Free ARE PjM podcast episodes designed to help you pass the Project Management exam. Each episode breaks down NCARB’s objectives so you know exactly what to study – and what to skip.
PjM covers how architects manage individual projects from start to finish. Topics include:
PjM pairs naturally with PcM. If PcM is about running a firm, PjM is about running a project. Many candidates study them back to back since the content overlaps in areas like contracts, risk, and project delivery.
No need to take notes while you listen. For many episodes, we’ve already made a free two-page set of study notes for you – just go to the episode page and grab them.
Ready for more than a podcast? Check out our complete PjM 101 course with 14+ hours of video lessons and 180+ practice questions.
PjM covers everything involved in managing a single architecture project – assembling the team, writing contracts, coordinating consultants, controlling scope and budget, and delivering quality work. It’s the bridge between firm-level operations (PcM) and construction administration (CE).
Most candidates find them similar in difficulty. PjM has more moving parts since it covers five exam sections versus PcM’s four, but the content feels very practical. If you’ve worked on real projects, a lot of it will feel familiar.
Many episodes include a free two-page set of study notes. Just go to the individual episode page, enter your email, and download them. No note-taking required – just listen.
The Spearin doctrine in construction decides who carries the cost when work is built exactly as drawn and still fails. It comes from a 1918 Supreme Court case and it turns on one question: did...
Asbestos in buildings is more common than most people expect. It sits in floor tile, pipe insulation, ceiling texture, and siding throughout buildings put up before the early 1980s. What follows covers what asbestos...
The AIA A201 is the general conditions document that governs construction administration on nearly every project built under AIA contracts. When things go wrong on a job site, from non-conforming work and unauthorized material...
Architect insurance is one of those topics that nobody wants to think about until they absolutely have to. But understanding your coverage (from professional liability and errors and omissions insurance to claims-made policies, tail coverage,...
The A201 general conditions govern how construction projects actually work. Fifteen articles covering means and methods, the schedule of values, substantial completion, change orders, and dispute resolution for every party on the project. This post...
Zoning controls what you can build on a piece of land, how big it can be, and where it can sit on the site. This guide covers setbacks, easements, floor area ratio, lot coverage, building...
An ADA bathroom layout requires specific dimensions for turning space, toilet clearance, grab bar placement, sink height, and fixture reach ranges. But the numbers only make sense when you understand the physical experience behind them:...
The difference between life and death during a building emergency often comes down to one thing: means of egress. These critical escape pathways aren’t arbitrary rules imposed by building officials; rather, they’re the result of...
QA vs QC is one of the most commonly confused topics in construction and architecture. Quality assurance (QA) prevents problems before they happen. Quality control (QC) finds and fixes them after the fact. This guide...
Study motivation is the single biggest barrier for ARE candidates who have the books, the courses, and the study plan but can’t seem to open any of them. If exam stress and decision fatigue have...
Join Michael and Emily for a free CDT® certification presentation on August 6, 2026. Learn how CDT certification fits into your ARE or NCIDQ prep, the full CSI® certification landscape, the Fall 2026 exam schedule,...
Construction disputes and construction claims are an unavoidable part of working in the AEC industry. Whether you’re managing an active project or preparing for the ARE exam, knowing how to prevent, navigate, and resolve these...
The architect standard of care doesn’t mean perfect work. It means the level of skill and care that a reasonably competent architect would exercise under similar circumstances. If you’re studying for the ARE or practicing...
Historic preservation defines four distinct approaches to working on historic buildings, and most people confuse at least two of them. A design team once spent weeks building a restoration plan for a beautiful old brick...
There is an architect at your firm making $50 an hour. But the client gets billed $150 for that same hour. Where does that $100 gap go? And what happens to your firm financially if...
Most people working in architecture have worked under an AIA B101 for years without ever actually reading it. The contract gets signed, it sits in a drawer somewhere, and the entire team works under it...
Years ago, I spent an entire day in a wheelchair. Not because I needed one, but because my professor told me to. I could dimension every ADA door clearance on a floor plan, but I...
Project delivery methods define the contractual relationships between the owner, the architect, and the contractor on every construction project. This post breaks down all the major construction delivery methods, from Design-Bid-Build to CMAR to Integrated...
There’s a lot of bad information out there about how to study for the architect exam. Most of it is costing people time, money, and years of their career. Get-rich-quick promises from exam prep companies,...
OFCI (owner furnished, contractor installed) is one of the most misunderstood procurement methods in construction. The OFCI meaning is straightforward on the surface, but it often delivers coordination headaches and liability questions that catch...