Master of Landscape Architecture

Many applicants have not taken any design courses. In these cases, submit several samples of writing or other work that represent your critical and/or creative thinking skills. If you have taken graphics or design classes, or if you have done informal design related to landscape architecture, consider submitting examples of them. You can also submit other kinds of creative work, photography, arts, or crafts. The portfolio supplements your application, transcripts, statement of intent and letters of recommendation in representing your talents and potential to the graduate studies committee.

Yes, when you apply through CSU Apply, you can send the invitation link there to your referees. They will received a digital form to fill in their rating on you and recommendation letter. On part of the recommendation form, please have them consider addressing several general predictors of success in landscape architecture graduate studies. Among these predictors are: your capacity and interest in natural and social systems and multiple scales, ability to work in team environments and handle interpersonal conflicts, capacity for complexity and ambiguity, ability to complete projects, interest in resolving difficult issues, and your understanding of the time commitments involved in graduate work in landscape architecture.

No, please have your official transcripts sent directly to the Admissions office (see above). Unofficial copies should be provided with your CSU Apply application and to the department with your MLA Supplemental Package by the March 1st deadline for supplemental application materials.

Some courses can serve as substitutes for required courses, such as a basic ecology course and introductory graphic courses. You should speak with the graduate coordinator about specific courses and your background. Keep in mind that a maximum of 9 semester units of upper level courses may be transferred into the graduate program from other universities. Only those courses that meet the requirement of the MLA program will be considered for credit transferring. Any request to transfer units is pending for approval by the graduate coordinator.

Student in enrolled in an accredited MLA program in the United States may apply to transfer into the two-year Advanced Standing MLA II program.

Our courses are taught in sequence, so General Standing applicants (without design backgrounds) must begin our program in Fall semester only. We do not accept spring admission in most case. 

Applicants transferring from another accredited MLA program may request enrolling in Spring semester – please contact the graduate coordinator mla@cpp.edu to find out if space is available. For consideration to begin in Spring, the complete application (CSU Apply + MLA Supplemental package) must be submitted by the December 15^th. 

Cost and financial information can be found at https://www.cpp.edu/~financial-aid/ index.shtml on the university webpage.

See also www.asla.org/nonmembers/laf_section.cfm for information about scholarships previously won by Cal Poly Pomona students. In addition, the department offers a range of scholarships, including several that applicants can apply for.  Scholarship applications are due March 1st.

 Student assistantships occasionally are offered by the department on a case by case basis. Tuition for in-state students is quite inexpensive and domestic students from outside of California are eligible for in-state residency after one year. See Cost, Scholarships, Awards, and Financial Aid Resources section for more details.

There are many landscape architecture job opportunities in the Los Angeles area and many students are employed while studying in the graduate program. Based on experience, it is recommended that students do not take jobs in their first year and take no more than 15 hours per week in their second and third year. The program’s courses are generally concentrated during three of the five working days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), allowing students time to be engaged outside of class with studies and employment. The last six months of the program, when students are engaged in their cumulating experience, are quite intense and students usually reduce workloads during that time.

Many students live in nearby communities of Pomona, Claremont, La Verne, Pasadena, West Covina, and elsewhere. Commuting long distances is workable, but at times difficult and moving closer to campus should be considered. On-campus housing is also available through http://www.cpp.edu/~housing/index.shtml 3. Use more descriptive link text and through the Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies http://env.cpp.edu/rs. During the pandemic, teaching will be offered online and thus you can live wherever you want as long as you have good internet connection.

Unfortunately, the university does not offer housing for married couples. There are many options at affordable cost in neighborhoods around campus, such as Pomona, Claremont, La Verne, Diamond Bar, Rowland Height, Chino Hills etc.

Please feel free to visit campus at any time. A map is on the campus website (http:// www.cpp.edu/maps/static/) and our graduate studios are in Building 2, rooms 128, 129, and 130. Other classrooms are for the department are in building 3 and 7. The department website will announce special presentations and year-end juries as well. Mondays tend to be the best days to visit the program because classes for all three years of the graduate program meet on Mondays and you can see a good cross-section of the program. Class visit opportunities are along available online during the pandemic. Reach out to the graduate coordinator (mla@cpp.edu) for more information.

After the March 1st deadline for submitting materials, packages will be reviewed and acceptance/waiting list letters sent out in early April. Notification of acceptance is expected from admitted applicants by April 15th and then invitations are extended to waiting list candidates to fill any available spaces.

 CPP MLA graduates are exceptional candidates for a wide range of landscape architecture careers in both private design firms and public sectors. MLA graduates working in private and public sections are about half-half. Public sectors which hired our graduates include but not limited to federal, state, regional and local governments and agencies as well as environmental and social none-profit organizations. Private sectors which hired our graduates include but not limited to large interdisciplinary design and planning firms, environmental consulting groups, as well as small landscape design and construction firms. In addition, there is a good portion of our alumni run their own landscape design and landscaping business in Los Angeles region and beyond.

No. The statement of intent submitted with your online application at Cal State Apply may be the same statement of intent that you submit to the Landscape Architecture Department.

We do not defer admission as it is both CSU and Campus Policy. Students who would like to attend in a future term, must reapply as returning applicant (see application procedure section for details) for the desired term of attendance.

As part of the CSU system, Cal Poly Pomona offers one of the lowest tuitions in the nation and thus is very affordable (see Tuition section for more information). Tuition waiver is unfortunately not available in the CSU system, as its tuition is relatively low compared to other universities. Graduate assistantship is available on a case-by-case basis after the students have been in the program for at least one semester. In other words, assistantship is normally not available to incoming students.