Fine Design Landscaping
The first professional degree program is three years in length and is designed for students with an undergraduate degree in a field other than landscape architecture or architecture. The second professional degree is two years in length and is designed for those who already hold an accredited bachelors degree in either landscape architecture or architecture. Students may be admitted with advanced standing into either of these programs depending upon their respective backgrounds. Dual degree programs with architecture (MLA/MARCH), city planning (MLA/MCP), historic preservation (MLA/MSHP), or fine arts (MLA/MFA) are also available. All of the above named degrees may be combined with certificate programs in Historic Preservation, Urban Design, or Real Estate and Development. The Department also offers a Certificate in Landscape Studies, designed for students who may wish to augment or focus their prior work through research into landscape topics.
Master of Landscape Architecture Professional Degree Program Accreditation
In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program and three years or more apprenticeship as a prerequisite for licensure. The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit US professional degree programs in landscape architecture, recognizes one type of degree: the Master of Landscape Architecture. A new program may be granted a one- or two-year term of accreditation and an established program, typically, a five-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards. Masters degree programs consist of a three- or two-year first professional landscape architecture degree which, when completed, comprises an accredited professional education.