 While working at the school , Laybourne Smith initiated his own classes on architecture , gathering " a group of colleagues who instructed one another " in the field . After being approached in 1906 by the Council of the School of Mines , Laybourne Smith teamed with Walter Bagot to develop a new architecture course . The result was a three @-@ year part @-@ time Associate Diploma , although students were still expected to be articled to professional architects in order to gain more practical experience in the field . By 1916 the course was regarded as of sufficient quality to place its students " in the same rank as architectural students in other parts of the world " . 
