Common mistakes in portfolios for ARB Part 1 & 2 Prescribed Exam

Feedback from my mentoring sessions

To prepare your portfolio for the ARB Prescribed Exam, you must first understand how you will be evaluated and who be evaluating your work. ARB Prescribed Exams evaluate whether the applicant's overseas qualifications are equivalent to prescribed qualifications at the respective level in the UK. For example, if you are undertaking the Part 1 Prescribed Exam, the examiners are evaluating your works against Part 1 requirements as has been prescribed to Part 1 architectural courses in the UK. And as you have not undertaken this Part 1 degree in the UK, you must validate your overseas architecture degree through the Part 1 prescribed exam. These prescribed exams are eligibility requirements — making you eligible to join the architect’s register upon successful completion of Part 1, 2 and 3 qualifications and 24 months of relevant professional experience. There are other routes to register which apply to eligible applicants from the EU, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA as there are now several agreements in place between ARB and respective institutions of these countries to mutually recognise qualifications.

I am a registered architect in the UK. I followed the Prescribed Examination route to register. I passed my Part 1 & 2 prescribed exams within 3 months. However, my preparation process took a long time. I meticulously planned my application and portfolio to clear the exams in my first application. And I did! Since then I have mentored several applicants and guided them through this process. I have written two other articles on registering as an architect here. Scroll to the bottom to find them.

ARB Prescribed Exams can seem daunting. Especially due to the lack of references available online. But I can assure you it is not so complicated when you come to grips with the requirements and clearly understand what is expected of you. Every year many applicants take these exams at Part 1 or Part 2 level — either to register as an architect or to apply for the Part 2 course in the UK. Only 50% of the applicants pass the exam. The submissions are highly scrutinised and the qualification requirements by ARB are absolute. Therefore you must understand every point very clearly and prepare well for the examination. Even though it is referred to as an exam, this is not a written examination. It is a panel review of your ‘portfolio’ and supporting material along with an interview where they probe you on areas they are doubtful of your skills and knowledge.

Before we go on to the common mistakes, you should understand how the examination will be conducted.

Examination process

You can read all about it on ARB’s website. But to summarise.

1. You may have to undertake an English language test if English is not your first/dual language. ARB requires English language competence with an IELTS certificate (only) with more than 6.5 in each section. There are two exemptions — if English is your first/dual language; or if you obtain an English language exemption form from ARB via an Alternate Evidence Form. IELTS test dates can be scarce depending on where you are applying from. This can significantly increase your application timeline. I believe it's an unnecessary add-on especially if you have a good command of the language and you have been working/living in the UK. IELTS test results are only valid for 2 years. If your degree was taught in English, it's best to submit the Alternate Evidence Form and not take the IELTS test at all.
2. When you are ready with your portfolio and application documents, you can reach out to ARB for an exam date. The application form has a checklist so you don’t miss out on information. The portfolio and supporting material are not part of the application, but a completed comparative matrix must be submitted along with other documents. The exam fee must also be paid around this time.
3. Part 2 master's degree courses begin in September each year. There is a large number of applicants just undertaking the Part 1 exam in the months leading to the master's degree application deadline. Usually between March to August is the peak exam time and the dates get filled very quickly. From the second week of December until the end of January, usually, there are no exam dates available. The dates are made available for two/three months at one time. So at the beginning of the year, you will find dates made available only for Feb, March, & April.
4. After checking your eligibility to sit the exam based on your application, ARB will get back to you with either a date for your preferred month or the earliest available slot.
5. Once the exam date is confirmed, ARB will ask you to upload your portfolio and supporting material to a link. This must be done normally two weekends before the exam date.
6. On the day of the exam, your portfolio and supporting materials are shared with examiners. The exam panel consist of three examiners and one external member. Examiners are practising architects. They will review your work for an hour and a half before they meet you. If you have met at least 17 criteria out of the 33, you will be invited for the interview.
7. The interview is conducted online. The interview can be up to 45 mins long. Here they will probe you on areas where they are not satisfied that you have met the criteria. It can also be short if they only have one or two questions for you.
8. You will find out if you passed or failed the exam in 15 working days.

