The 13 Best Architecture Continuing Education Courses

Continuing education (CE) plays a crucial role in maintaining an active licensing status. This process helps architects across jurisdictions stay current with evolving codes, align with safety best practices, and follow standards set by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), and International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) to deliver projects of the highest quality. Each state has set specific CE requirements, and meeting them will help professionals renew their licensing with ease.

Beyond meeting compliance, continuing education fuels opportunities and aids in advancing careers. It creates space for improvement and fuels innovation and creativity towards problem-solving. Investing in continuing education must be part of organizations’ growth strategy as it leads to positive outcomes and improves client satisfaction. This guide discusses the various categories of continuing education licensed architects must complete, and their importance, highlights the best architecture CE courses, and provides best practices to choose the right CE for your multi-state licensed architects.

Architecture CE Courses

What Is Architectural Continuing Education?

Architectural continuing education is a structured pathway established by licensing boards to support ongoing development. It also serves as an important checklist that must be completed as part of license requirements before the renewal deadline. CE is typically tracked in hours across states and measured by Learning Units (LUs) according to AIA standards for architecture and as Continuing Education Units (CEUs) across many professions outside of architecture. These requirements are determined by each state and cover key topic categories such as Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW), ethics, sustainability, and professional development. Additionally, members of AIA are also required to complete extra CE hours outside their core coursework to maintain active status.

With increasing market demands, organizations are recruiting architects licensed in multiple states. Without a consolidated CE program and systems, professionals are forced to seek training outside their company to fulfill these mandated requirements, making learning, tracking, reporting, and projecting difficult for a scaling organization. Organizations with a robust CE training program—one that meets multi-state licensing requirements—position themselves as proactive, strategic, and a step ahead in meeting compliance requirements.

Top 13 Architect Continuing Education Courses

Continuing education requirements are broadly divided into four categories: Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW), Sustainability, Ethics, Technology, and Building Performance. With growing scrutiny on public safety, AIA has allocated most of the CEUs/LUs to HSW, accounting for 12–24 hours of the total CE requirements. This category discusses critical topics such as building codes, accessibility, fire, and structural safety and integrity.

Of the other categories, sustainability deals with topics such as green design and zero net carbon design, all of which enable architects to build carbon-efficient buildings using environmentally friendly materials. Ethics focuses on promoting professional conduct, working with integrity and honesty, and keeping public welfare at the center of every project. Technology focuses on the usage and adoption of Artificial Intelligence and cutting-edge software to plan, design, and manage ongoing projects effectively.

1. Accessible Design: Curbs, Ramps, and Elevators

Ramps and elevators help people who use wheelchairs, as well as older adults, parents with strollers, and anyone carrying heavy items. This course helps architects learn how to design and build ramps that make movement safer and more efficient, reducing congestion, slips, trips, and falls.

Key Outcomes:

• Identify the differences between a curb ramp and a ramp.
• Demonstrate the specifications and parameters for how and when curb ramps or ramps are required, and what makes an elevator an accessible solution.
• Illustrate how such solutions make an inclusive environment, one that is more accessible.

CE Credits Offered: 1 LU / 1 HSW Hour
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

2. Accessible Parking

Accessible parking is more than just a blue sign. Architects must follow the 2010 ADA Standards to ensure there are the right number of accessible spaces. This course walks architects through the key requirements, such as space dimensions, access aisles, and sign placement. It also covers special rules for hospitals, rehab centers, and residential buildings, using real-world examples throughout.

Key Outcomes:

• Recall how many accessible parking spaces each space might require.
• List out the important components of accessible parking.
• Verify if parking spaces are accessible according to the 2010 ADA Standards Sections 208 and 502.

CE Credits Offered: 1 LU / 1 HSW Hour
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

3. AEC Success: Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

Knowing how to handle conflicts is an important skill every architect must possess to make work and everyday life easier. This interactive course equips licensed professionals with five practical strategies for managing conflict and core skills that lead to resolutions. The course also teaches how emotional awareness can help individuals respond calmly in the face of crisis.

