Per the NYS Education Department (NYSED) Office of Professions (OP), “Landscape architects need to complete 36 contact hours of continuing education in appropriate subject areas offered by an approved sponsor in each three-year registration period.” Full details are on the website listed below, but here are some important points:
Acceptable continuing education includes “courses of learning” and “educational activities”. Both must be offered by an approved NYS sponsor (provider) and in an acceptable subject area
Courses of learning must allow students the opportunity for immediate interaction with an instructor, (e.g. a seminar, workshop, lecture, live webinar, etc.). Examples of acceptable modes of delivery include: a live lecture, a telecourse or teleconference in which you and the instructor can speak directly with each other; a course in which you and the other practitioners discuss a taped presentation with a facilitator's assistance; a computerized course in which you are able to interact directly with the instructor. On the other hand, a televised lecture with no means of direct interaction would not be acceptable as a live course even if it were a live telecast.
Educational activities include self-study programs. The self-study must be structured study that is based on audio, audio-visual, written, online, or other media. In addition, a self-study program must have a testing instrument, which is completed by the licensee and returned to the sponsor for scoring. A passing grade is required before a sponsor may award continuing education credit.
A minimum of 18 of the 36 hours of continuing education must be completed in courses of learning. Or, put the opposite way, educational activities (self-study) are limited to 18 hours per registration period. ** see COVID-19-related adjustment to this requirement below **
A minimum of 24 of the 36 hours must be in the areas of health, safety and welfare (HSW).
Landscape Architects may utilize LACES, AIA, IACET and PIE credits, as long as the subject area contributes to the professional practice of landscape architecture.
I confirmed with OP that they will accept the LACES transcript to be used as proof of completion of a continuing education activity (in case you didn’t get a Certificate of Completion for a LACES-accredited course and the provider did report it to LACES). You can view your LACES transcript, whether an ASLA member or not, at https://laces.asla.org/
NYS Office of Professions continuing education requirements for landscape architects: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/larch/larchce.htm
In response to the COVID-19 virus and the New York State of Emergency, NYSED is providing an adjustment to the continuing education requirements for those licensees whose registrations are due to renew March 1-June 1, 2020. The Department will grant an adjustment to all licensees to complete up to 100% of the continuing education as self-study, so long as it is taken from a Department-approved provider and is in an acceptable subject area for the specific profession.
NYS Office of Professions CEU adjustments in response to COVID-19: http://www.op.nysed.gov/COVID-19.html#COED
The Executive Committee of our chapter works to offer landscape architects opportunities to earn continuing education through the year, by organizing events such as film screenings, lectures, tours and conferences. Due to the current requirements for social distancing, however, we are uncertain of how many and what types of events we will be able to offer in the next three to six months. Therefore, we have compiled a list of online continuing education opportunities (some free and some require a fee). We will add to this list as we learn of additional opportunities. If you know of accredited CEU opportunities for landscape architects that are not on the list (especially free opportunities), please e-mail Molly Vendura at mvendura@VenduraLA.com.
List of Online CEU Resources: https://www.nyuasla.org/online-ceu-resources
This summary is provided as a resource for our members, but please refer to the official NYSED OP website for the official description of all continuing education requirements for landscape architects (web address provided above).
Molly Vendura, VP Programs