About AILA Accreditation
Landscape architects internationally
begin their professional career by gaining
a university qualification from a professionally accredited program.
Accredited Pathway options
The AILA accredits both undergraduate (four-year undergraduate) and postgraduate programs (Masters) as the first step in the pathway to professional practice as an AILA Registered Landscape Architect.
The Masters programs normally require the student to have completed one of the three-year undergraduate programs recognised by the AILA. The AILA recognises these three-year undergraduate degrees as 'AILA Accredited Pathway Programs' being the initial step to acquiring a two years Masters degree. This combination of the 3 (undergraduate) plus 2 (Masters) is the accredited entry to the profession. It is very important to be aware that the three-year undergraduate programs are not endorsed as stand alone accredited degrees. The student must complete the next stage, being the two-year Masters, to obtain an AILA Accredited qualification.
The Masters programs also may offer students coming from other disciplines, with non Landscape Architecture university degrees, entry to the post graduate studies and therefore opportunities to achieve an AILA Accredited degree. In such cases the student should be required to undertake three years of study (rather than two). The AILA's policy is to encourage entry from other career paths but to ensure that the standards are met and therefore in most cases a three-year postgraduate path is required; being a three-year Masters or a bridging year plus the two-year Masters. Each University has its own recognition processes in place for such entry and they should be approached directly to clarify this option.
Alternately, several Universities offer four-year undergraduate degrees that have the equivalent AILA Accredited status as the professional entry points to professional practice.
Following graduation through one of the AILA accredited programs, the AILA has in
place further requirements for graduates to complete in order
to gain professional recognition as an AILA Registered Landscape Architect( see
the AILA membership pages).
The pathway involves a minimum two years of
recognised employment as a graduate, followed by at least eighteen months of AILA mentorship and then an oral/interview assessment.
Presently nine
Australian universities offer professionally accredited programs.
Please note that only particular programs within
these universities are accredited.
Removal of AILA Accreditation
Once the University has received accreditation by the AILA, the onus remains with the University to maintain standards as agreed.
If the AILA Accreditation is removed or the University is placed On Notice ( requiring resubmission for Accreditation), the responsibility remains with the University to inform the students and to deal with the situation of students having the expectation of being enrolled in an AILA Accredited program.
The AILA reserves the right to withdraw its Accreditation immediately if the University is deemed to be no longer matching the AILA Education Policy and Standards.
Under normal circumstances, Universities are provided with an On Notice prior to AILA Accreditation being withdrawn. This form of notice allows the University to address the issues as raised before the removal of AILA Accreditation is finally considered.
AILA Education Policy, Accreditation and Education Standards
AILA National and Local Accreditation Panels
Careers: A guide to careers in landscape architecture
AILA
Code of Conduct, including code of ethics (PDF)
The AILA membership pages: How to join the AILA and be professional
recognised
Continuing
Professional Development
Guidelines and charts to assist members
with Continuing Professional Development