Landscape Architect – Career Information – The Balance

A landscape architect designs residential areas, parks, shopping centers, parkways, golf courses and school campuses to make them beautiful, as well as functional. He or she must also see to it that these facilities are compatible with the natural environment. A landscape architect may work with other professionals including civil engineers, hydrologists and architects.

A landscape architect must earn a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) or a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA). You will spend four to five years taking classes in design, construction techniques, art, history, and natural and social sciences to complete either degree. Whether or not you have an undergraduate degree in landscape architecture, you can earn a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA). If you already have a BLA or BSLA, it will take you two years to complete your MLA but if you don't, you will spend three years in a master-level program.

This is a licensed occupation in all states in the U.S.While requirements vary, each state requires one to pass the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) which is administered by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB). Other requirements may include getting a degree from a program that has beenaccreditedby theLandscape Architecture Accreditation Boardof theAmerican Society of Landscape Architects.

CLARB maintains a listof all state licensing requirements.

You will receive your technical training in school, but you will not gain thesesoft skills, or personal qualities,that are essential to your success as a landscape architect in a classroom:

To find out what typical roles and responsibilities a landscape architect haswe looked at job announcements on Indeed.com:

What do employers look for when they hire landscape architects? Here are some requirements from actual job announcements found onIndeed.com:

$74,520

Sources:Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17(visited February 15, 2016 ).Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor,O*NET Online(visited February 15, 2016).Your Path to Landscape Architecture. American Society of Landscape Architects (visited February 12, 2016)

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Landscape Architect - Career Information - The Balance