Multi-national Licensure In Landscape Architecture: Searching For Its Impact On The Profession

This thesis summarizes the knowledge base and understanding of key informants regarding multi-national licensure in landscape architecture, a topic made timely because of the increase in international practice by landscape architects, and differences in the profession's standards and regulations globally. It also examines the potential impacts of multi-national licensure on the profession.To accomplish this, the thesis examines licensure practices in both landscape architecture and architecture (which is more familiar with issues of international practice,) and it focuses on implications of the issues on professional practice and academic practice in landscape architecture. This research is based on the hypothesis that the standards and regulations needed to practice multi-national licensure in landscape architecture depend on common core competencies. Including architects in this thesis exposes the research to issues related to international standards in architecture which have been well established by the International Union of Architects. Thus, architecture's experiences are seen as harbingers of what landscape architecture is likely to experience. In this thesis, landscape architects and architects from selected countries, working in multi-national environments, are asked to share their perspectives on this topic. In addition, they are asked about the relevance of public health, safety and welfare as a basis for licensure in their own countries and abroad. In comparing data from the perspectives of key informants, aided with literature findings about various forms of licensing practices globally, summary impacts of multi-national licensure are extracted from key words and content analysis. Impacts on professional practice and academic practice are covered separately in the conclusion, elaborating the role of professional practice and academic practice in establishing multi-national licensure. Three themes about key informants' reactions emerged from the analysis of interview data. In the first theme key informants reported that multi-national licensure was not needed; in the second theme key informants reported that multi-national licensure would be advantageous but impossible to establish; and in the third theme a majority of key informants reported that multi-national licensure would be advantageous and possible to establish. Respondents shared their concerns and issues in establishing multi-national licensure; their preferences for different models of regulations in landscape architecture; and, relevance of health, safety and welfare of public in various parts of the world. Literature findings and interviews data confirmed that North America is most advanced in licensing the profession of landscape architecture.