ARE® 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) Exam Prep

Explore available comprehensive study materials for the ARE 5.0 Practice Management exam.

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ARE® 5.0 Practice Management Exam Prep Bundles

The ARE Practice Management (PcM) division evaluates your understanding of the professional ethics and regulations that govern architectural practice. Learn about each of our study bundles below, and find the perfect ARE 5.0 Practice Management study plan for your personal learning style.

PcM NCARB Badge

David Ballast's ARE 5.0 Exam Review, 2nd Edition, is approved by NCARB for Practice Management exam prep.

About the Live Online Course Bundle

If you are looking for an instructor-guided review (with a passing guarantee) for your ARE® 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) exam, the Live Online Course Bundle is for you.

What Sets PPI Apart?

  • Our newly redesigned eLearning platform. The easy-to-navigate interface, exam-like features, and expert design of our new eLearning platform give you the best possible exam prep experience.
  • Instruction from professional licensed architects. Learn directly from industry experts with a unique mix of lectures, problem-solving demonstrations, exam strategy sessions, and office hours.
  • Complete coverage of every topic on the ARE 5.0 Practice Management exam. Our lectures, course materials, and homework assignments thoroughly cover every topic you’ll see on exam day.
  • Trusted exam prep materials designed to help you pass. You'll receive reference materials, homework assignments, and detailed class notes, as well as access to online quizzes, practice exams, flashcards, and more.
  • Access to prep materials before and after your course. Start preparing right away with early access to study tools, plus you can access your course for one additional month after it ends to ensure you can study up to your exam date.
  • Schedules that cover every topic in depth. With our decades of instructional design experience, you don't have to worry about “cramming” for your exam. We provide a structured study schedule of assignments to keep you on track.
  • Prep materials that are always updated. Our content is always updated to the most current NCARB exam specifications.
  • A passing guarantee. When you take a Live Online course, we guarantee you will pass, or you can take the OnDemand course (coming soon) for free.

Why Enroll in a Course Now?

  • Monthly Payment Options with Affirm: Pay off your course over 3, 6, or 12 months with our convenient Affirm payment plans.
  • Risk-Free Enrollment: We offer Risk-Free Enrollment should you need to transfer or cancel your enrollment because you are not able to sit for your exam.
  • Secure Your Spot: Courses fill up fast! By enrolling now, you don’t have to worry about your course potentially being full closer to the start date.

What's Included:

Course Features

Interact with your instructor and other classmates during Live Online lectures. Watch bite-sized video lectures in between classes, then ask the instructor questions during live lecture. Live Lecture also features exclusive problem-solving content to review during class. Live lectures on scheduled dates/times help provide structure throughout your course. 

Connect with your instructor on discussion forums and by email. Your instructor is an expert with years of real-world professional experience and is here to guide you every step of the way.

We’re so confident in our program that should you fail your exam, you can repeat the OnDemand course for free. Simply complete all homework assignments to qualify for the Passing Guarantee.
The course calendar is a convenient central hub for all your studies. Each week, your calendar displays all your weekly assignments and live lectures. Stay on top of your studies by reading the relevant Web Book chapters and solving associated practice problems before class, and then complete the corresponding homework assignment after class.

Live office hours, strategically placed in the schedule, provide time for additional Q&A and problem solving with your instructor.

All Live Online lectures are recorded and posted the next day for additional viewing in case you are unable to attend or want to re-watch an important topic. 

Interact with your classmates on forums and live lecture chats to discuss your exam prep experiences and talk through exam topics.

Did you recently take your exam and aren't sure if you passed? Or, are you waiting to hear if your exam application was accepted? We've got you covered! We'll provide you with a full refund if you let us know before the first live class date. We can also transfer you to a future session free of charge at any time.

All presentation slides are downloadable, providing you the opportunity to take notes as you follow along with your instructor.

The course syllabus and homework assignments help you stay on track and reinforce key concepts.

Proven test-taking and time-management tips from your instructor are provided throughout your course to prepare you for exam-day success.

