Degrees Offered: M.L.A., M.Arch./M.L.A., M.A.S.L.A.
Members
Professor
S. Herrington, R. Kellett, D. Roehr.
Professor Emeritus
P. M. Condon, C. Girling.
Associate Professor
F. Byrne, J. Dahmen, S. Jacobs, K. Lokman.
Associate Professor Emeritus
D. Paterson, P. F. Mooney.
Assistant Professor
N. Echeverri.
Program Overview
Landscape Architecture is concerned with the design, planning, and management of the land. It involves the physical design of sites or places with particular emphasis on resource conservation, sustainability, social responsiveness, and aesthetics. It is one of several professions concerned with both the natural and human environments, with both nature and culture and, as such, places heavy emphasis on interdisciplinary knowledge and cooperation. As an academic discipline, landscape architecture encompasses the fields of the humanities, sciences, technology, and the creative arts; it is also concerned with design as an act of critical inquiry, design criticism, and issues of critical regionalism.
Master of Landscape Architecture
Admission Requirements
Applicants must have a strong academic record and demonstrate potential for creative problem solving. The Landscape Architecture Program selects students from a variety of disciplines on which to build landscape architectural understanding, competence, and the sharing of knowledge. Students entering the program should demonstrate interest and potential in the broad fields of environment, the creative arts, and landscape architecture.
Students are accepted into the 3-year M.L.A. from all disciplines. Applicants seeking admission into the two-year M.L.A. variant must be in possession of a four-year undergraduate degree in Architecture, Environmental Design, or Landscape Architecture. Certain students may be expected to fulfill additional requirements in order to adequately prepare them for design and environmental studies. In addition, students are required to submit examples of their creative abilities in the form of an application portfolio and demonstrate, in writing, their understanding of the profession. The minimum TOEFL score required by international applicants is 600 (paper) or 100 (internet). Approximately 18 students will be admitted each year. Detailed admission information is available from the School.
Program Requirements
The Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.) degree is designed for students seeking admission to the profession. Full-time students normally complete this program in three years. Students with a UBC-recognized undergraduate degree in Architecture, Environmental Design, or Landscape Architecture may apply for admission to a two-year 78-credit variant of the professional M.L.A. Program, comprised of the final two years of M.L.A. design studio courses, as well as courses required for professional degree accreditation by the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. The particular course requirements will be determined by the student's advisor for each student upon acceptance and entry into the program, based on prior experience and a portfolio review.
Course of Study
The master's degree is awarded upon the completion of 108 credits of coursework, including a major graduating project. The core curriculum includes a structured first year of 36 credits and 54 additional required credits in years two and three. A total of 18 elective credits make up part of the 110 credit total. At least 9 of the 18 credits must be Landscape Architecture (LARC) courses. Detailed information on specific, yearly course requirements are available from the School.
A grade of 68% is required as a passing grade for all design studio courses (LARC_V 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, or any substituted classes).
Dual Degree: Master of Architecture/Master of Landscape Architecture
The Dual Degree program option permits qualified students the opportunity to earn a Master of Architecture and a Master of Landscape Architecture concurrently.
For information on the M.Arch./M.L.A. dual degree option, refer to the Master of Architecture.
Master of Advanced Studies in Landscape Architecture
The Master of Advanced Studies in Landscape Architecture (M.A.S.L.A.) introduces students to independent research on specific issues in landscape architecture.
The program allows students to investigate an area of knowledge within the field in collaboration with faculty engaged in relevant research or consulting activities. Students synthesize existing scholarship in landscape architecture and related disciplines, culminating in a thesis approved by the supervisor and supervisory committee. The thesis must be added to UBC's electronic repository, cIRcle.
The M.A.S.L.A. is a 30-credit research-based program normally completed over two years of full-time study.
It should be noted that the M.A.S.L.A. does not fulfill the requirements for landscape architectural licensure as defined by the B.C. Society of Landscape Architects or similar professional bodies. Applicants seeking professional licensure should apply to the Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.) program.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold a professional degree in landscape architecture or a degree in a related field in combination with experience relevant to graduate studies in landscape architecture.
Applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Together with the application, applicants must submit written approval from the SALA Faculty member who will support their application.
Applicants may be asked to complete a qualifying year prior to admission to the Master of Advanced Studies in Landscape Architecture. The qualifying year consists of 24 credits and provides immersion in the field of landscape architecture. It comprises:
- LARC_V 316 (3), Trees and Shrubs in the Landscape
- LARC_V 501 (9), Landscape Architecture Design Studio I
- LARC_V 502 (9), Landscape Architecture Design Studio II
- LARC_V 540 (3), Site Analysis and Planning
Detailed admissions information is available at the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture website.
Program Requirements
The M.A.S.L.A. program requires the completion of 30 credits, including:
- LARC_V 523 (3): Landscape Architecture Theory
- LARC_V 541 (3): Landscape Planning and Management
- 3 credits of an approved 500-level (or higher) course in research methodology
- 9 credits of approved elective coursework, which may include directed study and/or research-oriented cooperative education, selected in consultation with the supervisor
- LARC_V 599 (12): Research Thesis
A maximum of 3 credits may be taken at the 300- or 400-level.
Research activities and thesis development focus on one of two broad areas:
- Advanced design, design theory, and design education, or
- Environmental design, planning, and management.
Contact Information
School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
379-2357 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4
Tel: 604.827.7252
Fax: 604.822.2184
Email: larc@sala.ubc.ca
Web: www.sala.ubc.ca