Condition for English language exemption as in the Alternate Evidence Form by ARB

ARB Prescribed Exam Portfolio

Supporting material and portfolio are the body of work that is presented by an applicant as evidence of qualification at the respective exam. These can include prescribed exam portfolios, sketches, thesis, Part 3 coursework, written content such as articles and essays, etc. If you must undertake both Part 1 & 2 exams, then prepare your supporting material for Part 2.

Common mistakes

During the last two years, I have reviewed several portfolios and noticed quite a few mistakes as described below:

1. Overpresenting

Adding too many projects with too much repetitive information. This is a big no in my opinion. Select projects that showcase diversity. These projects must address all of the general criteria as much as possible, and between them should be able to cover GCs that are missed by the other. If it's not an architectural/building design project, then it is not your comprehensive design project. Sometimes so much time is spent on repetition that it so happens that all presented projects miss out on certain general criteria and you are left feeling like you have worked on it so hard and it still isn't adequate. This also significantly increases your page count and it is not easy for examiners to find criteria within the hour and a half when they check your work.

2. Underprepared to no absolute preparation at all

I have had several applicants approach me with their academic/professional portfolio assuming that it aligns perfectly with the ARB requirements simply because they have undergone a 5-year bachelors degree and have certain professional experience. The issue I feel lies in the wording of the ARB which leads applicants to assume that their portfolio is ‘the portfolio’ that ARB is expecting. Yes, this can be misleading when you are trained in university to present your portfolio in a certain way. But you now have something else to prove to ARB. This prescribed exam portfolio is nothing like what you would present for a job application or masters degree. This is a unique document that must be prepared to address how your projects meet the general criteria and graduate attributes. It has a lot of extras and will certainly require additional work such as critical analysis, material study, precedents, essays, sketches and scruffy work, signposting ( highlighting keywords from general criteria), indicating GCs met by each sheet, and also a summary on how your project meets these criteria. When an examiner reviews your portfolio it should be very easy for them to find how you addressed the GCs.

3. Misinterpretation

Assuming you have met the criteria with a certain sheet, but in actuality, you have not understood the criteria very well. There are two problems here: 1) not understanding the extent of complexity that is required as per graduate attributes. 2) not clear on what is expected with each criterion. For this, you have to look out for keywords in GCs: ability to, knowledge of, understanding of, and skills to. For example; let's break down one of the most important criteria, GC1.

If you do not meet GC 1 & 2, then you will not be invited for the interview/exam and will fail. Evidence for GC 1 is not a single sheet in your document. It is a body of work. Here in yellow, I have highlighted what is expected of you. Are you able to create architectural designs that satisfy both aesthetic and technical requirements? Have you presented that well? One of the key mistake when analysing GC are that applicants assume to have met GC 1 by presenting evidence for just the heading. GC1 is divided into GC 1, 1.1, 1.2 & 1.3. And you must meet all of the requirements of the entire section, including every keyword such as the ones highlighted in red. You must highlight these keywords in your portfolio.

When presenting an architectural project here, you do not just submit a plan, section, elevation, 3D and final design renders, and some case studies/precedents with a bit of analysis. You are presenting your story of the project. This would include everything from conceptual sketches, drawings on form evolution, diagrams, essays, your analysis and response to the brief, systematically on how you developed this project from the very start to the end. Only then can you show your ability to prepare and present your project very well. Most of us do not keep our basic study drawings. You will have to prepare these again and showcase your train of thought and design development.

In my view for every keyword, there must be a drawing, sketch, article, or model to meet that criteria.

4. Presenting too few projects with no comprehensive design project

The key requirement is that you present most of the GCs in your design project making it a comprehensive design project. Finding the right balance between projects and presentations will help you succeed in this examination.