Key Outcomes:

• Define interpersonal conflicts and how they affect the workplace.
• Discuss strategies and core skills necessary to resolve them effectively.
• Describe emotional awareness and learn how it helps teams in certain situations.

CE Credits Offered: 1 LU
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

4. ASHRAE Essentials – 62.1-2016 Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality

Good ventilation and air quality are important for the health, safety, comfort, and productivity of employees and residents. ASHRAE sets guidelines for how much fresh air is needed in buildings to keep occupants safe and comfortable. In this course, architects will learn to measure, plan, and implement ventilation systems that meet ASHRAE standards.

Key Outcomes:

• Identify building types in which the standards apply.
• State the purpose of this standard and how it contributes to maintaining effective air cleaning solutions.
• List the air ventilation requirements that are important for maintaining a healthy indoor environment.

CE Credits Offered: 1 LU / 1 HSW Hour
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

5. Concrete Standards and Requirements

Concrete is the most common choice for building commercial spaces, and getting it right is important for occupant safety, durability, and performance. This course equips professionals with ways to specify, order, and test ready-mixed concrete correctly. It also reviews the ASTM C94 specifications and explains the responsibilities of both the purchaser and the manufacturer.

Key Outcomes:

• Outline the requirements for the strength of concrete.
• Describe the scope of ASTM C94 and the responsibilities of the manufacturer and the purchaser.
• Summarize the requirements for identifying, procuring, delivering, and accepting ready-mixed concrete.

CE Credits Offered: 2 LU / 2 HSW Hours
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

6. Design of Utility Infrastructure

Utilities and their infrastructure are critical for modern life. From clean drinking water to telecommunications and electricity, underground utilities deliver the basic services communities rely on, making them a vital part of construction. This interactive course is designed to equip licensed professionals with key design criteria for a range of utility systems.

Key Outcomes:

• Learn how to assess a project’s utility and plan the right size for utility lines.
• Understand how to locate and evaluate existing underground facilities using subsurface utility engineering methods.
• Know how to determine the capacity of current systems and plan how to expand them.

CE Credits Offered: 2 LU / 2 HSW Hours
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

7. Designing Foundation Repairs

The foundation of a building is what holds the structure together. Cracks in the foundation can signal serious problems. Fortunately, these can be repaired with the right knowledge and tools. This interactive course explains the main types of building foundations, what causes them to fail, and how to repair them. Professionals also learn about new materials and technologies that can help restore foundations to their full capacity.

Key Outcomes:

• Learn how to recognize when a building’s foundation is no longer strong enough to safely support the structure.
• Understand the common causes of foundation damage.
• Explore repair methods and materials for different types of foundations to restore safety and prevent costly problems later.

CE Credits Offered: 2 LU / 2 HSW Hours
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

8. Essentials of Quality Concrete

Being a licensed architect requires in-depth knowledge of concrete, including what it’s made of, how it behaves, and what affects its quality. In this course, architects will learn about what materials go into mixing, including cement, aggregates, water, and admixtures, and how they work together. Learners will also uncover key performance factors like strength, durability, and workability, along with common problems in concrete slabs and how to address them.

Key Outcomes:

• Understand what goes into concrete and how it works.
• Know important terms like curing and why it matters.
• Recognize what affects concrete strength, what makes it stronger, and weaker.

CE Credits Offered: 2 LU / 2 HSW Hours
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

9. Ethical Decision Making for Design and Construction Professionals

Professional ethics is more than rules; it is about practicing professional conduct that protects lives. This course uses real-world stories. Learners gain insight into how to balance client needs, budgets, and responsibilities to the public while exploring five core areas: public interest, social and environmental responsibility, interconnected decisions, and accessibility.

