Landscape Architecture
Designing outdoor spaces, from parks to campuses to public plazas.
Landscape architecture studies the design of outdoor spaces, parks, campuses, public plazas, residential landscapes, balancing ecology, aesthetics, and human use. It combines design studio training with plant science, ecology, and site engineering.
Studio work is central, developing site designs from initial analysis through detailed planting and grading plans, often using both hand drawing and digital tools (CAD, GIS), with critique sessions similar to architecture programs.
Typical courses you might take
- ✓Landscape Design Studio (every semester)
- ✓Plant Materials & Ecology
- ✓Site Grading & Engineering
- ✓Landscape Construction
- ✓GIS for Landscape Architecture
- ✓History of Landscape Architecture
- ✓Sustainable Site Design
- ✓Senior Design Studio
Sample four-year plan
Illustrative, not a registration planOne possible way these courses could be sequenced alongside general education and elective credit. Real programs vary in order, pacing, and prerequisites by school, use this to get a rough sense of the arc, not to plan actual registration.
- ✓Landscape Design Studio (every semester)
- +General education requirement
- ✓Plant Materials & Ecology
- +General education requirement
- ✓Site Grading & Engineering
- +General education requirement
- ✓Landscape Construction
- +Free elective
- ✓GIS for Landscape Architecture
- +Free elective
- ✓History of Landscape Architecture
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Sustainable Site Design
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Senior Design Studio
- +Capstone, thesis, or culminating project (common in many programs)
Skills you'll build
This major might be a good fit if you...
- ★Enjoys design work combined with plant science and ecology
- ★Spatially minded and detail-oriented
- ★Comfortable with studio culture and iterative critique
- ★Interested in how outdoor spaces affect community and environment
Common minors & double-major pairings
Architecture · Environmental Science · Urban Planning
Frequently asked questions
What is a Landscape Architecture major?
Designing outdoor spaces, from parks to campuses to public plazas.
What courses do Landscape Architecture majors take?
Typical coursework includes classes like Landscape Design Studio (every semester), Plant Materials & Ecology, Site Grading & Engineering, among others, see the full course list above for this major's typical lineup.
What skills do you build in a Landscape Architecture program?
Landscape Architecture coursework typically builds skills like Site analysis and landscape design, Plant knowledge and planting design, Grading and site engineering basics, CAD and GIS proficiency.
Is Landscape Architecture a good major for me?
It tends to be a good fit if signals like "Enjoys design work combined with plant science and ecology" or "Spatially minded and detail-oriented" describe you. See the full "good fit if you..." list above for more.
What other majors pair well with Landscape Architecture?
Common minor or double-major pairings include Architecture, Environmental Science, Urban Planning.
How is Landscape Architecture different from Architecture?
They're related but distinct. Landscape Architecture: Designing outdoor spaces, from parks to campuses to public plazas. Architecture: Designing buildings that are functional, safe, and meaningful. Use the compare tool to see courses and skills side by side.
How long does it take to earn a Landscape Architecture degree?
Most bachelor's degrees, including this one, are designed to be completed in about four years of full-time study. Exact timing depends on your school, course load, transfer credit, and any changes of major along the way.
Printed from majoratlas.com/majors/landscape-architecture