2012-2013 General Catalog (Spring 2013) ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.
Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning
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 Return to: Academic Departments and Programs
Department Head: Sean E. Michael
Location: Fine Arts Visual 230
Phone: (435) 797-0500
FAX: (435) 797-0503
E-mail: laepinfo@usu.edu
(faculty e-mail addresses available on departmental website)
WWW: http://laep.usu.edu/
Undergraduate Program Director:
Michael L. Timmons, Fine Arts Visual 260, (435) 797-1510, michael.timmons@usu.edu
Undergraduate Advisement:
College of Agriculture Student Services Center, Pamela George, AGSC 254, (435) 797-2282, pam.george@usu.edu
Graduate Program Director:
Sean E. Michael, Fine Arts Visual 228, (435) 797-0509, sean.michael@usu.edu
Graduate Program Questions:
Kathy Allen, Fine Arts Visual 230, (435) 797-0501, kathy.allen@usu.edu
Degrees offered: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA); Master of Science (MS) in Bioregional Planning. BLA and first professional MLA programs are fully accredited by the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Department Objectives
The objectives of the department are to (1) provide an educational and technical program responsive to current societal needs related to environmental planning, landscape architecture, and urban design; (2) give students the opportunity to participate in collaborative learning experiences with other disciplines on campus; (3) prepare students for professional careers in the private or public sector; and (4) conduct original research to advance the body of knowledge in landscape architecture, environmental planning, and design.
Undergraduate Programs
Admission and Graduation Requirements
The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) degree program is an intensive four-year studio-based course of study, fully accredited by the American Society of Landscape Architects. Accreditation standards require the department to maintain a reasonable faculty/student ratio. Space in the program is restricted by facility availability and faculty size. Admission to the upper division is competitive, and is limited to students who are determined by the faculty to have the best potential for academic success. Matriculation into the upper division will normally be limited to 25 students, although additional students may be matriculated in special circumstances at the discretion of the LAEP faculty.
Any student admitted to USU is eligible for enrollment in lower-division LAEP courses. At the end of the sophomore year, a selection process will determine which students will matriculate into the upper division of the program.
Students applying for matriculation must have a minimum USU GPA of 2.5. Eligibility for matriculation requires the completion of the following prerequisite courses:
Selection of students to be matriculated to the upper division is based on a letter of intent; a portfolio demonstrating creative potential, problem solving skills, and graphic fluency; and cumulative GPA earned in the seven LAEP prefix courses listed above. Portfolios and letters of intent are to be submitted by the last Monday in March. Detailed information regarding the letter of intent and portfolio requirements may be obtained from the LAEP Department website: http://www.laep.usu.edu/. The final selection of students to matriculate to the upper division is a decision of the LAEP faculty. The review of students for matriculation will take place during the week following spring semester final exams, and students will be notified as soon as possible thereafter.
Students who have had LAEP courses waived or covered by articulation from another institution will have their GPA calculated only on the basis of LAEP grades actually earned at USU.
Transfer students from other programs of landscape architecture who have completed the equivalent of the lower-division USU LAEP coursework may apply for admission to the upper division of the program through submission of a portfolio, letter of intent, transcript of grades, and description of landscape architecture courses taken. Students who have previously been enrolled and matriculated into the upper division at USU, and must interrupt their education for up to three academic years, may resume their studies at the same level of the program which they departed upon returning to USU. Students who have stopped-out longer than three years must reapply, following the guidelines specified for transfer students. The decision on applications from transfer students and for readmission rests with the LAEP faculty and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Computer Requirement
Computer competency is essential in the contemporary professional environment. Appropriate computer skills are required for most entry-level opportunities in landscape architecture and environmental planning.
Course content increasingly relies on computer skills and personal access to computers with the appropriate software.
All students in the BLA program (beginning with LAEP 1300 ) must purchase, lease, or otherwise obtain continuing and uninterrupted access to a personal computer, preferably a laptop, which meets the configuration requirements specified by the LAEP Department. See the department website for current specifications.
Recommended High School Courses
High school students planning to major in landscape architecture may enhance their preparation with courses in art, natural sciences, social sciences, horticulture, computer applications, and math through college algebra.
Sample Four-year Plan for Landscape Architecture Major
A sample semester-by-semester four-year plan for students working toward a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) degree can be found on the department website.
Students should consult with the College of Agriculture student advisor to develop a plan of study tailored to their individual needs and interests.
Study Abroad
The department supports a longstanding cooperative agreement with the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia where students can study for a semester. Approved courses of study in design and planning programs offered by other institutions may count toward the travel requirement; however, course substitutions are subject to faculty approval.
