Clarifications on the National Examination for Students of the Faculty of Architecture

The national exam is one of the most important quality standards. It’s an exam of the college in terms of scientific / educational plan and an assessment of the contents of the curriculum and the teaching tools, apart from being an exam measuring the individual capabilities of the graduates. The national exam is a national and global requirement through which the recognition of university diplomas is carried out locally and globally. The Ministry of Higher Education developed the exam to encompass more concepts and principles that graduates must have. The ministry will award certificates of passing the national exams to be a supporting document to graduates in higher study or in the labor market. The exam is a condition of entry to the post-graduate studies for all graduates, and a requirement to get the graduation document for students in private universities. There is no expiry duration for success in the national exam. Successful students may retake the exam in order to improve their result (if they wish). The dates of the exam are announced by the Measurement and Assessment Center in the Ministry. Note that it has become imperative for students to pass the exam with a mark of  50% as a condition to get the certificate for private universities and 60% as a condition for all post-graduate studies (public universities and private).

The National Exam has been developed in accordance with the recommendations of the architectural board formed by the decision of the Minister of Higher Education to include aspects of architecture disciplines and distributed the exam degrees on specialties according to their average weight in the colleges of Architecture curriculum in Syria. AIU Faculty of Architecture  will explain all necessary about that in explanatory  lectures. (See AIU announcement on the qualifying course on the university website)

We also draw your attention that the exam consists of two parts:

I: Theoretical exam: A100 mark-written exam according to the National Academic of Reference Standards  (NARS), which set the minimum knowledge and practical skills. The questions are multiple choice and last for an hour (10-11 am)

Distribution of questions:

•     History and Theory of Architecture 25%
     
• Planning 25%
     
• Implementation  25%
     
• Architectural design  25%

II. Practical exam: a 100 mark-practical exam according to the National Academic of Reference Standards  (NARS) for a period of three hours and a half (11.30-3 pm). The exam questions are of a standard nature to assess the level of knowledge, understanding and the ability of the student to analyze problems and solve them in the field of architecture within two axes according to the following two mandatory designs:

•     Planning axis 25%
     
• Architectural design axis 75%