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Graduate Landscape Architecture Program

GRADUATE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: THE TENNESSEE APPROACH

Graduate Professional Degree
Graduate Research Degrees

GRADUATE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: THE TENNESSEE APPROACH

Landscape Architecture integrates the experience of natural and constructed place into the design of memorable landscapes. The core values of the Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture are based on a design-centered curriculum that promotes ethical imperatives, critical thinking, and sustainable practices. These values are expressed in an education that challenges students to become leaders, to master the discipline, and to engage the cultural, political, and regional realities of real-world problems in designed and naturally occurring landscapes. The program is committed to preparing our students for leadership roles not only within the profession, but also within the broader communities they join and influence.

This program is designed for students who have earned a degree in an area other than landscape architecture as well as students who have majored in landscape architecture or supporting fields, but have not received a professional degree. Administration of the program is housed in the College of Architecture and Design (COAD). The program offers both professional and research-oriented graduate degrees.

Tennessee ’s Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture is distinguished by

• Faculty members who share an approach to design based in a profound respect for the character of local conditions and regional diversity.
• World-class faculty with recognized strengths in cutting-edge areas of research and practice that advance design knowledge.
• Studio engagement with relevant social and community issues to improve and offer service to our world.
• A commitment to sustainable landscapes, cities, and communities.
• Nationally recognized facilities and outreach programs
• An active educational community that promotes creative intellectual dialogues between academics, professionals, and citizens.

Graduate Landscape Architecture Degrees The Graduate Program in Architecture offers three degrees, and four curricular paths distinguished by the career focus of the degree, length of study required, and by the nature of each degree’s thesis.

The Graduate Landscape Architecture Program Track 1 is a first professional degree that qualifies the graduate to sit for the Landscape Architecture Registration Exam (LARE) in the USA and therefore to pursue a career as a Landscape Architect. Two curricular paths are available in this degree path. Graduate Landscape Architecture Program Track.1 Path A is designed to accommodate students who have no previous formal study in landscape architecture, and typically takes three years complete.Graduate Landscape Architecture Program Track.1 Path B is designed to accommodate students with a bachelor’s degree in landscape design or related design fields like architecture and urban design, and may require as little as two years to complete once advance standing is determined.

The Graduate Landscape Architecture Program Track 2, M.A. in Landscape Architecture Program, and M.S. in Landscape Architecture Program are research-oriented graduate degrees that either:

• offer students with professional degrees opportunity for focused study (Graduate Landscape Architecture Program Track.2), or
• prepare students with no previous formal study in landscape architecture to pursue research or other career paths related to landscape architecture that do not require professional licensure (M.A. in Landscape Architecture, M.S. in Landscape Architecture).

Graduate Landscape Architecture, First Professional Degree: Track 1 This is a first professional degree in landscape architecture, which qualifies the graduate to sit for the Landscape Architecture Registration Exam (LARE) in the USA . Studies culminate in a design-based capstone project or a written thesis. Typical career paths for students with this degree include working in private or public practice for landscape architecture firms, landscape architecture units within architecture and engineering firms, federal, regional, state and municipal government agencies, universities and colleges requiring professional licensure. Two curricular paths are available in this degree path.

Graduate Landscape Architecture Program Track.1 Path A is designed to accommodate students who have no previous formal study in landscape architecture, and typically is three academic years in length. 19 hours undergraduate preparation. 84 hours of graduate coursework.

Graduate Landscape Architecture Program Track.1 Path B is designed to accommodate students with a bachelor’s degree in landscape design or related design fields like architecture and urban design. Students in this degree path can apply for advanced standing in the program. A maximum of one academic year’s advanced standing is possible which can reduce the typical length of study to two academic years. Advanced standing applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, and no more than a year’s advanced standing may be granted. 19 hours undergraduate preparation. 84 hours of graduate coursework. Advanced standing may be received for a maximum of 32 hours.

Graduate Landscape Architecture, Research Degrees: Track 2 | M.A. Landscape Architecture | M.S. Landscape Architecture Research-oriented degrees offer students with professional degrees the opportunity for further focused study (Graduate Landscape Architecture Program Track.2) or prepare students with no previous formal study in landscape architecture to pursue research or other career paths related to landscape architecture that do not require professional licensure (M.A. LA, M.S. LA). These degrees require a publication quality thesis and provide opportunities for students to work directly with faculty who are engaged in research/scholarship and supported by research grants through sponsors, such as the National Endowments of the Humanities, National Science Foundation, Department of Transportation, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institute, Graham Foundation, federal and state agencies. Each student must, in their application, identify a specific area of research aligned with the general goals of the Graduate Landscape Architecture Program and the existing research interests of the standing faculty, not limited to the Colleges of Architecture and Design (COAD) and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR).

The degrees are differentiated by the applicant’s prior professional experience in the field, and the area of research pursued (arts or sciences).

Typical career paths for students with research degrees include research or administrative work with a variety of professions related to landscape architecture that do not require professional licensure, including federal, regional, state, county and municipal government agencies, parks, environmental advocacy organizations, environmental, cultural and historic resource protection organizations, and land conservancies.

Graduate Landscape Architecture Program, Track 2 (30 credit hours) is a research degree pursued by students who have already earned a professional degree in Landscape Architecture. The focus of their research will be graphically and/or design-oriented with a potential focus on a relation to the liberal arts and landscape architecture.

Masters of Arts in Landscape Architecture (30 credit hours) is a research degree pursued by students from diverse undergraduate and professional backgrounds. Students must have an undergraduate degree at the time they start in the M.A. LA degree. The focus of their research will be graphically and/or design-oriented with a potential focus on a relation to the liberal arts and landscape architecture.

Masters of Science in Landscape Architecture (30 credit hours) is a research degree pursued by students from diverse undergraduate and professional backgrounds. Students must have an undergraduate degree at the time they start in the M.S. LA degree. The focus of their research will be technically-oriented with a potential focus on a relation to the related sciences (applied or otherwise) to landscape architecture.

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