eligible to serve on NCARB’s Board of Directors. In addition, NCARB is proactively connecting individuals interested in serving on licensing boards with their state governor’s office and informing interested individuals when positions on state boards become available.
  • Volunteer Pool—Each year, hundreds of volunteers help shape our programs and services. Ensuring the diversity of our volunteer pool is essential to making sure our programs don’t establish unnecessary barriers for underrepresented groups. NCARB is working to open up and promote our annual call for volunteers to reach a wider audience and ensure this essential diversity.
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee—Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee explores opportunities and recommends strategies to increase DEI efforts to ensure that the organization fully represents the population it serves.

NCARB Employees

NCARB is proud to have a diverse staff who are subject-matter experts in their given fields, and we’re dedicated to ensuring that all staff have access to growth opportunities. Learn more about the members of our management team. Here’s how we’re encouraging DEI for our employees:

  • IDEA Work Group—Our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Agility (IDEA) Work Group is a staff-led effort. By offering opportunities for discussions, resources, and DEI training, the work group is ensuring that staff are having essential conversations and access to the tools they need to grow.
  • Compensation, Promotions, and Structure—To further ensure equity at every level of the organization, our Human Resources team regularly audits our compensation packages and has conducted a review of our promotion process and management structure. Their findings are being used to identify and combat any effects of implicit bias in our internal systems.
  • Community Impact—We have also committed ourselves to serving our local DC community through local volunteer efforts.

Profession

Beyond our work to address DEI within our own programs and services, NCARB is committed to being a voice for change in the profession.

  • Partnership With NOMA—As an official NOMA partner and sponsor, NCARB looks forward to future efforts to promote diversity and combat racism within our profession.
  • Raising Awareness—We are dedicated to raising early awareness of architecture as a career option with children of all backgrounds. In partnership with other leaders in architecture, we launched new resources for K-12 students and guidance counselors.
  • Data and Thought Leadership—Through publications like our annual NCARB by the Numbers report, we provide the profession with essential data on diversity and representation in the profession. By using this data, we can all work together to make informed decisions to advance DEI in our communities.