Master of Landscape Architecture

Landscape architecture is a STEM* discipline integrating knowledge of ecological systems, social systems, human behavior, technology, the arts and the humanities in the development of solutions to society’s most pressing challenges, including responses to climate change and inequities. The consequences of climate change threaten the health of natural ecosystems, and the health of cities and populations potentially exposed to extreme heat, drought, changing weather patterns and sea level rise. These impacts only exacerbate historic inequities in our society concerning exposure to environmental negatives such as pollution, as well as access to environmental positives such as parks, healthy foods, natural experiences, and safe streets.

The mission of our MLA program is to develop leaders in evidence-based landscape architecture, who are proactive, creative in leveraging opportunities, and socially conscious of their actions. The curriculum stresses academic excellence focused on developing awareness of current issues and opportunities, experimenting with innovative methods and technologies to develop solutions, and synthesizing interdisciplinary knowledge, community-based knowledge, connecting personal values to analyses, policies, and designs at multiple scales. We use evidence that support the planning and design process, derived from academic research literature, community engagement, and the wealth of accessible data to inform decision-making and design.

To accomplish this mission, our MLA curriculum is grounded in the following goals:

1. Cultivate leadership to address pressing environmental and social challenges facing communities.
2. Develop strength in design as an iterative process engaging multiple scales.
3. Utilize data and evidence effectively to inform decision-making and design.
4. Ground insights and solutions in academic research.
5. Foster sophisticated understanding of community engagement to support equitable design outcomes.
6. Promote understanding of historical and theoretical foundations of diverse landscape architecture traditions.
7. Support effective communication of ideas and evidence-based solutions across media and audiences.

Students in the MLA program will achieve the following learning outcomes upon graduation. 

1. Leadership and Advocacy – Demonstrate ethical leadership and advocacy to advance equity and sustainability in communities in response to pressing environmental and social challenges.
2. Design – Apply an iterative, evidence-based design process across multiple scales to promote climate resilience, public health, and nature-based solutions.
3. Application of Evidence – Collect, analyze, and apply literature, data, and community evidence to inform design decisions and policy recommendations.
4. Research Integration – Critically evaluate and integrate academic research to support design concepts and solutions.
5. Inclusive Engagement – Apply inclusive community engagement strategies to support equitable design outcomes.
6. Theoretical Foundation – Analyze and apply historical and theoretical frameworks from diverse cultural and ecological traditions that inform landscape architecture practice.
7. Communication – communicate design ideas and evidence-based solutions clearly and effectively through written, verbal, and visual media tailored to diverse audiences and platforms.