OAR 804-025-0020: Uniform Continuing Education Standards

(1) Definitions: The following are definitions of terms used in this Division. (a) “Activity” — any course or educational endeavor that has a clear purpose and objective and maintains, improves or expands the professional knowledge or skill of the registrant in relation to the practice of landscape architecture. (b) “Audit period” — the renewal period for which the registrant’s continuing education activities are subject to audit with the exception of in the first year of registration granted by the Board, the audit period is from the date of registration issuance until the first renewal date. (c) “Health, safety, and welfare (HSW)” — any issue related to the practice of landscape architecture exemplified by the examination required for registration or that is otherwise related to safeguarding of public HSW as related to proper evaluation, planning, design, construction and utilization of the natural and built environment. HSW issues include but are not necessarily limited to the following list related to the practice of landscape architecture: (A) Codes, acts, ordinances, laws, and regulations governing the practice of landscape architecture; (B) Construction administration, including the administration of construction contracts; (C) Construction documentation; (D) Design of environmental systems and use of site materials and methods of site construction; (E) Environmental process and analysis; (F) Erosion control methods, including storm water management; (G) Grading and drainage; (H) Horticulture, planting design, and vegetation management; (I) Irrigation methods; (J) Land planning and land use analysis; (K) Landscape preservation, landscape restoration and adaptive reuse; (L) Natural hazards impacts related to site design; (M) Pedestrian and vehicular circulation; (N) Preparedness and resiliency design and related construction details; (O) Resource conservation and management; (P) Risk management in practice and design; (Q) Site accessibility, including American with Disabilities Act standards for accessible site design; (R) Site and soils analysis; (S) Site design; (T) Specifications writing; and (U) Sustainable design. (d) “Outside the normal performance of occupation” — refers to continuing education activities that are completed separate from professional services provided and that are not customarily associated with or part of the registrant’s normal employment duties. Required workplace orientations or training activities are generally considered part of normal employment duties. Training received on a voluntary basis at the workplace may qualify as PDH. (e) “Pro-bono service” — refers to professional services provided without fee or anticipation of other compensation to the public or an organization where such services are provided outside the normal performance of occupation. Services must draw upon the knowledge and skills of the registrant while also helping to maintain, improve, or enhance the registrant’s practice. Unbilled hours from a project done for compensation do not qualify as pro-bono service. (f) “Professional development hour (PDH)” — one hour (with no less than 50 minutes of direct involvement, commonly referred to as a contact hour) of an activity that meets the requirements of these regulations. (g) “Renewal period” — the one-year period immediately preceding each annual renewal date. For example, the renewal period for a registrant with a renewal date of May 31 runs from June 1 to the next renewal date of May 31. (h) “Self-directed activity” — Any continuing education activity that: (A) Does not have a third-party sponsor; (B) Is completed outside the normal performance of occupation; and (C) Is accounted for in terms of time spent completing the activity by the registrant. (i) “Structured educational activity” — any continuing education activity that: (A) Has a third-party sponsor, i.e. sponsor other than the registrant; (B) Is characterized by pre-planning including a written objective and format; (C) Is documented and verifiable; and (D) For academic coursework, the following credit conversions apply: (i) One university or college quarter credit hour = 30 PDHs; and (ii) One university or college semester credit hour = 45 PDHs. (E) One International Association For Continuing Education And Training (IACET) Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 10 PDHs. (2) Basic Requirements for Renewal: An active Registered Landscape Architect shall complete 12 PDH of acceptable continuing education activities during the renewal period. However, an active Registered Landscape Architect with 25 consecutive years of registration with the Board or other landscape architecture regulatory boards shall only need to complete 4 PDH during the renewal period. (a) At least 75% of the PDH must be earned by completing activities that directly address the HSW issues of the public as related to the practice of landscape architecture; and (b) If a registrant exceeds the PDH requirement in a renewal period, the registrant may carry forward PDH only as follows: (A) PDH carried forward cannot exceed the amount required in the next renewal period; (B) PDH carried forward can only be used in the next renewal period; and (C) In an audit review, the Board will only consider the PDH completed in the audit period and the 2 prior renewal years. (3) Conditions