The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Program

By pursuing a degree in Landscape Architecture, students develop their ability to critically examine and creatively respond to a wide array of environmental problems. The development of young professionals who can take on the challenge of working in interdisciplinary fields, mediating between the goals and desires of diverse groups while soliciting for their participation and pressing for creative solutions, requires certain fundamental skills. The program will encourage and develop the following skills and abilities in the students so that they can flourish in a professional setting.

  • Knowledge of the physical world and the inter-relationships between humans and the biological systems of which they are part.
  • The ability to delineate the critical issues affecting a site through an inventory and analysis of physical, social and cultural factors; and recognition of the hidden trade-offs inherent in such an evaluation.
  • The ability to use their knowledge and experience to creatively respond to the problems that confront them, and to have the determination to make their ideas a reality.
  • The ability to effectively communicate with people of diverse backgrounds through both words and images.
  • The ability to deal with individuals, community groups, public agencies or large corporations, and to work in concert and manage conþicts.
  • Familiarity with new technologies, their impacts, and their potential for the profession of landscape architecture and land planning.
  • Awareness of the constant evolution of knowledge and commitment to continually re-examine assumptions.

The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture is a four year program of lectures, seminars and studio courses. Through academic research, personal participation and group endeavor, the program will introduce students to historic and contemporary issues in landscape architecture. Projects will concentrate on the design of spaces in the urban landscape. This emphasis derives from our location in southern California, at the very heart of an exuberant and dynamic metropolitan area.

Each semester, the design studio will be paired with courses that develop technical skills, expand the students' working knowledge of plant materials and natural systems, and explore the history and theory of design. A component of each studio project will be performed collaboratively to develop the students' ability to work collectively.

 

Requirements for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree

Core professional courses in landscape architecture

86 units

Breadth courses and electives

44 units

17 units per semester

 

8 semesters

130 units
 

Courses in the School of Architecture

86 credit units

Design

44

Technology

22

History/theory

14

Graphic communication

2

Professional practice

4
 

Courses in the university-at-large

44 credit units

General Education

24

Writing Requirement

8

Professional Electives

8

Free Electives

4

The following sequence of courses forms the basis for the undergraduate degree in landscape architecture. A total of 86 units is required to complete the core program, with an additional 44 units to be fulfilled with University-at-large requirements. The entire program requires 130 units. The 130 unit requirement, which is higher than the standard 128 unit four year undergraduate degree is due to the professional degree accreditation requirement.

 

Landscape Info | Curriculum | Applying

Bachelor Program | Bachelor Landscape Program | Graduate Programs | Certificates