Landscape Architecture, M.L.A.

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Objective

The First Professional Degree Program in Landscape Architecture is a fully accredited, professional program that focuses on the design of the urban environment. The course work focuses on investigating aesthetic, ecological, and social/cultural concerns as a means of establishing sustainable urban communities. Within this philosophical context, the Program is designed to heighten the student’s sensitivity to and knowledge of the skills and values fundamental to the landscape architecture profession.

The Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture provides national leadership in the study of cultural, design and environmental issues that affect underserved urban communities. The greater Baltimore-Washington region serves as a field of inquiry and practice for faculty and students to gain real-world urban practice. Additionally, course work is enriched by field trips to significant sites in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and throughout the east coast area. Design studios address issues such as enriching community life in redeveloping neighborhoods, renovating the pedestrian realm, enhancing public spaces, and solving urban environmental problems within these and other urban project realms. Recent studio projects in real-world community settings have included: urban strip shopping center revitalization, transit and greenway development, community park/playground design, regional park design, public plaza design, and urban in-fill housing site design. Students are also exposed to various career avenues through contact with professional offices, public agencies, and community organizations.

The Program is dedicated to framing landscape architecture study areas (design studio, history/theory, technical skills, technology/media, environmental resources, community service) through the development of critical thinking and analysis skills. Students are challenged in both design studio and other courses to develop processes through drawing, writing, building and discussing ideas as a means of improving the communication of design studio concepts and ideas in seminar-oriented courses. In particular, the design studio sequence builds these critical thinking skills as the physical scale, human functional program, and complexity of the urban context increases from Studio I through Studio VI. A variety of software and 3-D modeling programs, including AutoCAD, AdobeSuite, SketchUp, and ArcGIS, are employed to support design studio learning and communication.

The First Professional Degree Program is intended for students who have an undergraduate degree that is NOT a professional degree in Landscape Architecture.

Accreditation

The First Professional Degree Program is a fully accredited program by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) of the American Society of Landscape Architecture (ASLA). In the State of Maryland, graduates from an accredited graduate program are eligible after three years of full-time, professionally supervised employment to take the national Landscape Architecture Registration Exam (LARE).

Admissions and Academic Requirements

Two MLA Programs of Study are available:

90-Credit Program of Study:

Students who have a bachelor’s degree in ANY MAJOR and are initiating their first studies in a professional landscape architecture degree are eligible to apply to this program. To receive the MLA degree, students must complete all the course work as listed below and submit and defend an acceptable Thesis or Masters Degree Project. A design portfolio is not required for this program option.

60-Credit Program of Study:

Students who hold a four-year college degree in a CLOSELY RELATED DESIGN FIELD (e.g., Architecture, Urban Planning and Design, Environmental Design, Landscape Design) that is comparable to 30 of the 90 credits in the program outlined below are eligible to apply to the 60-credit MLA program of study. Acceptance into this program requires the applicant to submit and receive approval from the Landscape Architecture Faculty for (1) catalog descriptions (and syllabi, if possible) of courses to be considered as equivalent to courses in the program and (2) a design portfolio.

Program of Study

The schedule listed below is the suggested sequence of study for completing all 90 credits of course work required for the MLA degree within a three-year time frame.

Note: Students must satisfy all degree requirements within seven (7) years from the date of admission to the School of Graduate Studies.

First Year (Fall)

LAAR 510 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio I 6 Credits
LAAR 512 - Graphics Workshop 3 credits.
LAAR 511 - History I: of Landscape Architecture 3 Credits

(Sub) Total: 12

First Year (Spring)

LAAR 520 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio II 6 Credits
LAAR 522 - Technology I: Grading & Drainage 3 Credits
LAAR 513 - Environmental Resources I 3 Credits
ENST 770 - Computer Aided Design I (CAD/PhotoShop/etc.) 3 Credits

(Sub) Total: 15

First Year (Summer)

ENST 739 - Design & Human Behavior 3 Credits
LAAR 523 - Plant Materials 3 Credits

(Sub) Total: 6

Second Year (Fall)

LAAR 530 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio III 6 Credits
LAAR 532 - Technology III: Advanced Site Construction 3 credits.
LAAR 533 - Environmental Resources II 3 Credits
LAAR 525 - GIS: Geographic Information Systems for Landscape Architects 3 Credits

(Sub) Total: 15

Second Year (Spring)

LAAR 540 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio IV 6 Credits
LAAR 551 - History II: 20th Century History and Theory of Landscape Design 3 Credits
LAAR 552 - Planting Design 3 Credits
Elective 3 credits.

(Sub) Total: 15

Third Year (Fall)

LAAR 550 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio V 6 Credits
LAAR 751 - Research Methods 3 Credits
Elective 3 credits.
Elective 3 credits.

(Sub) Total: 15

Third Year (Spring)

Student must select Master’s Project Option (I) or Master’s Thesis Option (II)

LAAR 561 - Landscape Architectural Practice 3 Credits
Elective 3 credits.
Elective 3 credits.

Option I: Master’s Project Option

LAAR 560 - Studio VI: Master’s Degree Project 6 Credits

Option II: Master’s Thesis Option

LAAR 789 - Supervised Research 3 Credits
LAAR 799 - Thesis Seminar 3 Credits

(Sub) Total: 15

Note

All electives must have approval of the Department Chair or designated Faculty Advisor. The elective must supplement the unified LAAR program of study.

It is recommended that ENST 739 be taken the summer prior to entry into the first year fall term if possible. Students are required to take ENST 739 during a summer term prior to the beginning of the third year fall term.