Students’ Perception on Graduate Attributes of Architecture: A Case of Kerala

Architecture education refers to the academic and professional training required to prepare individuals for the practice of architecture. It addresses the needs of both the society and individuals while tackling some of the world’s most significant environmental and professional challenges. Graduate attributes are specific to each profession and can be defined as a combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviour that students acquire through their experiences in the course of a program. Attaining graduate attributes in architecture education involves the development of specific competencies that encompass not only technical and professional skills but also critical thinking and ethical sensibilities. A pilot study was undertaken to understand the significance of the thirty-seven graduate attributes as defined by the Council of Architecture, New Delhi via the interim report—Architecture Education way ahead in pursuit of Education reforms. This paper explores the perception of recent architecture graduates; fresh and up to five years of experience, who studied in Kerala. The survey questionnaire attempts to understand their perception about the thirty-seven graduate attributes. It enquires the quality of architecture education, the suitability to professional requirements, and the level of their confidence across the various attributes. The pilot study was undertaken by 150 recent architecture graduates. Torgerson’s Law of categorical judgment has been applied to the various responses on a five-point Likert scale to understand the relative importance of the graduate attributes. It is found that students develop confidence with respect to the graduate attributes only after a few years of professional experience. Statistical analysis helps to analyse the effectiveness of the program and make informed decisions for improvement. It is found that a transformative curriculum review is required to lessen the gap between professional practice and education.