As chair of the 2024-2025 Task Force on Licensure Pathways, I am grateful to the AIA Minnesota Board of Directors for entrusting us with the responsibility of weighing several rounds of stakeholder input, varied perspectives, data points, and options to develop recommendations for expanding access for qualified people to become architects in Minnesota.
We’ve heard from many members about their own challenges to becoming licensed and their genuine concerns for maintaining high standards for the competency and professionalism of architects. The task force worked diligently and rigorously explored options based on understanding of the current rules, results in other jurisdictions (gathered by the 2023 Task Force), practical concerns for implementing change, and fairness.
We recognized the foundational three-legged stool of education, experience, and exams as the standard for developing and measuring competency of architects in Minnesota. We offer our recommendations to the architecture community for your review and comment. (See the graphic below.) We do so with confidence that these recommendations, if implemented by the state licensing board, would fulfill the purpose of expanding access while maintaining the integrity of our profession and our responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.
Ann Voda, AIA
Chair, 2024-2025 AIA Minnesota Task Force on Licensure Pathways
Task Force Proposed Paths to Licensure
This graphic depicts the AIA Minnesota Licensure Pathways Task Force proposed pathways to licensure. Note that all pathways require post-secondary education and passage of the ARE Exam. How years of experience are measured and reported are to be determined by the Minnesota architect licensing board.
PROCESS NOTE: The AIA Minnesota Licensure Pathways Task Force will make a recommendation to the AIA Minnesota Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will consider this recommendation, and determine whether to adopt it as a formal position.
Any position adopted by the AIA Minnesota Board of Directors will then be shared with the Minnesota State Architects Licensing Board (AELSLAGID) which makes and amends the rules governing architect licensure. AELSLAGID will determine whether further action is taken beyond recommendation.
Share Your Thoughts
Please share your thoughts about these proposed options with the licensing task force! AIA Minnesota members are encouraged to complete the form below by Friday, March 28. The Licensing Task Force will consider all feedback prior to sharing their final recommendation with the AIA Minnesota board of directors. Questions about the process or proposal can be directed to Sheri Hansen.
