What Can I Do With a Major In Landscape Architecture?

• Handshake (UGA's hub for job and internship postings)
• UGA Mentor Program
• CE+D Student Organizations
• Sigma Pi Kappa (Honor Society for Students of Historic Preservation)
• US Green Building Council Student UGA Chapter
• Sustainability Focused Volunteer Opportunities 
• CED Student Job Board (log in with your UGA credentials to view)

To find additional clubs and organizations, go to the Center for Student Organizations 

Connect with your Career Consultant for additional guidance and support

Landscape Architect Projects:

Landscape Architects are hired for a variety of projects from residential to commercial. Typically, Landscape Architects do not need a Masters Degree to obtain entry-level employment. Listed below are just a few of the projects that they can be involved in:

• School and college campus
• Corporate and commercial grounds
• Public gardens and arboreta
• Historic preservation and restoration
• Hotels, resorts, and golf courses
• Hospital and other facility sites
• Interior landscape
• Land planning
• Landscape art and earth sculpture
• Monument grounds
• Parks and recreation
• Land reclamation and rehabilitation
• Residential sites
• Security design
• Streetscapes and public spaces
• Therapeutic gardens
• Transportation corridors and facilities
• Urban and suburban design

Licensure

Landscape architects who work outside of the federal government need a license. As of 2010, all 50 states required landscape architects to be licensed. Licensing is based on the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.), which is sponsored by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards. Candidates can take the L.A.R.E. at different times of the year in two parts—three multiplechoice sections and two graphic response sections.

Applicants who want to take the exam usually need a degree from an accredited school and 1 to 4 years of work experience under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect, although standards vary by state. For those without an accredited landscape architecture degree, most states provide alternative paths to qualify to take the L.A.R.E., usually requiring more work experience.

Currently, 13 states require landscape architects to pass a state exam, in addition to the L.A.R.E., to satisfy registration requirements. State exams focus on laws, environmental regulations, plants, soils, climate, and other characteristics unique to the state.

Because requirements for licensure vary, landscape architects may find it difficult to transfer their registration from one state to another. Common requirements include graduating from an accredited program, serving 3 years of internship under the supervision of a registered landscape architect, and passing the L.A.R.E. By meeting national requirements, a landscape architect also can obtain certification from the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards. That certification can be useful in getting one state to accept a license from another state.

Landscape architects who work for the federal government do not have to be licensed. For federal government jobs, landscape architects should have a bachelor's or master's degree in landscape architecture.

*Taken from Bureau of Labor Statistics

• O*NET  (click on Find Occupations)
• Occupational Outlook Handbook  (type in general term for career of interest)
• Georgia Career Information Center  (accessible only on campus computers)
• Firsthand (Explore a library of guides, articles, and other resources to help you explore careers, plan your job search, and learn about different work environments. Create a free account with your UGA email.)
• Candid Career (Watch recorded informational interviews of professionals in specific careers. Filter videos by career title, college major, industry, and more.)
• Issuu  (Landscape Architecture Portfolio Examples)

• American Society of Landscape Architects
• Archinect 
• The Environmental Careers Organization  
• Planetizen  
• GIS Job Board
• USAjobs.gov

Additionally, it is recommended to make a list of firms that you are interested in and check out their individual websites to identify open positions.

• American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
• Urban Land Institute 
• The Georgia Chapter, ASLA
• American Institute of Architects 
• American Planning Association 
• Environmental Design Research Association 
• Land8Lounge
• Trees Atlanta 
• The Land Lovers 

Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Need help finding groups? Check out the Groups You May Like link under the Interests/Groups tab. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.