Root of profession
To profess or declare
Regulated profession
A profession regulated by the government
Self-regulated profession
A profession regulated by a body composed of members of that profession.
Right to Title
Grants the exclusive right to use a professional title, credential, or designation only to those who have met the qualifications of the body governed by legislation.
Right to Practice
Reserves particular acts solely to qualified members of the group.
Licensure
Provides an occupational group with a virtual monopoly in terms of who can practice in a specified profession domain.
Requirements of licensure
Specific program of academic study, a defined period of work experience, and the satisfactory completion of a licencing exam.
Certification
Monopoly on the use of a specific professional designation or reserved title.
Unlike licencing, it does not prohibit unlicenced individuals from practicing within their domain.
Registration
Listed on a register maintained and sanctioned by the specific body.
How will planning move from registration to licensure?
Requires the profession to demonstrate clearly how the public needs protection from the serious consequences of unethical or incompetent conduct by those engaged in the planning field of practice.
Ernest Green wood’s five elements of professionalization
- A basis of systematic theory
- Authority recognized by the clientele of the professional group
- Broader community sanction and approval of that authority
- Code of ethics
- A professional culture sustained by a formal professional association
Wasserman, Sullivan, and Palermo’s six criteria for professional status
- University level education in a special area of knowledge Central to that profession
- Internship and supervised entry level performance to demonstrate competence
- Knowledge and practices that require the unique exercise of learned judgement of each new situation
- Establishment of disciplinary identity and uniqueness with the establishment of professional organizations, journals, education system and standards for certification
- Autonomy earned by the profession and recognized and granted by society through government, in defining and mastering the knowledge and practice of the profession, resulting in self policing with regard to the standards of practice and ethical conduct.
- Having the knowledge and expertise necessary for protecting the well beings of persons and society.
Attributes of a professional (general)
- Responsible acknowledgement of a special duty to society
- Expertise, described by the body of abstract theoretical knowledge they possess
- Identity as a reflection of the professional member’s unique standing in society
- Competence and sound judgement
- Vocational ethic making explicit the values and obligations that form the foundation of the profession
- Integrity expressed as the unconditional and steadfast commitment to a principled approach to meeting their obligations
