The Professional Practice stream of courses is a core subject area within the architecture program and forms a key study stream supporting design studio learning and the School of Architecture and Design's integrated practice research model. 

Together, the two compulsory Professional Practice courses develop competencies and skills outlined in the 2021 National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA) as required for professional accreditation by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA). It will enable students to enter practice under the supervision of an architect and to apply for registration following completion of required practical experience. The professional practice stream prepares students for working in an expanded field of practice and to shape our built environment by developing an understanding of the complex systems that fund, procure, sustain, qualify and quantify its existence. 

The course is underpinned by the idea that professional practice and project management are tools that enable architects to create value through the design of practice models, the delivery of projects, and the development of innovative approaches to procurement. The course draws on conceptual frameworks for understanding the profession, value creation, contracts, procurement, and practice organization. It uses case study examples; invites industry practitioners to share insights; and highlights the broader contexts in which architecture is conceived, negotiated, and executed. 

This course supports students in becoming critical and informed participants in a changing professional landscape, whether working within established firms, contributing to innovative project teams, or developing new models of architectural practice and project delivery. 

Architecture Professional Practice 1 introduces students to the historical, regulatory, ethical, and institutional structures that shape the architectural profession. The course situates architectural practice within the broader systems that govern how architects operate, including professional registration, codes of conduct, contracts, building regulation, professional organisations, media, and the academy. Rather than treating these mechanisms as procedural requirements, students are encouraged to understand them as frameworks through which professional authority, responsibility, risk and agency are established and contested. 

The course has been designed to encourage students to explore professional practice as a critical and evolving field of architectural knowledge. Students are invited to share their research, test professional judgement, and debate the social, ethical, regulatory and practical dimensions of design practice with peers, teaching staff and guests. 

This course includes a work integrated learning experience in which your knowledge and skills will be applied and assessed in a real or simulated workplace context and where input from industry and/ or community is integral to your experience.