Digital Materials
Your Learning Path is a study calendar that acts as a central hub and takes you week-by-week through your studies. It links you directly to all your study materials from one central location. For Live Online students, your schedule is automatically customized to your class schedule. For OnDemand and Learning Hub students, you can customize the number of hours you want to study per week, as well as any days off, and your Learning Path will automatically update to match your availability.
Increase your recall of essential principles, equations, laws, and formulas.

Create custom quizzes from a database of hundreds of exam-like problems to master problem-solving skills for each topic.

Begin your studies efficiently by assessing your knowledge of NCARB exam topics. Use this information to focus your studies.
Practice using NCARB-like exam simulations. Each exam contains a unique set of problems. One new practice exam contains all-new questions tailored to the exam. Both practice exams are completely unique from the print materials.
ARE 5 Exam Review Book Cover
Online version of David Ballast's NCARB approved ARE®️ 5.0 Exam Review with links from the Study Plan to the exact chapters in the Web Book. Chapters cover each ARE exam topic so you can focus on topic-by-topic review without interruption.
The activity library contains all the same materials that are available in your Learning Path in an easy-to-search interface. Filter by exam topic to see all available activities in that topic. You can also search by activity name for easy lookup.

Purchase Options

Live Online Course: ARE Practice Management (May - June 2025) - INSTANT ACCESS
$395.00
$495.00

Our Live Online Course Bundle thoroughly covers every exam topic and provides you with the guidance and resources you need to pass the ARE 5.0 Practice Management exam the first time. This new and improved instructor-led program is our most comprehensive exam prep offering, prioritizes the content you need to pass, and comes with a passing guarantee.

$395.00
$495.00

About the OnDemand ARE 5.0 Practice Management Prep Course Bundle

This OnDemand Course Bundle was created to help you study at your own pace, but also choose the course time frame that works best for you. We leverage 50 years of exam prep experience when designing our OnDemand courses, offering you a thorough review of every NCARB Practice Management exam topic. Our professional architects have real-world experience and will guide you through each step of your exam prep. Choose between the monthly renewing, 3-month, or 6-month options. 

Every PPI OnDemand course comes with:

  • Instruction from professional architects. Includes 25+ hours of recorded lectures, problem-solving demonstrations, and exam strategy sessions.
  • Trusted exam prep materials designed to help you pass, including online reference materials and detailed class notes.
  • PPI’s Learning Hub with a robust Qbank containing over 375 practice questions, two practice exams, flashcards, and so much more!

Access Time

Access to your OnDemand Course begins immediately upon purchase. For 3-month and 6-month courses, access ends automatically at the end of your chosen duration. For monthly courses, access renews monthly until you cancel the subscription.

Learning Platform Demo


What's Included:

Course Features

All presentation slides are downloadable, providing you the opportunity to take notes as you follow along with your instructor.

The course syllabus and homework assignments help you stay on track and reinforce key concepts.

Proven test-taking and time-management tips from your instructor are provided throughout your course to prepare you for exam-day success.

New Videos Available! Watch new, bite-sized video lectures to help understand key concepts for the exam.

Upon registration for your course, you will gain instant access to OnDemand lectures to get your exam prep started.

Digital Materials
Increase your recall of essential principles, equations, laws, and formulas.

Create custom quizzes from a database of hundreds of exam-like problems to master problem-solving skills for each topic.

Begin your studies efficiently by assessing your knowledge of NCARB exam topics. Use this information to focus your studies.
Practice using NCARB-like exam simulations. Each exam contains a unique set of problems. One new practice exam contains all-new questions tailored to the exam. Both practice exams are completely unique from the print materials.
ARE 5 Exam Review Book Cover
Online version of David Ballast's NCARB approved ARE®️ 5.0 Exam Review with links from the Study Plan to the exact chapters in the Web Book. Chapters cover each ARE exam topic so you can focus on topic-by-topic review without interruption.
The activity library contains all the same materials that are available in your Learning Path in an easy-to-search interface. Filter by exam topic to see all available activities in that topic. You can also search by activity name for easy lookup.

Your learning path is a study calendar that acts as a central hub and takes you week-by-week through your studies. It links you directly to all your study materials from one central location. You can customize the number of hours you want to study per week and any days off, and your learning path will automatically update to match your availability.

