Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)

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The degree of Master of Landscape Architecture is the advanced professional degree for graduates with baccalaureate credentials in landscape architecture and is a first professional degree for the graduate from a non-landscape architectural background. The program is accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board. Candidates are admitted from related and unrelated fields and backgrounds. An advanced professional life experience track is available for eligible candidates.

Course Requirements. Candidates must complete a minimum of 52 credits, including no more than six credits of thesis or project. For students without baccalaureate credentials in landscape architecture, required preparatory courses are in addition to the minimum credits for graduate work. For advanced professional life experience candidates, the minimum requirement is 30 credits including thesis. At least 50 percent of all course work must be graduate courses in landscape architecture. For some study areas, candidates may select a terminal project requiring six credits in lieu of a thesis. Field trips are required as part of normal course work. Students should plan to have adequate funds for trips and studio materials. Students will be required to own personal computers with CADD graphics capabilities.

The program is flexible in meeting the needs of applicants with varied backgrounds. Students entering the graduate program in landscape architecture follow one of the four following tracks:

Graduates without Design-Related Baccalaureate Degrees. For those students with little to no background in design, a summer preparatory program is required that should aid in the development of basic analytical, design and graphic skills. Having successfully completed this summer term, students advance into a two-semester sequence of articulation courses that provide a foundation of applied landscape design and planning theory as well as a foundation in landscape construction. A 7- to 10-day field trip is required during one semester. Following this first year of articulation, students enter a two-year program of advanced graduate study.
Graduates with Design-Related Baccalaureate Degrees. Students entering with a design background in a related field are normally required to enroll in a two-semester program that will transfer and enhance their analytical and design skills while providing a foundation in landscape architecture theory and practice. Students without course work or experience in site analysis and computer aided design should enroll in summer preparatory courses in these areas of study prior to their first fall semester of study. The first two semesters of course work focus on landscape planning, design and construction. A 7- to 10-day field trip is required during one semester. Having successfully completed this first year of instruction, students advance into a two-year program of advanced graduate study.
Graduates with Accredited Professional Baccalaureate Degrees in Landscape Architecture. Those students having graduated from an accredited professional degree program in landscape architecture immediately enter a two-year program of advanced graduate study.
Graduates with Significant Life Experience in the Practice of Landscape Architecture. Those persons who have a baccalaureate degree, preferably from an accredited program in landscape architecture, and a significant history of achievement in professional practice may tailor a program of advanced study to meet their specific needs. A minimum of 30 graduate credits is required for the MLA degree. With the exception of those applicants with significant life experience and practice in landscape architecture, the normal tenure of graduate study is five semesters and includes a summer semester internship. Students complete at least 52 credit hours comprised of lecture courses, seminars, design and construction studios, internship and individual study (special studies, supervised research and thesis or project). This time period would be extended should a student elect to expand their course work or seek a concurrent degree in a related field.

Design Studios. Three graduate design studios build upon required lecture and seminar courses. The emphasis and issues addressed in the planning/design studios are user issues, both social and behavioral; issues of the regional, the social, cultural, and natural context; and ecological issues from regional to site scales of concern. Each studio requires a student to develop a research component regarding project type, program/user analysis, and other resource data. Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaborations are encouraged on both a formal and an informal basis. Graduate studio projects also deal with current issues related to the mission of the department related to research and community service.

Construction. Graduate landscape construction is ancillary to the design studio sequence. Project management methodologies, contract writing, production of bid documents, and material specification issues are explored. Utilization of computer technology is required.

Thesis/Terminal Project. It is recognized that students have different professional goals and personal strengths and interests. Students who are interested in further research, teaching, or in pursuing advanced degrees are advised to select a thesis. For students expressing a desire for design or project-oriented aspects of landscape architecture, or if their specific areas of interest suggest a nontraditional approach, a project with a significant research component is appropriate.