UCLA Landscape Arch as a pathway to planning?

[manoverde84]

OK, so I found a pretty good program with UCLA extension. It's a post-bac cert in Landscape Architecture which teaches you the required courses to get certified and licensed as a landscape architect with the State of CA, so essentilly it's like going back for a BA in Landscape Arch. The tuition is rather cheap enough for me to pay for it without any loans. Many of the alumns are in positions of planning and offer internships and the school is relatively close to me. It's also a working adult program which means I can work and attend the program part time.

Since I do not have the luxury to amass more debt, I was wondering if this was a good stepping stone to get into physical or environmental planning? Later on with some experience I was hoping to get the MUP.

I could just jump right into the MUP now but I would need to take out some loans (nothing that I cannot handle but still...). I don't mind doing it at all, but I was wondering if having something under my belt would be preferable?

How close in overlap are the two professions when it comes to physical or environmental planning?

[nrschmid]

Are you pursuing an MLA through UCLA? How can an "extension" program be ACCREDITED, not certified, through the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB)? Are you planning on staying in Texas or moving to California for school/work? Is this done online, in which case I am very concerned about an online program offering hands-on studio/design experience.

[manoverde84]

I forgot to mention that I am in CA and the program provides the basic requirements of a landscape design program to sit for the exam to become a licensed landscape architect. It's not an online program.

To ensure a high standard of professional practice, California (together with 46 other states, and two Canadian Provinces) requires that individuals practicing landscape architecture must be licensed. The governing agency is the California Architects Board, Landscape Architects Technical Committee within the California State Department of Consumer Affairs. On the national level, the American Society of Landscape Architects maintains a high standard of practice throughout the country; licensed landscape architects may qualify for membership in this society.

This program is approved by the Landscape Architects Technical Committee under the State of California Architects Board to meet the education requirements for licensure in California.

https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/...aspx?reg=CF004

[diemerm]

I forgot to mention that I am in CA and the program provides the basic requirements of a landscape design program to sit for the exam to become a licensed landscape architect. It's not an online program.



https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/...aspx?reg=CF004

*Just my personal opinion* but, I think it'd be a huge mistake to spend $28,000+ on a Certificate Program (this is what it stated tuition was on the link you provided). I'm starting my Masters Degree at Cal Poly Pomona this fall and by the time I get it, I'll have paid less than half of that. For a Masters Degree.

I would look into other options. UCLA is a great school, but there are tons of other options in Southern California that are much more affordable and you'll still get just as good of an education.

[manoverde84]

*Just my personal opinion* but, I think it'd be a huge mistake to spend $28,000+ on a Certificate Program (this is what it stated tuition was on the link you provided). I'm starting my Masters Degree at Cal Poly Pomona this fall and by the time I get it, I'll have paid less than half of that. For a Masters Degree.

I would look into other options. UCLA is a great school, but there are tons of other options in Southern California that are much more affordable and you'll still get just as good of an education.

Wow Cal Poly? I would kill to go there but my job has me planted in LA and there's an office that houses the landscape program in downtown so I don't have to drive to Westwood all the time. I'm paying for the degree. I have a good paying job I don't want to leave, that's why I am considering the program.

But yes it's too high. It's UCLA.

[nrschmid]

According to your link:
"This program is approved by the Landscape Architects Technical Committee under the State of California Architects Board to meet the education requirements for licensure in California."

However...

http://www.latc.ca.gov/candidates/genexaminfo.shtml
"Please visit the CLARB website to confirm specific LARE fees, schedules, examination dates and test center deadlines."

Council of Landscape Architecture Registration Boards (CLARB) is really the ultimate say in the proper accreditation of landscape architecture programs, degreed or not, so I would first contact CLARB to make sure this program can count towards LARE qualifications. I also don't see the program listed through http://www.asla.org/schools.aspx, There are a couple of other things to be aware of. First, are you planning on practicing landscape architecture in another state besides California? Circumstances may change 15-20 years from now and you end up moving out of state. Would other states, which may or may not have different title and practice acts/reciprocity laws and requirements, prohibit you from calling yourself a landscape architect in that state because it is certification not a formal degree? Second, if your end goal is to earn an offer as a landscape designer with the intention of becoming a landscape architect, then you have to convince the employer that your training is credible. I think it is very hard sell to put a certificate program in the same category as a formal BLA or MLA, and potential employers may mistake you as ineligible to sit for the LARE.

Bottom line, contact CLARB and start doing informational interviews with practicing professionals to determine how this program will be accepted. For those of you who practice as landscape architects in CA, are there are other requirements?

[diemerm]

Wow Cal Poly? I would kill to go there but my job has me planted in LA and there's an office that houses the landscape program in downtown so I don't have to drive to Westwood all the time. I'm paying for the degree. I have a good paying job I don't want to leave, that's why I am considering the program.

But yes it's too high. It's UCLA.

I'm referring to Cal Poly Pomona, not Cal Poly SLO. Cal Poly Pomona is in LA County (albeit very far east).