Key Outcomes:

• Learn how ethical behavior protects people, projects, and your professional reputation in planning.
• Know how to use ethical guidelines and how they help teams make the right decision when challenges arise.
• Apply ethics in real life by using simple, practical reasoning tools to handle tough choices confidently and responsibly.

CE Credits Offered: 2 LU
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

10. Fire Essentials and Fire Science

Fire causes billions in damage each year, making it important for AEC employees to understand how it behaves. This interactive course explains the basics of fire science, how fires start and spread, their health risks, and the methods used to control and extinguish them.

Key Outcomes:

• Understand the causes of how controlled or friendly fire can quickly turn dangerous.
• Learn the three main ways heat moves and how this knowledge can help stop fire from spreading rapidly.
• Understand the five types of fires and which extinguishing methods work best for each one.

CE Credits Offered: 1 LU / 1 HSW Hour
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

11. Health Effects Caused by Mold

Mold in construction can lead to serious health consequences. If not detected and treated early, it can also deeply affect the building’s structural integrity. This course explains how mold affects people once they are exposed to it. Architects will also learn about the latest research from the U.S., Canada, and other countries to gain a basic understanding of how dangerous it can be.

Key Outcomes:

• Learn what the common symptoms of mold exposure are.
• Find out which groups of people are more likely to get sick from mold.
• Explore what science says about mold and its impact on health.

CE Credits Offered: 1 LU / 1 HSW Hour (if applicable)
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

12. Principles of Design-Build

Before implementing construction plans, it is important to have the necessary steps laid out, including where, when, and how key stakeholders in an architecture project get involved. This course is designed to provide an overview of the concept and dive into key topics such as procurement, contractual components, and preparation for possible legal issues.

Key Outcomes:

• Specify design-build procurement approaches and procurement challenges faced by owners.
• Describe the organizational structures for the design-build team.
• Explain the major design-build contract and legal issues.

CE Credits Offered: 1 LU / HSW
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

13. Protecting Water Systems Through Backflow Prevention

Water backflow can contaminate public drinking water and put public health and safety at risk. This course explains what backflow is and how it happens, how to prevent it, and how to identify the right devices for regular maintenance. Architects will also learn to recognize and stop potential backflow problems, keeping both buildings and communities safe.

Key Outcomes:

• Understand key terms so architects can talk confidently about contamination and prevention.
• Learn the four common ways to prevent it and how to choose the right device for the job.
• Recognize where cross-contamination could occur and how to keep water systems safe.

CE Credits Offered: 1 LU / 1 HSW Hour
Course Format: Online / On-Demand

Benefits of Architect Continuing Education

Maintaining active licensure is beneficial for architects and firms. However, with individual architects managing their own training across platforms and in different formats, firms encounter challenges in keeping track of records that are spread across manual files and spreadsheets, and reporting them across jurisdictions. When firms choose to invest in consolidated architecture training online, they can centralize and simplify this process, support compliance, and enable teams to focus on applying their skills effectively. The following are the key benefits of investing in continuing education for architecture.

Maintaining Licensure and Compliance

The biggest benefit of investing in CE training is adhering to state-specific requirements, which then leads to maintaining active licensing. Every state licensing board takes great measures to establish CE hour requirements. For an architect licensed in Virginia, 16 hours of CE are required every two years, whereas the same architect licensed in Florida requires 24 hours of CE every two years.

Through continuing education, an architect is deemed qualified to perform their duties with confidence and certainty, leading to safer spaces for all.

Staying Current with Industry Trends

Architecture has seen significant improvement in processes, technology, and safety measures in the last decade alone. Firms are encouraged to use tools like AI, software such as 3D printing, and incorporate practices that support a circular economy. Such innovative solutions require continuous training.

When architects are up to date with the latest know-how:

• Architects position themselves for bigger opportunities and stay aligned with trends.
• They can tackle problems head-on with a more creative, knowledgeable approach.

According to a recent report by Vector Solutions, investing in employee training leads to 11% greater profitability year over year.