Available Add-Ons
ARE 5 Exam Review Book Cover
PPI's second edition of ARE 5.0 Exam Review by David Ballast offers a comprehensive review of content areas covered in all six NCARB ARE 5.0 exam divisions. Building on the first edition, the content has been thoroughly reviewed and updated to the ARE 5.0 exam objectives for all six divisions.
ARE 5 Practice Questions Book Cover

PPI’s best-selling ARE practice book from David Ballast, prepares you for each of the six divisions of the exam with a variety of practice questions and case studies. This new edition builds on the previous edition with new questions and updates to cover content feedback received from NCARB for the NCARB approved ARE 5.0 Exam Review. The chapters in the book correspond to ARE 5.0 Exam Review so you can read a chapter of the exam review and then practice from the same chapter of ARE 5.0 Practice Questions.

ARE 5 Mock Exams Book Cover

This David Ballast book contains six mock exams consistent with the NCARB Architect Registration Exam (ARE 5.0) format and divisions. All exam divisions are covered, with one mock exam for each ARE 5.0 division. This new edition builds on the previous edition with new questions and updates to cover content feedback received from NCARB for the NCARB approved ARE 5.0 Exam Review.

ARE 5.0 Flash Cards
ARE 5.0 Flash Cards, Second Edition by Gary E. Demele is the perfect complement to your study routine. More than 400 flashcards, categorized by exam division and section, aid you in recalling key concepts and definitions. Easily taken on the go, the cards come with six binder rings for easy organization.

Purchase Options

OnDemand Course: ARE 5.0 Practice Management - 6 Months Access
$345.00
$445.00
This ARE Practice Management OnDemand Course Bundle was created to help you study at your own pace, but also choose the course time frame that works best for you. We leverage 50 years of exam prep experience when designing our OnDemand courses, offering you a thorough review of every NCARB Practice Management exam topic. Our professional architects have real-world experience and will guide you through each step of your exam prep.
$345.00
$445.00
OnDemand Course: ARE 5.0 Practice Management - 3 Months Access
$215.00
This ARE 5.0 Practice Management Division OnDemand Course Bundle was created to help you study at your own pace, but also choose the course time frame that works best for you. We leverage 50 years of exam prep experience when designing our OnDemand courses, offering you a thorough review of every NCARB Practice Management exam topic. Our professional architects have real-world experience and will guide you through each step of your exam prep.
$215.00
OnDemand Course: ARE 5.0 Practice Management - Monthly Renewing
$95.00
This ARE 5.0 Practice Management Division OnDemand Course Bundle was created to help you study at your own pace, but also choose the course time frame that works best for you. We leverage 50 years of exam prep experience when designing our OnDemand courses, offering you a thorough review of every NCARB Practice Management exam topic. Our professional architects have real-world experience and will guide you through each step of your exam prep.
$95.00

About the Learning Hub Bundle

The PPI Learning Hub is one of the most comprehensive digital exam prep resources available for the NCARB multi-divisional Architecture Registration Examination®, also known as ARE 5.0.

Our Learning Hub is more than an eLearning platform—it’s a time-tested program that guides you all the way through your ARE 5.0 prep. A personal Study Calendar helps you kick-off your studies and stay on pace, while our “Assess, Review, Practice” philosophy ensures that you thoroughly understand the material before moving on to your next stage of preparation.

This bundle includes David Ballast's NCARB-approved ARE® 5.0 Exam Review in a web-book format; the ARE Problem Solving video series; and a comprehensive Learning Hub program that includes quizzes, exams, and flash cards. All materials are digital, which means you have convenient access anytime, anywhere.

Add On and Save

Studying for multiple exam divisions? When you purchase a 3-month, 6-month, or 1-year product, you can add on other divisions at the same time for a discount.

Access Time

Access to the Learning Hub begins immediately upon purchase. For 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year Learning Hub products, access ends automatically at the end of your chosen duration. For monthly and weekly Learning Hub products, access renews monthly or weekly until you cancel the subscription.


What's Included:

Digital Materials
Increase your recall of essential principles, equations, laws, and formulas.

Create custom quizzes from a database of hundreds of exam-like problems to master problem-solving skills for each topic.