I work in downtown LA, and have an internship with the LA City Planning Department. I'm lucky in that I'll be able to continue doing those two things when I start school in a few months because CPP's MURP classes are all at night (6 PM and later).

My point is, you could get a Masters Degree in Urban & Regional Planning (they also have Landscape Architecture at CPP if thats more appealing to you), continue working & living in LA, all while paying LESS than you would for this certificate.

[manoverde84]

According to your link:
"This program is approved by the Landscape Architects Technical Committee under the State of California Architects Board to meet the education requirements for licensure in California."

However...

http://www.latc.ca.gov/candidates/genexaminfo.shtml
"Please visit the CLARB website to confirm specific LARE fees, schedules, examination dates and test center deadlines."

Council of Landscape Architecture Registration Boards (CLARB) is really the ultimate say in the proper accreditation of landscape architecture programs, degreed or not, so I would first contact CLARB to make sure this program can count towards LARE qualifications. I also don't see the program listed through http://www.asla.org/schools.aspx, There are a couple of other things to be aware of. First, are you planning on practicing landscape architecture in another state besides California? Circumstances may change 15-20 years from now and you end up moving out of state. Would other states, which may or may not have different title and practice acts/reciprocity laws and requirements, prohibit you from calling yourself a landscape architect in that state because it is certification not a formal degree? Second, if your end goal is to earn an offer as a landscape designer with the intention of becoming a landscape architect, then you have to convince the employer that your training is credible. I think it is very hard sell to put a certificate program in the same category as a formal BLA or MLA, and potential employers may mistake you as ineligible to sit for the LARE.

Bottom line, contact CLARB and start doing informational interviews with practicing professionals to determine how this program will be accepted. For those of you who practice as landscape architects in CA, are there are other requirements?

I had planned on remaining in CA for the rest of my life, but that is of course a dream and things can change in an instant so I understand what you mean. Most if not all the alumns that I looked up that graduated from the program are working for the government, design firms and other companies as landscape architects. I mean from what I imagined the post-bac is just the required courses for a typical landscape architecture degree, I am assuming a BLA, it just skips the basics of univeristy requirements because the program itself requires you to have already completed a bachelors degree. So it's like getting a second BA from what I understand. The standard requirement to sit for the exam is to have the required training/courses the program offers. All that is needed is a BA + required courses in CA to sit for the exam.

But yes that would suck to be limited to certain states where the license would hold up. The program looks legit to me but I will still do some more research which is vital if I am shelling out over 25+K for a second bachelors,

[manoverde84]

I'm referring to Cal Poly Pomona, not Cal Poly SLO. Cal Poly Pomona is in LA County (albeit very far east).

I work in downtown LA, and have an internship with the LA City Planning Department. I'm lucky in that I'll be able to continue doing those two things when I start school in a few months because CPP's MURP classes are all at night (6 PM and later).

My point is, you could get a Masters Degree in Urban & Regional Planning (they also have Landscape Architecture at CPP if thats more appealing to you), continue working & living in LA, all while paying LESS than you would for this certificate.

I knew you meant Pomona but I am still concerned about my job. I guess I would have to give it up to attend the program in Pomona. Doesn't the commute to DTLA exhaust you? Are the internships paid and are they resourceful? Pomona still seems way out there. I live and work in Burbank.

[diemerm]

I knew you meant Pomona but I am still concerned about my job. I guess I would have to give it up to attend the program in Pomona. Doesn't the commute to DTLA exhaust you? Are the internships paid and are they resourceful? Pomona still seems way out there. I live and work in Burbank.

I live in Highland Park and take the Gold Line to work… so for me, the commute to downtown is easy. I get to and from work in less than 30 mins without ever stepping foot in my car.

My internship with the City is unpaid, which is why I’m still working my full-time job that isn’t planning related. I’m working 14 hour days between the two positions… its extremely exhausting, but it’ll be worth it in the long run as I'm finally getting some direct planning experience with a city government. When I start school in September, I plan to work part-time at my paid job so I can still continue the internship with the City and attend classes at CPP at night.

I think it would be possible to do the program while still continuing your job in Burbank... although, it would definitely involve a lot of driving. The good news is that you said you’re getting paid well at your job… so, you could afford to get a FasTrack pass and go in the HOT lanes on the 10. That way, traffic wouldn’t be as much of an obstacle in getting you to Pomona from your job.

Either way, I’d look into the program(s). The College of Environmental Design is one of the biggest colleges within the University, and both the Urban & Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture programs are top notch. In the planning department here at LA City, the staff is pretty evenly split between UCLA & CPP alumni... the only difference is the CPP grads have little to no debt, while the UCLA grads are buried in it.

[Tobinn]

I have two B.S. degrees with one in Environmental Planning and Design and a second in Landscape Archticture. My "professional" life has been spent as a City Planner mostly (at this point) in the public sector. So, yes, LA can be a pathway to planning.