Enhancing Professional Credibility

Commitment to maintaining an active licensing status requires dedication. When an architect successfully renews their license through meeting CE requirements:

• It signals professionalism and seriousness toward the craft.
• Leading multiple projects, acquiring experience, and maintaining up-to-date continuing education accelerates an architect’s career with more opportunities and credibility within and outside the organization.
• It may also lead to increased pay, improved seniority, and becoming the go-to expert on projects.

Driving Firm Growth and Competitiveness

Investing in consolidated continuing education programs for employees allows leadership to plan ahead and bid for complex projects that require proof of active licensing. When firms introduce a learning path for architects for new and seasoned hires:

• There is an increase in employee retention by over 34%, which is critical to drive project success.
• Teams collaborate and communicate effectively, reducing workplace conflicts.
• Staying current translates to reduced project delays and efforts, resulting in improved time to completion.

How to Choose the Right Continuing Education for Architects

While setting the intention to design a continuing education program that meets the firm’s diverse licensing needs is an important first step, reaching the finish line requires a clear plan, an efficient team, and a flexible platform. The following are key factors to consider when building an actionable strategy.

Accreditation and Credit Recognition

Firms must take a detailed account of their existing licensed professionals and all the states they are currently registered with. It is crucial to have a centralized view of licensing requirements in all the states. Once key requirements are established, the selected courses must:

• Be verified by accrediting bodies like AIA or NCARB and count toward state-specific CE requirements.
• Explicitly state the number of hours they are pre-approved or accredited for.

Such a detailed outline enables firms to fill any gaps with other coursework formats (including live webinars, seminars, or in-person training).

Course Relevance to Practice Area

While most states require their architects to complete HSW coursework, the number of hours required may vary by state. Once HSW hours are planned for, the remaining can be dedicated toward the area of practice relevant to their specialties. For example:

• A residential architect may complete additional courses in accessibility, smart home efficiency, and material innovation.
• A commercial architect might require coursework on urban planning and zoning or advanced building envelopes that deal with energy and water systems inside the building.
• A sustainable architect might require coursework on LEED v5 certification, net zero design, climate resistance, and more.

These additional courses are designed to keep architects current with industry trends and compliance standards.

Flexible Learning Options

Due to the nature of the profession, architects are often on their feet and traveling to visit sites, or they are at their desk working on various tasks. While shortlisting a course provider, firms must consider:

• The learning style and preferred format that works for their organization. Some organizations may prefer on-demand or live online, in-person, live webinar, or a “lunch & learn” format. Choosing what works best allows room for more completions and increases interest in learning at their own pace.
• Exploring a content-only format using AICC and SCORM-compliant files that can be deployed into their existing HRIS, making learning, tracking, and reporting part of their HR process.

Cost, Value, and Accessibility

To assess the value of CE, firms must look beyond the initial cost and setup. While choosing free training provided by NCARB or any other platform or providing in-house training is an option, tracking and pre-planning can quickly become tedious. To avoid this, firms can consolidate continuing education for architects.

On average, AE firms save 30–60% on the cost of continuing education by consolidating training with Vector Solutions. This considers the cost of each CE for architects, which is approximately $20. Firms must consider the quality of the content, the depth and breadth of courses offered, and check for multi-device accessibility so their employees can pick up where they left off with ease, making CE a frictionless process.

Reputation of Course Provider

Choosing a course provider is an important step in building your CE program. Partnering with a reputable provider with tailored AEC training solutions helps organizations address setup-to-scaling challenges, work together to solve complex problems, and, with time, review and design courses that fit their growing need and curiosity for learning. Some of the steps to consider are:

• Reputation: Identify how long they have been in the market and how many customers they currently serve.
• Accreditation & Compliance: Check records for accreditation by AIA and NCARB. This information is usually displayed on the provider’s website, feature sheets, other marketing material, or B2B review sites.
• Verify with Industry Peers: With good service and quality content comes a longstanding line of satisfied customers. Checking with your industry peers can allow firms to vet their list in advance, even before contacting providers for a demo.
• Examine Coursework: Evaluate select courses for accreditation, quality, assessment capabilities, and information retention. A good course is designed based on learning best practices, including periodic pauses to answer quizzes, and has elements of audio, visuals, and kinesthetic learning, supporting a wide variety of learning styles.

