Quick hits
Intern Development Program (IDP)
IDP is the nationally recognized internship program administered by NCARB that involves the compilation and maintenance of a record of internship activity reflecting structured exposure to 16 key areas of architectural practice.
IDP was developed with the following objectives in mind:
- Define areas of architectural practice in which interns should acquire basic knowledge and skills
- Encourage additional training in the broad aspects of architectural practice
- Provide the highest quality information and advice about educational, internship, and professional issues and opportunities
- Provide a uniform system for documentation and periodic assessment of internship activity
- Provide greater access to educational opportunities designed to enrich training
An intern must complete a total of 700 training units in the 16 IDP Training Areas. One training unit is equal to eight hours of work experience. The IDP Training Areas are comprised of Core Competencies that an intern should be able to accomplish at the completion of his or her internship. The Skills and Application Activities further define the Core Competencies and should be completed by the intern to fulfill the Core Competencies for each Training Area. The Board grants between three and five years of credit to a candidate who has completed IDP.
As administrator of IDP, NCARB has defined all aspects of the program in the Intern Development Program Guidelines, including fees, entry points, training requirements, allowable training settings and conditions, supervisor and mentor roles and responsibilities, and record keeping forms and procedures. For detailed information on IDP, visit NCARB's Web site.