First year students enrolled in the new three-year Bachelor of Built Environment (Landscape Architecture) are on track to graduate from a non-accredited program.

But Professor Charles Lemckret, head of the university's school of design and built environment, said all students should be able to graduate from an accredited program.

Australian Institute of Landscape Architects chief executive Tim Arnold said the university needed to give the course attention to ensure that it could meet the requirements for accreditation, which it was working towards.

"Landscape architects are now playing a bigger role in the development and design of liveable cities," he said.

"There's also a growing demand for the profession so it makes sense that a city like Canberra, where the built form is integrated within the beautiful surrounding landscape, has a landscape architecture program."

Mr Arnold said there may be a pathway for students to complete an accredited program at the university, such as an accredited masters program.

Programs accredited by the institute are always more than three years long, he said.

Mr Arnold said he could appreciate student confusion over the nature of the new program.

Professor Lemckert said the university began teaching the new program this year.

"The Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture has always been and continue to be a strong supporter of the landscape architecture program at [the university]," he said.

"Both institutions are currently working together to ensure the best outcomes for our students. The [institute] will provisionally accredit our old landscape architecture course subject to the submission of an imminent report by [the university]."

"In the meantime, all students enrolled in landscape architecture at [the university] can graduate from an accredited degree through the provisionally accredited old course whilst the new course is reviewed.

"This should ensure that all students currently enrolled in a landscape architecture program at [the university] should be able to graduate from an accredited program."

Mr Arnold said the the university's old program, which was provisionally accredited, was being taught out and had no first-year intake.

But there were still strong employment prospects for graduates of non-accredited programs, he said.

Graduates of accredited landscape architecture programs can become registered landscape architects with two years of experience, while non-accredited program graduates need eight years of experience.