Becoming a Member of the BCSLA
Licensure
Licensure is a formal recognition that an individual has demonstrated sufficient knowledge, skill and ability to practice the profession without endangering the health, safety and welfare of the public.
Licensure:- Conveys legal professional privileges and responsibilities and allows the licensee to use the title "landscape architect."
- Increases the number of job and advancement opportunities you will have throughout your career.
- Increases your annual earning potential by $25,000 on average.
The Road To Registration
To become a Member of the BCSLA, candidates must successfully complete an oral exam conducted by the provincially appointed Board of Examiners. There are several methods to qualify for the exam:
a) Internship (for those who have applicable education and/or employment related to landscape architecture)
b) Reciprocity (for those who are registered as landscape architects in good standing in another jurisdiction recognized by the Board of Directors
c) Senior Practitioner (for those who have been practicing for 10 or more years)
The Road to Registration details the licensure process for North American candidates. The Bridge to Registration details the process for Internationally Trained Professional licensure candidates. See BCSLA Licensure requirements for additional details.
Landscape Architectural Registration Exams Information
The Landscape Architect Registration Examination (LARE) is a four-part fully computerized examination designed to determine whether applicants for landscape architectural licensure possess sufficient knowledge, skills and abilities to provide landscape architectural services without endangering the health, safety and welfare of the public. It is prepared and scored by CLARB in accordance with all current standards for fairness and quality of licensure exams. All BCSLA Interns were issued a candidate ID number upon acceptance of the application. You do not have to be pre-approved after the initial acceptance. After LARE Candidates create a CLARB Profile, you must also create a mandatory CLARB Council Record before you can register for the LARE. The sooner that you register the better - you will have the widest choice of exam administration times so book early. Please see the Path to Licensure
We respectfully note that there is some overlap as the BCSLA Admission Program and Intern Policy and the CLARB Council Record (CCR) process. CLARB has written an excellent article about what to expect before, during, and after the LARE in the August 2013 issue Sitelines click here. You can find out more about the LARE on CLARB’s website.
CLARB is pleased to offer you the opportunity to be part of the remote proctor program. Candidates are able to register and write the exam from home, any time day or night, using their own computer. A remote proctor will monitor the exam live through a video feed using advanced security protocols.
- CLARB offers a number of resources—many of which are FREE—to help candidates better understand the content, format and delivery for each section of the Landscape Architect Registration Exam. These resources are not intended to teach or be educational tools; they are designed to help candidates develop realistic expectations for the exam experience. Click here to view the resources. You will find YouTube videos, links to practice exams, LARE Orientation Guide and other resources. We also recommend that you participate in LARE Workshops or form study groups to assist you in preparing for the LARE. Watch the videos.
Landscape Architectural Registration Exams Sample Questions
CLARB has provided sample questions to help LARE candidates prepare for the exams. These were created to provide a sample of what candidates will experience when they take the LARE. Select the links below to begin your study strategy
Section 1: Project and Construction Management
Section 2: Inventory and Analysis
Section 3: Design
Section 4: Grading, Drainage, and Construction Documents
Practice Vignettes:
License Agreement
Practice E1 | Solution A | Solution B
Practice E2 | Solution A | Solution B
Practice E3 | Solution A | Solution B
Practice E4 | Solution A | Solution B
Practice E5 | Solution A | Solution B
Practice E6 | Solution A | Solution BSecond Saturday LARE Study Group Webina
- Sample Questions
At the CLARB AGM the CLARB leadership, in conjunction with Adrienne Cadle, Senior Psychometrician, Professional Testing Inc. led a session for Member Board Members and Member Board Executives in 2018. The informative workshop utilized newly released examination questions that were asked to delegates. CLARB has released the sample questions and answers. Please see below: - Sample Questions
Sample Answers
- LARE Prep Workshops
The OALA, AALA and BCSLA try to host a webinar once a month (on the second Saturday) to go over LARE prep strategies and answer questions. The next workshop is scheduled for October 24, 2020.
LARE Saturday Study Session Webinar
Saturday, October 24, 2020 at 8:30 am PDT
For BCSLA Interns who plan to sit the First Section of the LARE please join Tamara Bonnemaison, MBCSLA, who will lead a session focused on the first section for our colleagues in BC and those in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario..
Outline of this LARE Section 1 Review Session:
Getting ready to take the LARE? This workshop will touch on strategies to complete the LARE and Registration process, and will focus on study methods for the LARE Section 1, Project and Construction Management. Tamara will share the approach that she used to get ready for this exam, including which reading materials and areas of study she found most useful
Tamara Bonnemaison Bio:
Tamara is passionate about creating spaces that engage people with their community and with the natural world. To explore these interests, Tamara obtained a Masters of Landscape Architecture (2017) a Bachelor of Environmental Design from UBC, as well as a Restoration of Natural Systems Diploma from UVic. Tamara works at Murdoch de Greeff Inc., in Victoria, BC. The firm specializes in ecological design and integrated stormwater management. Tamara recently completed all four LARE exams and the registration proces
REGISTRATION Required: Please register for the free session here. Full link information: https://webinar.ringcentral.com/webinar/register/2616007927366/WN_hvx6iO5eRK-2dhr3cVL9Gw
How it works:
This session is free of charge and open to all BCSLA Members and Associates as well as members of the AALA and the OALA. Once you register, you will receive a link to join the Ring Central webinar. We will record the webinar and post it to the BCSLA website if you cannot attend.
Below are resources from previous workshops:
- Recording of July 25, 2020 Webinar
(with Leah Lanteigne and Chen Zixiang, OALA Associate Representatives)
- Recording of March 2020 Webinar
(hosted by OALA Associate Reps covering general information on the LARE and Q&A)
- Recording of July 2019 Webinar
(hosted by OALA Associate Reps covering structure of each section and study tips)
- Recording of March 2019 Webinar
(with Emily Parker from CLARB)
- Recording of February 2, 2019 Webinar
(with Alana Evers, OALA, reviewing CLARB sample questions and taking Q&A)
Slides from February 2, 2019 Webinar