For Acceptance: (a) To be accepted as a PDH, an activity must be related to the practice of landscape architecture, performed outside of the normal performance of one's occupation, and contemporaneously documented. (b) The Board encourages registrants to seek diversified continuing education activities. In addition to structured educational activities, the following types of self-directed activities related to the practice of landscape architecture may be accepted as PDH by the Board: (A) Professional or Technical Presentations: Making professional or technical presentations at recognized professional meetings, conventions or conferences may qualify the registrant for up to 4 PDH per renewal period for each presentation given on a distinct topic. PDH cannot be claimed for repeating the same presentation or for substantially similar presentations made during the renewal period. A maximum of 8 PDH (i.e., 2 presentations) of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (B) Teaching or Instructing: Teaching or instructing a qualified presentation to a group may qualify the registrant for up to 2 PDH for each contact hour spent in the classroom. Teaching PDH may be available only for teaching a course or seminar in its initial presentation. Teaching PDH are not available to faculty of any college or university where teaching or instructing was part of the normal performance of the registrant’s occupation. A maximum of 4 PDH of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (C) Authoring: Authoring (publishing) or presenting an original paper, article or book may qualify the registrant for up to 20 PDH per publication in the renewal period. PDH value will be commensurate with the type, length, and complexity of the publication. The Board may also consider whether the publication was peer reviewed in determining PDH value. PDH may be available for either authorship or presentation of the publication but not for both. PDH cannot be requested until the paper, article, or book is actually published or presented and is limited to authorship or presentation in its initial version. (D) Professional societies, organizations, boards or commissions: Service during the renewal period as an elected officer, appointed member, or appointed committee member of a professional society, organization, board or commission with a mission related to the practice of landscape architecture may qualify the registrant for PDH. The registrant is responsible for documenting how the service improved or expanded professional knowledge or skills. 4 PDH of this type per society, organization, board or commission may be accepted per renewal period if at least 4 hr. of service was completed. Maximum PDH of this type per renewal period is 8 PDH. (E) Professional examination writing: Serving on a committee writing examination materials for a professional registration examination may be eligible for up to 1 PDH per 4 hours of examination writing efforts. A maximum of 4 PDH of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (F) Specialty Certifications: Attaining specialty certifications through examination from a qualified professional society or organization may qualify the registrant for PDH equal to two times the allotted examination time (i.e., 4 PDH may be granted for a certification examination of 2 hours in length). A maximum of 4 PDH of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (G) Pro-bono Service: Pro-bono service that has a clear purpose and objective and meets the requirements of 804-025-0020(1)(e) may qualify the registrant for up to 1 PDH for every 4 hours of service. A maximum of 4 PDH of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (H) Travel: Extended travel outside the registrant’s state, territory, or province of residency may be eligible for up to 2 PDH per week (7 calendar days) of travel. The registrant is responsible for documenting how the travel experience improved or expanded professional knowledge or skills. A maximum of 4 PDH of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (I) Industry-Related Exhibitions: Attendance at industry-related exhibitions such as home and garden shows, may qualify the registrant for up to 1 PDH per exhibition. A maximum of 2 PDH of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (J) University-Based Mentoring: Mentoring one or more students enrolled at a university that has an accredited landscape architectural degree program as part of a Landscape Architecture Shadow Mentor Day or another similar academic-based mentoring event may qualify the registrant for up to 1 PDH per mentor day. A maximum of 2 PDH of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (K) Design Critiques and Juries: Serving on a jury of student or professional work may qualify the registrant for up to 1 PDH per 4 hours of advanced preparation, project review, and critique time. A maximum of 4 PDH of this type may be accepted per renewal period. (L) Landscape Architecture Regulatory Board: Membership on a regulatory board for the practice of landscape architecture may qualify the registrant for up to 8 PDH per year of service as an appointed member. (4) The Board has final authority with respect to acceptance of PDH as meeting the requirements of OAR 804 Division 25. Board decisions to accept or reject specific PDH will be based on these rules and the documentation submitted by the registrant.