Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) Curriculum
Landscape Architecture is the field of design, planning, and management of the land, arrangement of natural and man–made elements therein through application of cultural and scientific knowledge. It is the art of arranging the external physical environment to support human behavior with concern of resource conservation and stewardship to serve a useful and enjoyable purpose. As the link between architecture and city planning, landscape architecture is considered the art of improving people's use and experience of outdoor space. It aims at enhancing direct relations between man and nature.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has noted "employment of landscape architects is expected to increase by 16 percent during the 2006–2016 decade which is faster than the average for all occupations." The course of study leading to the first professional degree at Chatham University has received accreditation from the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects from 2010–2016.
The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program has five (5) options:
- An MLA degree for those with an undergraduate degree in other disciplines. These graduate students would enter a first professional, three year program, which requires them to complete 78 credit hours. This program of study at Chatham University has received accreditation from the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
- An MLA for those with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) or a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA). This is a post-professional two year program that requires at least 44 credit hours depending on the student's education and experience.
- An MLA for those with a Bachelor of Architecture that requires a minimum of 65 credit hours depending on the student's education and experience.
- First Professional Degree (42 credits) - For students who have a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA) or a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA)
- First Professional Degree (57 credits) - For students who have a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch
Degree Requirements and Course Descriptions
- First Professional Degree (78 credits)
- First Professional Degree (BSLA or BLA) (42 credits)
- First Professional Degree (BARCH) (57 credits)
- Post Professional Degree (BSLA or BLA)
- Post Professional Degree (BARCH)
Core Curriculum Required Courses (78 Credit Hours) |
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First Professional Degree (78 credits) – For students who have an undergraduate degree other than a Bachelor of Architecture (BARCH) or Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA or BSLA). This curriculum is designed to educate students who can become license-eligible landscape architects after fulfilling a period of internship, and after passing the Landscape Architecture Registration Exam (LARE). 22 Required courses including: |
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| LAR 508 | Media I: Landscape Graphic Communication (4) |
| LAR 512 | Media II: Digital Illustrative Graphics (3) |
| LAR 515 | Media III: Geographic Information Systems (3) |
| LAR 665 | Media IV: Digital Implementation Graphics (3) |
| LAR 516 | Plant Identification: Trees and Shrubs (3) |
| LAR 518 | Native Plants (2) |
| LAR 519 | Environmental Planning & Management (3) |
| LAR 522 | History of Landscape Architecture (3) |
| LAR 541 | Design I: Elements & Principles of Landscape Design (3) |
| LAR 542 | Design II: Site Design Process (3) |
| LAR 643 | Design III: Urban Design Studio (4) |
| LAR 644 | Design IV: Landscape Master Planning (4) |
| LAR 650 | Construction I: Site Engineering (3) |
| LAR 651 | Construction II: Landscape Construction Materials (3) |
| LAR 652 | Construction III: Landscape Construction Documents (4) |
| LAR 660 | Professional Practice in Landscape Architecture (3) |
| LAR 661 | Seminar I: Introduction to Landscape Architecture (1) |
| LAR 662 | Seminar II: Landscape Architecture Policies (1) |
| LAR 663 | Seminar III: Thesis Preparation (1) |
| LAR 570 | Principles of Sustainability (3) |
| LAR 680 | Graduate Research Methods (3) |
| LAR 695 | MLA Thesis (min. 6) |
A combination of any of the following courses must be fulfilled for a total of 4 Credits: |
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| LAR 656 | Field Work/Community Service Project (2) |
| LAR 657 | Field Work/Community Service Project (2) |
| LAR 671 | Study Abroad (1) |
| LAR 672 | Study Abroad (2) |
| LAR 673 | Study Abroad (3) |
| LAR 681 | Internship (1) |
| LAR 682 | Internship (2) |
| LAR 683 | Internship (3) |
The Specialized Elective Courses A student graduating with an MLA degree will be entering a diversified job market. There are at least five major industries that employ landscape architects. These include the environmental industry, the green industry, the leisure industry, the land development industry, and the public sector. Each of these require specialized knowledge and skills that are provided through a series of elective courses that are offered by highly qualified faculty. |
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| 3 Elective courses (9 credit hours) selected from: | |
| LAR 670 | Media V: Graphic Illustrations and Portfolio (3) |
| LAR 514 | Landscape Ecology (3) |
| LAR 526 | Topics in 20th Century Landscape Architecture (3) |
| LAR 527 | Historic Landscape Preservation (3) |
| LAR 532 | Ornamental Horticulture (3) |
| LAR 534 | Soil Science (3) |
| LAR 535 | Diseases and Pests (3) |
| LAR 575 | Field Ecology (3) |
| LAR 578 | Wetlands Ecology (3) |
| LAR 630 | Design V: Design Methods Studio (3) |
| LAR 646 | Design VI: Special Topics (3) |
| LAR 654 | Construction IV: Road Design and Sustainable Transportation (3) |
| LAR 655 | Water in Natural Systems and Urban Environments (3) |
| LNS 521 | Planting Design (3) |
| LNS 695 | Collaboration Studio (4) |
| LNS 601 | Landscape Operation and Management (3) |
| LAR 664 | LEED Principles and Strategies (3) |
| PSY 645 | Environmental Psychology (3) |
| PWR 616 | Technical Writing (3) |
| ENG 528 | Academic Writing (3) |
| PWR 601 | Introduction to Professional Writing (3) |
| PWR 632 | Science and Environmental Writing (3) |
| * The academic advisor may suggest other relevant graduate courses that are offered in any university of the nine institutions of higher education across the Greater Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. | |
Facilities
In June 2009, the Landscape Architecture Program, as well as four other professional graduate programs, moved to the newly renovated Chatham Eastside Building. This move provided both the students and the faculty of the programs with more room, ample exhibition space, adequate parking, and excellent facilities with a highly professional ambiance. The landscape architecture section includes a state–of–the–art computer laboratory, three LAR–designated studios, four smart lecture halls, two seminar rooms, one LAR–designated reading room with a thesis and resource center, a critique room, three LAR-designated offices, an adjunct faculty office, and a student lounge. The new Chatham Eastside Building is located approximately one mile from Chatham's main campus and its arboretum on Woodland Road.
Program Characteristics
- Small class size
- Individualized academic advising
- Considerable flexibility for part-time students
- A highly qualified team of diverse faculty in terms of practical experience, academic credentials, and research interests
- A remarkable group of adjunct faculty who have consistently been available for teaching and thesis committee advising
- A focus on environmental sustainability, which supplements the University's main mission
- Availability of local sites that are used with the design courses and allow students to interact with real stakeholders and real projects
- The availability of cross-registration agreements with nine other universities in Pittsburgh
- A landscape architecture professional community that advocates this program and has been instrumental in its development
- A dedicated group of individuals on the Landscape Architecture Advisory Board, which guides and assists the program director and the College for Graduate Studies in its growth and development
- A devoted group of alumni and community supporters
- A University administration that supports the continued success of this program
