Admission
Students from a wide variety of academic backgrounds, both with and without prior study in landscape architecture, are admitted to this graduate degree program.
Students without background study constitute the majority of the student body. Normally, they complete the degree requirements in six semesters, plus a prerequisite summer session studio taken before the first fall semester. Prior to enrollment, students are encouraged to become familiar with the discipline through reading and/or coursework in the history of landscape architecture, drawing or ecology.
Students with degrees in architecture and landscape architecture can be granted advanced standing and may complete the degree requirements in four semesters.
Curriculum
This graduate-level professional degree program prepares graduates for professional work in private offices, teaching, and public service. At the core of the curriculum is the design studio. Design invention is grounded in the language of the discipline through an understanding of its relationship to architecture and the study of landscape history, theory and ecology. The design of the landscape embodies a vision of public life and an attitude towards the natural world. It brings together the study of natural systems with the exploration of social, ethical, and cultural issues. It is also, fundamentally, about making and building, grounded in an understanding of materials and processes. Essential to the design process is the ability to read and interpret and site within its context and shape its next evolution. Understanding sites and systems is developed through the “ecology and technology” sequence of courses in plants, landform, detailing, site engineering, and digital media, all of which stress the importance of giving form to conceptual ideas and values investigated in history and theory courses, and synthesized through projects in design studios. Elective seminars address special topics in landscape architecture, along with offerings to explore issues in the related disciplines
The design studio is structured to expose students to the range of scales and issues in landscape architecture, along with opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary and independent studios.
Master of Landscape Architecture Curriculum
The Master of Landscape Architecture program allows students with liberal arts degrees to obtain a first professional degree in landscape architecture. This requires three years plus an introductory summer session. Each semester’s work consists of a design studio with supporting history, theory, construction, and natural systems courses.
A total of eighteen elective credits are required. Six of those credits (two courses) must be taken in the Landscape Architecture program. The remaining credits may be taken in any program of the University. Since students come from different backgrounds and experiences, electives can be distributed either to give students exposure to the different fields related to landscape architecture, or to develop an area of expertise, such as design theory, historic preservation, ecological design and planning, or urbanism. Students may undertake an independent study with a faculty member as one of their electives, but those wishing to take more than one independent study must petition the faculty to do so.
In the final year, students may elect to undertake an independent studio. If so, L AR 821 (Research Methods) must be taken in the fall semester in order to develop a thesis, identify a faculty advisor(s), and prepare a theoretical basis for the spring term independent studio. L AR 821 counts as one of the six elective courses.
Students with accredited baccalaureate or masters degrees in architecture or landscape architecture may receive up to one year in advanced standing.
Below is a typical program of study for Masters of Landscape Architecture. The sequence of courses may vary for individual students, in consultation with their faculty advisor. Each student is responsible for meeting with their advisor and completing their advising sheet each semester.
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