An extended period in practice would be required prior to the final examination. This is to acknowledge the specific skills and knowledge that are best developed in practice.

Universities would offer a range of specialist Masters courses which would address the fast changing landscape of professional and societal needs. The present generalist system of validation is resulting in a severe lack of specialist skills (i.e. Egan report). People taking these Masters courses may have an accelerated route into the profession

ARB would be responsible for prescribing the narrow gateway into the profession. Students would present themselves individually and the examination would be a national one. ARB would prescribe the length of practice required prior to taking the examination and also necessary prior qualifications (presumably a validated MArch). Consistency and competency would be assured, and ARB's role made both more effective and more in line with their statutory duties.

The RIBA would reassume their pivotal role in validation of courses unfettered by the demands of ARB. As in nearly every other country in the world, the validation would be of a single course. The RIBA may then have problems with compatibility with their international validation, but clinging on to an outdated Part1/2 structure for the sake of maintaining international validation is untenable

This course would not be validated separately but specified parts of it would count towards validation of the MArch programme. This has the added advantage of the BA being seen as a general degree for those not intending to pursue architecture - the present Part 1 system tends to limit the design of undergraduate degrees to prepare for other careers

The MArch could be a calendar year with a final thesisdone over the summer. It fits in with the established pattern of MEng and other 'undergraduate' Masters degrees.

The year out would be properly integrated with the MArch. Practices would pay an agreed salary and students would be released to take modules at a School of Architecture - perhaps twenty to thirty days a year. The restructured year out would be an opportunity to forge much closer links between Schools and practices