Simplify the Management of Continuing Education for Architects with Vector

Commitment to continuing education builds a strong foundation for growth, and this is possible when learning is also tracked and reported consistently and efficiently. Vector Solutions’ suite of learning and compliance tools helps architecture firms stay safe and meet compliance. Our robust learning management system (LMS) is tailor-made for AEC firms, enabling teams to manage license renewals and deliver AEC training online, without disrupting demanding project schedules. With over 25 years of experience, our safety, compliance, and workforce readiness platform delivers accredited CE/PDH training, competency assessments, and role-specific AE learning paths that simplify multi-state licensing requirements.

Key Benefits Include:

• Deliver role-specific CE training with a comprehensive course library that supports architecture licenses across 50 states.
• Assign, track, and report course completions to help your firm meet professional licensing requirements with ease.
• Maximize billable hours and productivity with role-specific learning paths, competency assessments, microlearning courses, and just-in-time learning capabilities across sites, seniorities, and roles.
• Achieve proven ROI: Firms that consolidate CE with Vector save 30–60% annually on training costs, with mid-sized firms saving up to $69,000 per year and enterprises saving more than $345,000.

Book a demo today and see how Vector can help your firm deliver and manage architecture continuing education courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Continuing Education Hours Do Architects Need Each Year?

It depends. Typically, the average CE hours across states are 12–24 hours every two years. Certain states require their architects to complete state-specific training that helps them align with both federal and state requirements.

The two-year cycle is also known as the “renewal cycle,” in which architects are required to complete relevant coursework to be eligible to apply for license renewals at the end of the two-year period.

Do AIA-Approved Architect CEU Courses Count Toward State Licensure Requirements?

Yes, AIA-approved courses are widely accepted across many states, as they often include key categories such as Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW). These typically cover essential topics like building codes, safety, accessibility, and structural integrity.

However, each architect and employer should verify any additional state-specific requirements and ensure that their chosen training aligns with those standards to fully meet licensure obligations.

Can Firms Fully Complete Architect Continuing Education Online?

Yes, firms can choose learning formats that meet their learning styles and needs. These can all be online via on-demand courses or live webinars.

Firms can also choose mixed formats to provide options for employees and increase chances of completion.

What Topics Are Typically Covered in Continuing Education Courses for Architects?

Architecture continuing education is divided into four categories:

• Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW): Includes topics such as international building codes, accessibility standards, and life safety systems.
• Sustainability: Includes topics such as LEED and WELL certifications, net zero carbon design, sustainable design, and energy efficiency.
• Ethics: Includes topics on public responsibility, social equity, and inclusion that help architects build affordable spaces, conduct themselves professionally, and use new technology ethically and responsibly.
• Technology: Includes topics on AI in AEC, cutting-edge software that streamlines and accelerates design performance, and personal productivity tools to increase daily outputs.

How Do Architects Track Their CE Credits and Certificates?

Using a robust AEC LMS. A centralized LMS allows organizations to identify the least number of accredited courses that fulfill the maximum number of state-specific requirements, leading to maximizing billable hours.

A credible LMS also allows firms to track CE hours, document and report them for license renewal, and make CE a smooth and efficient process.

Why Should Firms Use an LMS to Manage Architect Continuing Education Requirements?

Managing continuing education for any size firm can become complex quickly. With firms hiring architects licensed across multiple states, a centralized system can help streamline CE efforts. With a reputed provider, firms can have oversight into pending license renewals, assign and track CE training, and report to renew licenses.

An LMS also enables leadership to plan for capacity and have oversight when bidding for complex projects.