College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

 

The department offers a three-year, first professional degree for students with a bachelor’s degree in any area of study. This option allows students having a wide range of undergraduate experience to obtain an accredited degree in landscape architecture that fulfills the educational requirement for professional registration and allows entrance into the field of landscape architecture. 

The program for the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) emphasizes both traditional site planning and design, as well as broader areas of the profession, such as large-scale regional landscape analysis and planning, open space conservation, historic landscape preservation, and sustainable design. The MLA first professional degree is fully accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

The Master of Landscape Architecture program is designed to prepare the student for the landscape architect’s challenging role of providing a holistic approach to environmental planning and design. In order for landscape architects to contribute effectively to an interdisciplinary effort, they must be competent in the fundamentals of landscape architecture and also have an understanding of the subject matter of other professions. Landscape architects must master the communication skills necessary to achieve meaningful collaboration. In support of this philosophy, the following are the major objectives of the MLA program.

1. To provide a well-structured curriculum in fundamental professional knowledge and skills.
2. To research, analyze, and resolve land use and design issues related specifically to the Intermountain West. The scope of the program examines national, regional, and local issues; and their impact on the visual, physical, and cultural setting of the Intermountain West.
3. To integrate field experience and research into major graduate studio courses structured around real-world projects.
4. To provide opportunities for each student for exploration and development of an area of concentration as noted elsewhere.
5. To draw upon the regional, national, and international relationships of Utah State University to facilitate a program of academic and professional excellence which will allow the student to achieve eminence in practice, research, or education.

Areas of Faculty Expertise

The Master of Landscape Architecture program provides opportunities for each student to study and conduct research in areas which take advantage of the strengths of Utah State University and the landscape context of the Intermountain West centered around the expertise of the LAEP Department faculty, including:

• Community Planning—Lavoie, Licon, Sleipness
• Cultural and Historic Landscapes—George, Sleipness
• Design/Theory and Representation—Johnson, Lavoie
• Environmental Psychology—Chamberlain
• Geovisualization—Chamberlain, George, George
• Human-Environment Relations—Michael
• Open Space Conservation—Licon, Sleipness
• Public Lands/Recreation—Christensen, Michael, Sleipness
• Site Planning—Christensen, Evans, Johnson, Lavoie
• Socially Equitable Design—Christensen
• Sustainable Landscapes—Licon, Hirschfeld
• Urban Regional Landscape Planning—Evans, Licon
• Water Conservation—Powell
• Watershed Sustainability—Powell

These areas of faculty expertise include an assessment of the relevant environmental, design, social, economic, and public policy issues utilizing a wide range of computer-based techniques and models.

Admission Requirements

The application deadline for consideration in the first round of reviews is March 15. Applications received later than March 15 will be considered as space availability allows.

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. Therefore, course content increasingly relies on computer skills and personal access to computers with the appropriate software.

All students entering the MLA program 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. Consult the departmental website for current specifications.

Course of Study

The graduate program director oversees academic advising of all incoming students until they have selected a thesis topic. A major professor whose interests are closely aligned to those of the student then supervises thesis work. All courses require a minimum grade of C or higher. A total of 80 credits are required for this program.