LARE Exam Preparation and Study-Guide: Massachusetts Landscape Architect License Requirements

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Massachusetts Landscape Architect License Requirements

Massachusetts Landscape Architect License Requirements

How To Get You First Landscape Architect License

Massachusetts has a long and distinguished history and has some of the nation's most famous parks and built landscapes. Follow the steps on this article to get your license to practice landscape architecture in Massachusetts.

Basic License Requirements

Before you can apply for a license to practice landscape architecture, there are a few basic requirements you must satisfy.

Education Requirements

College education in an approved, accredited landscape architecture program is needed for most cases. You can have a bachelors degree or masters degree in landscape architecture to meet the requirements.

What of you don't have a degree in landscape architecture? You may substitute six years of diversified practical experience in the profession under the direct supervision of a licensed landscape architect.

Professional Work Experience

Most landscape architecture candidates need to complete two years of profession landscape architecture experience working under the direct supervision of a licensed landscape architect. Your best options are working in a landscape architect's office or a landscape architecture department in a large multi-disciplinary firm. The Massachusetts state board will only accept work experiences that are at least six months in length.

Can I get experience credit for an internship? If your internship occurred after you graduated from college and it was at least six months in duration, you can claim it for work experience credit.

What if I have work experience in a related profession? In some cases, the Massachusetts board may accept experience from a related field, such as, architecture, civil engineering, planning, or horticulture. Send in your experience with the license application for the board to evaluate.

Step-by-Step Guide To Licensure

Follow these steps on your road to licensure:

Graduate from an approved LAAB-accredited college landscape architecture program. You will need to send official college transcripts in with your license application.
Get professional work experience under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect.
Apply for licensure to the Massachusetts state board.
Register to take the LARE exam.
Prepare for the LARE. Many candidates find the LARE quite challenging. Study and prepare for the test to increase your chance of success. Read the recommended technical books recommended by CLARB, take a practice test, join a Google LARE study group, or attend a LARE exam preparation workshop. The better you prepare for the exam, the greater your odds of passing on the first attempt.
Take and pass all sections of the LARE. You have three years to pass all the parts of the LARE.
Pay the initial license fee after you pass all sections and meet the licensing requirements.
Wait for your license to arrive in the mail. Celebrate when it arrives...you are now a registered landscape architect!
Purchase a rubber stamp to seal drawings.

Final Thoughts

Don't get discouraged as you charge down the road towards becoming a registered landscape architect. Many aspiring landscape architects have strode where you are and have been successful. You can do it, too.

For More Information

For more information about Massachusetts landscape architecture licensing information, visit the Massachusetts state board site. You will find application packets, exam information, and deadlines on their site.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) also has information on state licensure at their website at www.asla.org. If you are not yet a member, consider joining the largest landscape architect organization in North America.

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