How to Become a Landscape Architect

Landscape architects help to design and plan areas such as golf courses, shopping centers, college campuses, public parks and residential developments. They collaborate with surveyors, engineers and architects to ensure that the client's design wishes comply with environmental regulations and the site's geology.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Career Books
• Career Counseling
• Computers

1. Visit the American Society of Landscape Architects Web site (see asla.org). It lists universities that offer accredited programs in landscape architecture and has other links to the profession.

2. Understand that a bachelor's degree only allows for entry into this field. Consult your guidance counselor during your early undergraduate years about ways for you to prepare for graduate school.

3. Become proficient in computer-aided design (CAD), video simulation and geographic information systems technology.

4. Spend at least one summer as an intern for a landscape architecture firm.

5. Find out if your state is one of the 45 that require landscape architects to be licensed. If so, after you have a college degree and one to four years of experience, take the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.).

6. Check if your state is one of the 18 that require landscape architects to pass a state examination as part of the L.A.R.E.

7. Be prepared to work with the title of intern landscape architect or apprentice until you receive your license. All of your work will have to be supervised by a licensed landscape architect.

Tips & Warnings

• Take as electives some courses that will familiarize you with environmental regulations.

• If you are going to work for the federal government as a landscape architect, you will not need a license.

• Be prepared to work long hours when a project is near its deadline date.