Architectural education is one of the few fields that can almost assuredly never be considered “obsolete”. As long as humans are going to exist, we will almost surely need architects to help plan and oversee the construction of buildings. Traditionally, this was done with in-person classes in order to meet the 18 hours required by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). However, with the onset of COVID-19 and general advancement of technology, more and more education courses have gone online. But what are the benefits of these online courses versus their physical counterparts?

Cost Effectiveness

The costs that are included with physical classes can start to total up pretty quickly, limiting the availability of who can take these classes. Someone might have potential to be a brilliant architect but cannot afford the expenses of commuting or the physical textbooks that are needed. While these classes still won’t be so cheap that anybody who is bored enough and has a hundred dollars can partake in them, transitioning to online classes will help those who are less fortunate to achieve their dreams of being an architect. Free AIA online courses offer great benefits to both the architect and the course sponsor.

Flexibility of Online Courses

A similar point as the above, the online classes available to these future architects allow for a higher level of flexibility. If someone is working at a 9 to 5 job, but the in-person classes are only available at 3, then that rules out a potential student. The online courses allow students to access the materials at any time and any place, so long as there is an internet connection. Free online anytime AIA courses are excellent for those with varied work schedules, busy family life, and other obligations.

Variety of Options Available

Another of the benefits of online education is the sheer amount of different classes that are available. It could be as simple as the fundamentals of structural analysis, or as complex as a Princeton course on the structural engineering of vaults. Perhaps someone is more interested in how bridges and arches are designed. Online courses allow for the students to search out and decide what they are truly interested in. An architect who is passionate about their project is one that will surely have a higher chance of success. Many free online courses are also registered with the USGBC for LEED professionals. Design professionals wanting to learn about sustainable topics can do so for free such as LEED v4.1 certification.

Tools Online Can Handle The Cooperation Process

One of the biggest elements of traditional classes is the studio format, where students spend more time discussing elements of design with each other rather than the instructor. In turn, this leads to students putting out designs that they have justified to themselves rather than have based it on institutional teachings. Having groups of students trying to outdo each other in topics that they don’t know anything about can only end in disaster. These online courses eliminate that disruptive culture and promote actual connections between what the student learns and how they will practically apply it.

These are just some of the main benefits that online classes offer those who are looking to enter the eternal field of architecture. They also allow for accurate progress tracking, better knowledge retention and a host of other benefits. The future of online architecture classes seems to be a bright one and will only grow in 2021.