It takes, on average, a staggering seven to nine years to become a fully qualified architect.

A degree in architecture is a must for the job. In the past, it was possible to secure an apprenticeship with a qualified architect, but this practice died out in the early 1980s. To be recognised by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) you must complete a five-year degree course, followed by a minimum of two years approved practical experience and an examination in professional practice.

There are three degree courses recognised by RIAI - UCD, DIT and Queen's University Belfast. The RIAI also recognises some qualifications gained outside Ireland if they meet the standards set out by the Board of Architectural Education.

The points requirement for getting into architecture are high. The cutoff this year was 560 in DIT and 505 in UCD. DIT is generally higher because the calculation includes points for a suitability test and interview. Six Leaving Cert subjects including, maths, English or Irish and, preferably, a science subject are asked for by DIT. Applicants are also required to sit an aptitude or "suitability" test. The top 300 from this test are then invited to attend an interview. It is not compulsory to bring a portfolio to the interview, but it is advisable. DIT supplies a guidance sheet listing what any portfolio might contain.

The UCD subject requirement is a bit more rigid, insisting on English, Irish, maths, a laboratory science and another language. Entry to the UCD course is on the basis of points only. Honours maths is not required for either course.

RIAI education officer Carol Curran says that construction studies or technical drawing "will not give you any advantage" in studying architecture, but, she says, "if you like them and you think you'll get good points, by all means go ahead." Physics and art are more useful and the RIAI recommends both as subject choices for the Leaving Cert.

DIT and UCD give you the option of taking a year out between third and fourth year to get practical experience. This year is not compulsory, but most students avail of it and, according to Loughlin Kealy, professor of architecture and head of the school of architecture in UCD, it is recommended. "The extra year helps people to mature and it also gives them a better sense of the job."

Courses are long. It can take as much as six years to complete a degree if the student opts for the practical experience year. The college day is long too - lectures generally run from nine to five and any project work, of which there is a considerable amount, must be completed outside these hours. The good news, says Kealy, is that there are "good pass rates and a very small drop-out rate".

The current job prospects in architecture are "absolutely excellent", according to Carol Curran. "We're having to bring people in from abroad, and architects who left in the 1980s are now returning because the opportunities here are so good."

Almost 50 per cent of architects have their own practices, but, says Curran, "there are also great opportunities in big and small practices and with the local authorities."

Architects' salaries are good, but considering the length of study required, they're not exceptional. Two years after leaving college, graduates can expect to earn £17,000 to £23,000. Between six and nine years, the period within which most architects become fully qualified, they generally earn £25,000 to £35,000. The maximum most architects can currently expect to earn is £60,000 to £66,000. Curran stresses that these figures are changing all the time and with current labour shortages architects fees are increasing. "Really it depends on the market," she says.