My portfolio comprises 8 projects:

• 3 comprehensive design projects — two academic and one professional project.
• 1 article on art and architecture
• 1 document on history and theory of architecture which was a study on vernacular styles of architecture
• 2 urban design projects — a study on urban morphology, spatial and analytical design.
• 1 Part 3 case study project — covering all aspects of professional practice and regulation. I condensed the information from my part 3 report (a 10000-word document) to a two-page summary sheet, which highlighted how I met GCs. I also attached the report to the summary.

Documents that I submitted

See my comparative matrix below. My three comprehensive design projects are Project 1, 7 & 8. Project 1 was my most elaborate work which was a campus design. Projects 7 & 8 showcased my ability ‘to prepare and present building design projects of diverse scale, complexity, and type in a variety of contexts, using a range of media, and in response to a brief’ as an example. Each project was different from one another. P7 was professional work. I did not rely on P7 as my primary comprehensive design project but used it to show diversity and professional competence among other things. P8 was my thesis project. I did not go into extensive detail in presenting P8 as I was confident to had met all my criteria in several ways already. It was meant as a backup in case I needed one. In my comparative matrix, I highlighted which project meets which criteria. In the description box of the comparative matrix form, I explained which project to look for under each GC and how that particular project meets the criteria. See my example below:

Checklist for comparative matrix

My description for GC1 in comparative matrix form

How much is sufficient supporting material

There is no straightforward answer to this. It depends on your projects and how you address the gaps. Keep the overall project number below 8. In my opinion, ARB recommends at least 2 comprehensive design projects and I think that is sufficient, plus supporting material where you identify gaps.

Weak areas in most portfolios are in:

1. GC1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 — the most important criteria that must be satisfied. If you do not meet GC1, then you will fail the exam.
2. GC 2.3 — history and theory of architecture and its application in studio design projects. Here you must present an instance where you have demonstrated a critical and reflective approach to the history and theory of design in your studio design project. It is an application of this to studio design projects and not just as an essay or article.
3. GC 3 .3— fine arts on quality of architectural design and its application in studio design projects.
4. GC 4.3 — urban design, planning process, and its influence on design development. You can talk about consultation with the Local Development Authority, requirements that may have been imposed on the design due to planning restrictions, etc.
5. GC 5 — needs and aspirations of users — You can present sketches on user experience, sustainable design principles and analysis.
6. GC 6.3 — At my interview, I was probed on the impact of buildings on existing and proposed communities. My project focused on sustainability and social factors. So this was an easy one to tackle. It's important to select projects that can showcase your depth and knowledge in such areas.
7. GC 7.2 and 7.3 — brief appraisal and contribution of architects and co-professionals to the formulation of the brief. Explain your briefing process — consultations, data collection, brief appraisal.
8. GC 10 & 11 — if you have undertaken the Part 3 course, this would be easily covered by the Part 3 coursework. If not, and your project is based outside the UK, it is best to present a comparison between the building regulation system in the UK and the country where your project is based. What is the planning application process like? How would it be in the UK? The examiners are expecting the applicant to have a sound understanding of this topic. This can be a weak area for someone who hasn't worked in the UK or undertaken the Part 3 coursework. The evidence here can be a comparative analysis applied to the comprehensive design project, essays on your understanding of the regulatory system and the profession of architecture, part 3 coursework and summary, etc.

To summarise, the prescribed examinations can be overwhelming. And I know how it feels. But this is very achievable with adequate preparation.

Mentoring Service and Group Sessions

If you require additional support, you can check out my Mentoring Service in the references. I am also planning a Mentoring group session of up to 10 members at a time for the 19th of August 2023. This is not an individualised session. Here I will go over some of the General Criteria and how I met them in my portfolio. You can reach out via the form to find out more details.

An important disclaimer — Please always only follow the latest documentation provided on the ARB’s website. This article is not any sort of an official guide, nor am I associated with ARB in my mentoring services.

References

• ARB website

I hold overseas/non-recognised UK qualifications - ARB

• Articles by the author

Passing My ARB Part 1 & 2 Prescribed Examination

An Outsider’s Pathway towards Qualifying as ARB/RIBA Architect in the UK

• Mentoring Service for ARB Part 1 & 2 Prescribed Examination by Aditya