24.114.2105    ARCHITECT CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

(1) Active licensed architects shall obtain 12 hours of HSW continuing education (CE) every calendar year by December 31.

(a) Licensees who have been granted emeritus status are exempt from the CE requirements.

(b) Continuing education is not required for licensees renewing their licenses for the first time.

(2) Licensees will be required to affirm their understanding of the basic requirement of 12 hours of continuing education completed during the calendar year immediately preceding the annual renewal.

(3) Continuing education courses must be formal group or self-study courses designed to increase or update the knowledge and professional competence of architects in technical and professional subjects related to the practice of architecture that safeguard the public's health, safety, and welfare, as follows:

(a) acquired in structured educational activities;

(b) provided by individuals or organizations approved by the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System, Landscape Architect Continuing Education System, or Interior Design Continuing Education Council; and

(c) at least 75 percent of the course content and instruction time must be devoted to health, safety, and welfare subjects necessary for proper evaluation, design, construction, and utilization of buildings and the built environment that are within the following areas:

(i) Practice Management focuses on areas related to the management of architectural practice and the details of running a business. Examples include applicable laws and regulations, ethics, insurance to protect the owner and public, business management, risk management, information management, design for community needs, and supervisor training.

(ii) Project Management focuses on areas related to the management of architectural projects through execution. Examples include project delivery methods, contract negotiation, pre-design services, site and soils analysis, consultant management, and project scheduling.

(iii) Program & Analysis focuses on areas related to the evaluation of project requirements, constraints, and opportunities. Examples include land-use analysis, programming, site selection, historic preservation, adaptive reuse, codes, regulations, standards, natural resources, environmental impact and ecosystem risk assessment, hazardous materials, resilience to natural and human impacts, life safety, and feasibility.

(iv) Project Planning & Design focuses on areas related to the preliminary design of sites and buildings. Examples include building systems, urban planning, master planning, building design, site design, safety and security measures, impacts adaptions and mitigation of a changing climate, energy efficiency and positive energy design, sustainability, indoor air quality, ergonomics, lighting, acoustics, accessibility, construction systems, and budget development.

(v) Project Development & Documentation focuses on areas related to the integration and documentation of building systems, material selection, and material assemblies into a project. Examples include construction documents, materials and assemblies, fixture furnishing, and equipment.

(vi) Construction & Evaluation focuses on areas related to construction contract administration and post-occupancy evaluation of projects. Examples include construction contract administration, bidding and negotiation, post occupancy evaluation (POE), and building commissioning.

(4) The department will not pre-approve CE courses.

(5) All licensees shall retain course completion certificates or AIA CE transcripts for a minimum of two years, for auditing purposes. Course completion certificates must contain all of the following:

(a) date of course;

(b) location of course;

(c) name of instructor(s);

(d) name of licensee;

(e) approval organization's course approval number; and

(f) number of completed hours of instruction.

(6) Audited licensees must furnish to the department certificates of completion or AIA CE transcripts to verify completion of the 12-hour CE requirement.

 

History: 37-1-131, 37-1-319, MCA; IMP, 37-1-131, 37-1-141, 37-1-306, MCA; NEW, 2014 MAR p. 2013, Eff. 9/5/14; AMD, 2017 MAR p. 2076, Eff. 11/10/17; AMD, 2019 MAR p. 1052, Eff. 7/27/19.