What is AIA continuing education?
AIA continuing education (CE) refers to the professional development programs and learning activities offered by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to help architects and other AEC industry professionals maintain and enhance their skills. It’s a recognized system for meeting continuing education requirements in many licensing jurisdictions and is crucial for AIA membership.
Key aspects of AIA Continuing Education:
- Learning Units (LUs): AIA members must earn a certain number of LUs each year, with a specified portion dedicated to Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) topics.
- HSW Courses: These courses focus on topics like building codes, accessibility, and safety standards.
- Variety of Learning Options: AIA CE offers various formats, including virtual courses, live and on-demand programs, certificate programs, and in-person conferences.
- AIA CES Standards: AIA has established standards for CE providers and programs to ensure quality and consistency.
- Recognition and Acceptance: AIA-approved CE credits are widely accepted by state licensing boards in all 50 states.
- Importance for Licensure: Most jurisdictions require licensed architects to complete CE hours as part of their license renewal process.
- Benefits for Professionals: AIA CE helps architects stay up-to-date with industry trends, improve their skills, and meet professional development goals.
CE credit from our podcast-based courses is exclusive to members of Gābl Media — it’s one of the perks of doing things differently. To get access to accredited CE content you can listen to on the go, explore Gābl Media’s membership options for continuing education.
Become a Member Now
Ready to Learn Without the Paperwork?
You’ve got better things to do than fill out forms and upload screenshots. With Gābl Media, you get smarter learning, automatic reporting, and the freedom to focus on what matters most: staying sharp, staying licensed, and staying ahead.
Related Topics, Questions and Answers:
Need CE credits or guidance on LU|HSW tracking? Get the answers to the most searched continuing education questions for architects and design professionals — and learn how to earn CE credits fast, on the go, and with zero paperwork.
Most platforms make you jump through hoops to report your continuing education — but we’ve eliminated all that. With Gābl Media, your AIA credits are automatically tracked and submitted for you, so you can focus on learning, not paperwork. No extra forms, no manual uploads, and no guessing whether your credits went through. Learn exactly how Gābl Media’s AIA credit system simplifies the entire CEU process from start to finish — and why architects across the country are making the switch.
- Free continuing education for architects.
- NCARB continuing education.
- AIA continuing education.
- AIA continuing education courses free.
- Learn what continuing education means for architects.
- Understand local rules for continuing education credits.
- Explore how online continuing education works for architects.
- Find the best place to get online CE credits for architects.
- Discover the best online CE program for architects.
- Learn what AIA means in architecture.
- Understand what AIA certification means.
- See the benefits of AIA certification.
- Learn how to become AIA certified.
- Explore what AIA continuing education is.
- Understand what AIA continuing education credits are.
- Learn what an AIA Learning Unit (LU) is.
- Discover the types of AIA continuing education credits.
- Find out who can issue AIA continuing education credits.
- Learn the standards for AIA-approved CE providers.
- Understand the standards of AIA-approved CE programs.
- See how to get AIA course credits.
- Discover where to earn AIA credits.
- Review the AIA continuing education requirements.
Additional Resources:
- AIA’s official CEU hub outlines continuing education requirements, HSW criteria, and LU tracking for licensed architects across all 50 states.
- PDH Academy breaks down the AIA continuing education requirements for LU|HSW credits and license renewal, including what qualifies and how to report.
- Use this AIA resource to verify state-by-state continuing education requirements for architects and how they align with AIA membership standards.
- The AIA FAQ page answers common questions about membership, CE credits, LU reporting, state compliance, and AIA benefits.
- The official AIA Continuing Education Standards document outlines the program criteria and requirements for CES credit approval, including learning objectives and delivery format.
- If you’re developing a course, AIA’s provider portal explains how to become an AIA CES provider and offer approved continuing education to licensed professionals.
- AIA requires all event speakers and course presenters to agree to the terms outlined in the AIA CES Speaker Agreement Form to maintain content quality and neutrality.
- Terp Consulting’s sample listing gives a great example of how to write an AIA-approved course description for LU|HSW credit, including learning objectives and compliance language.
- Nawkaw provides AIA CES-approved courses focused on stain systems and concrete surface treatments, offering LU and LU|HSW credits for building professionals.
- Architectural Record curates a frequently updated library of AIA-approved architect continuing education courses, articles, and quizzes for licensed professionals.