Begin your studies efficiently by assessing your knowledge of NCARB exam topics. Use this information to focus your studies.
Practice using NCARB-like exam simulations. Each exam contains a unique set of problems. One new practice exam contains all-new questions tailored to the exam. Both practice exams are completely unique from the print materials.
ARE 5 Exam Review Book Cover
Online version of David Ballast's NCARB approved ARE®️ 5.0 Exam Review with links from the Study Plan to the exact chapters in the Web Book. Chapters cover each ARE exam topic so you can focus on topic-by-topic review without interruption.
The activity library contains all the same materials that are available in your Learning Path in an easy-to-search interface. Filter by exam topic to see all available activities in that topic. You can also search by activity name for easy lookup.

Your learning path is a study calendar that acts as a central hub and takes you week-by-week through your studies. It links you directly to all your study materials from one central location. You can customize the number of hours you want to study per week and any days off, and your learning path will automatically update to match your availability.

Watch licensed architects work through exam-like problems with step-by-step explanations and tips.

Purchase Options

Select an Access Period
Learning Hub: ARE 5.0 Practice Management - 6 Months Access (Enhanced eLearning Platform)
6-Month Learning Hub Access
$280.00

This 6-month subscription is the ideal choice if you know you are going to take your exam in the somewhat distant future and you are interested in structuring your study process. This subscription will help you to review key knowledge areas, and offers extensive practice.

This subscription is for 6 months and begins on the date of purchase.

$280.00
Learning Hub: ARE 5.0 Practice Management - 3 Months Access (Enhanced eLearning Platform)
3-Month Learning Hub Access
$140.00
This 3-month subscription is the ideal choice if your exam date is set and you are interested in structuring your study process. This subscription will help you to review key topics, and offers extensive practice.

This subscription is for 3 months and begins on the date of purchase.

$140.00
Recurring Subscription
Learning Hub: ARE 5.0 Practice Management - Monthly Renewing (Enhanced eLearning Platform)
Monthly Renewing Subscription
$55.00
This monthly renewing subscription is the ideal choice if you are seeking flexibility or do not know when your exam date is quite yet.

This subscription is for 1 month and begins on the date of purchase. It will renew each month until canceled.

$55.00

ARE 5.0 Practice Management Class Options for the Live Online Course Bundle

Expand the list below to show all available Live Online class dates and information.

ARE Practice Management Live Online Course
Schedule
May 5 - June 23, 2025
Location
Location:
Online
Instructor
Instructor:

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Exam Details for the ARE 5.0 Exam

The Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) consists of six divisional exams designed to assess your knowledge and skills regarding the practice of architecture. Each division exam can be taken in any order, but all six must be passed as a key step on the path to earning a license. The ARE is designed to assess aspects of architectural practice related to health, safety, and welfare. For more information click below. 

ARE 5.0 Practice Management Exam Division FAQs

Practice Management: 51%
You may not bring a calculator into the testing room. An on-screen calculator is available in every division. A demonstration version of the calculator is available at the NCARB website. Plan to acquaint yourself with it before you take the exam.

The ARE 5.0 Practice Management (PcM) Exam Division focuses on the management of an architectural practice and the regulations governing the practice of architecture. There are 65 questions on the exam with a test duration of 2 hours and 40 minutes. The sections include topics related to these content areas: 

  • Business Operations
  • Finances, Risk & Development of Practice
  • Practice-Wide Delivery of Services
  • Practice Methodologies
For more detailed information on topics for this exam division, please visit the NCARB website.
The Practice Management ARE 5.0 division exam is one of six exams to complete ARE 5.0. It is a computer-based test and does not need to be taken in a particular order with the other division exams. The Practice Management exam consists of 65 questions with a 2-hour and 40-minute time limit. 

For more information, you can visit www.ncarb.org.

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“Questions on quizzes were exactly what I needed to make me think a little deeper and a little harder, exactly what NCARB wants you to do on the exams.”
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“I have used PPI Learning Hub for all of my exams so far (3 total), and it has been an excellent part of my study routine and I have recommended it to several people. I love that I can access the flashcards and practice quizzes and exams on my phone so I can study anywhere. I also enjoy having a method of studying that is computer based (vs. books) since it is similar to the exam.”
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