Faculty-Sponsored Field Study Travel
The department has a long tradition of a professionally oriented “Spring Break” trip, which is offered for undergraduate students under LAEP 4350 . Recent trips have included San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Boston, and Washington, DC.
The department also offers an international (1-2 week) field study experience, the destination of which changes from year to year. For example:
May 2007 and 2011—The Italian Renaissance Villa and Town Planning: Looks at Greek (Paestum) and Roman (Pompeii, Roman Forum) antecedents, as well as Renaissance villas from the region surrounding Rome to Florence and the Tuscan landscape.
March 2006 and 2008—Paris and Berlin: Looks at the development of the urban fabric with a concentration on contemporary urban development issues, as well as public places and architecture of
historical significance.
Individual Travel
Undergraduate students desiring to count individual travel toward their degree will need to enroll for LAEP 4350 - Travel Course . Prior to enrollment, students must submit and have approved a proposal for individual travel/study to the LAEP Travel Coordinator faculty for review. The content, objectives, and outcomes of the proposal will be evaluated for parity with the educational objectives of the travel program. See LAEP website for details.
Departmental Honors
Students who would like to experience greater academic depth within their major are encouraged to enroll in departmental honors. Through original, independent work, Honors students enjoy the benefits of close supervision and mentoring, as they work one-on-one with faculty in select upper-division departmental courses. Honors students also complete a senior project, which provides another opportunity to collaborate with faculty on a problem that is significant, both personally and in the student’s discipline. Participating in departmental honors enhances students’ chances for obtaining fellowships and admission to graduate school.
The LAEP Department offers a departmental honors program for BLA students. To qualify, students must be matriculated in the upper division of the LAEP program and must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50. The 15-credit honors course requirement for LAEP honors recognition is met by completion of the following: (1) a 3-credit honors thesis during the senior year, (2) two readings seminars (LAEP 6910 and LAEP 6930 ), and (3) an additional 10 credits of upper-division honors coursework.
Interested students should contact the Honors Program, Main 15, (435) 797-2715, honors@usu.edu. Additional information can be found online at: http://www.usu.edu/honors/
Additional Information
For detailed information about requirements for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, see the major requirement sheet, which can be obtained from the department website.
Graduate Programs
Environmental Field Service
Practical Education and Community Service
The department sponsors a program of planning and design services in which MS, MLA, and BLA students participate. The Environmental Field Service program engages students with community leaders and citizens and tests concepts and skills acquired in the classroom while working on real projects.
Internships and Cooperative Education
Many students take advantage of the practical learning opportunities available through internships and cooperative education programs. The student, in cooperation with the department and government agency or private firm, makes the necessary arrangements. Internships and cooperative education experiences are not required for degree completion. In some cases, these experiences may be used as the basis for waiver of selected courses, subject to approval in advance by the major professor, graduate program director, and department head. Students completing these experiences are required to make a summary presentation to department faculty and students.
Financial Assistance
The application deadlines for scholarships and financial assistance vary. For current application deadline information, contact the LAEP Department, the USU Financial Aid Office, and the School of Graduate Studies. Acceptance to pursue graduate study does not guarantee the student financial assistance.
Career Opportunities
The Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning provides education for careers in landscape architectural site planning, design, environmental planning, and management, with special consideration for conditions in the Intermountain West. Graduates are employed by local, state, and federal agencies, as well as by private sector professional firms. LAEP graduates also find employment in academia at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty
Professor
Sean E. Michael, human-environment relationships, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), bioregional and recreation design
Professors Emeritus
John C. Ellsworth, visual resource management, public lands recreation, land rehabilitation/revegetation
Craig W. Johnson, wildlife habitat planning and design, riparian buffers, site planning, planting design
Associate Professors
David L. Bell, community planning and design, construction document preparation
Caroline Lavoie, urban design and cultural landscapes, design theory, landscape and planning theory
Michael L. Timmons, site planning and design, recreation and open space planning, landscape history, historic preservation
Phillip S. Waite, campus planning, planting design, sustainable design, construction materials and methods, design/build
Associate Professor Emeritus
Vern J. Budge, landscape construction, recreation planning
Assistant Professors
Keith M. Christensen, socially equitable design, site analysis, site planning, public lands/recreation
Shujuan Li, GIS modeling, spatial analysis, landscape ecology, urban China, urban theory and design, landscape planning for wildlife
Carlos V. Licon, sustainable landscapes, open space, community, urban and regional landscape planning
Bo Yang, ecological planning, hydrologic modeling, interdisciplinary design, digital communication, landscape construction, city and regional planning
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