The graduate program in landscape architecture leads to a professional Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree. Two- and three-year degree options accommodate students with design and other undergraduate degrees. The landscape program further develops cross-disciplinary connections among architecture, urban design and visual arts in the Sam Fox School.
The program in landscape architecture focuses on the three subjects of design, ecology, and urbanism. The transformative process of design — linking cultural, historical, and technological investigations — forms the pedagogical basis for research. Ecology informs design practice to address a multiplicity of scales and natural systems within the environment. Urbanism serves as a terrain of contemporary landscape practice. As heirs to design, ecological, and urban traditions, landscape architects are uniquely suited to articulate a spatial vision for today's environment. This three-pronged approach is geared to develop the students' critical and conceptual abilities and to prepare them to become leaders within professional and academic spheres.
The curriculum is centered on studio teaching supported by instruction in technology, history, and theory. Following the core sequence of design studios and classes, students are encouraged to develop their own research interests through advanced design studios and electives. Interdisciplinary and international option studios foster a multiplicity of perspectives leading to a research-based degree project (thesis or independent study). In addition, students have opportunities to further their investigations within and beyond the school through teaching and research assistantships and scholarships.
The landscape architecture program draws on a unique set of institutional, regional, and international resources available at the Sam Fox School. St. Louis functions as a laboratory for understanding and testing ecological and urban theories at the local scale, from brownfield reclamation to urban agriculture systems. Washington University's outstanding programs in Environmental Studies, Environmental Engineering, and American Culture Studies expand curricular offerings in ecology, technology, and landscape studies, and the internationally renowned Missouri Botanical Garden serves as an exceptional tool of research and teaching. Finally, through the extensive international offerings of the school, students experience different landscapes, cultures, and cultures of practice.
Contact Info
| Website: | https://samfoxschool.washu.edu/academics/college-of-architecture/master-of-landscape-architecture |
Chair
Derek Hoeferlin
MArch, Yale University
For a list of faculty members, please refer to the Architecture faculty page.
On this page:
Master of Landscape Architecture 3 | Master of Landscape Architecture 2 | Studio Grade Requirement
Master of Landscape Architecture Degree — MLA 3
The list below includes the required courses for the three-year MLA program in their recommended sequence.
Students in the class of 2029 and beyond must fulfill the following degree requirements. For class of 2027 and class of 2028 academic requirements, consult Prior Bulletins.
Requirements: 90 credits
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1: Fall | ||
| LANDARCH 2040 | Shared Ecologies and Design | 3 |
| LANDARCH 5110 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio I | 6 |
| LANDARCH 5111 | Landscape Representation I: Hand Drafting, Drawing, & Sketching | 3 |
| LANDARCH 5221 | Plants & Environment | 1.5 |
| LANDARCH 5222 | Grading + Landform | 1.5 |
| Year 1: Spring | ||
| LANDARCH 5120 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio II | 6 |
| LANDARCH 5121 | Landscape Representation II: Digital Tools | 3 |
| LANDARCH 5231 | GIS for Site Design | 1.5 |
| LANDARCH 5232 | Planting Design | 1.5 |
| LANDARCH 5330 | Landscape Ecology | 3 |
| Year 2: Fall | ||
| LANDARCH 5340 | Landscape Technology | 3 |
| LANDARCH 6110 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio III | 6 |
| LANDARCH 6111 | Visualizing Ecological Processes | 3 |
| LANDARCH 6360 | Landscape Architecture History & Theory | 3 |
| Year 2: Spring | ||
| LANDARCH 6120 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio IV | 6 |
| LANDARCH 6370 | Modern and Contemporary Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| Ecological Elective* | Courses tagged with GA Ecological Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Courses at the 3000 level or above (excluding CAPS) | 3 |
| Year 3: Fall | ||
| LANDARCH 7110 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio V | 6 |
| LANDARCH 7380 | Research in the Landscape: Methods and Practices | 3 |
| Ecological Elective* | Courses tagged with GA Ecological Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Courses at the 3000 level or above (excluding CAPS) | 3 |
| Year 3: Spring | ||
| LANDARCH 7120 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio VI | 6 |
| LANDARCH 7390 | Professional Practice for Landscape Architecture: Business, Practice & Management | 3 |
| Electives | Courses at the 3000 level or above (excluding CAPS) | 6 |
| Total Credits | 90 | |
- *
The elective sequence may change from year to year, depending on offerings from the MLA, MArch, and MUD programs. The program office determines which courses fulfill this requirement. Students are required to complete a minimum of two ecological systems electives.
Master of Landscape Architecture Degree — MLA 2
The list below includes the required courses for the two-year MLA program in their recommended sequence.
Students in the class of 2028 and beyond must fulfill the following degree requirements. For class of 2027 requirements, consult Prior Bulletins.
Requirements: 60 credits
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1: Fall | ||
| LANDARCH 2040 | Shared Ecologies and Design | 3 |
| LANDARCH 5221 | Plants & Environment | 1.5 |
| LANDARCH 5222 | Grading + Landform | 1.5 |
| LANDARCH 6110 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio III | 6 |
| LANDARCH 6111 | Visualizing Ecological Processes | 3 |
| Year 1: Spring | ||
| LANDARCH 5231 | GIS for Site Design | 1.5 |
| LANDARCH 5232 | Planting Design | 1.5 |
| LANDARCH 5330 | Landscape Ecology | 3 |
| LANDARCH 6120 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio IV | 6 |
| LANDARCH 6370 | Modern and Contemporary Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| Year 2: Fall | ||
| LANDARCH 5340 | Landscape Technology | 3 |
| LANDARCH 7110 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio V | 6 |
| LANDARCH 7380 | Research in the Landscape: Methods and Practices | 3 |
| Ecological Elective* | Courses tagged with GA Ecological Elective | 3 |
| Year 2: Spring | ||
| LANDARCH 7120 | Landscape Architecture Design Studio VI | 6 |
| LANDARCH 7390 | Professional Practice for Landscape Architecture: Business, Practice & Management | 3 |
| Ecological Elective* | Courses tagged with GA Ecological Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Courses at the 3000 level or above (excluding CAPS) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
- *
The elective sequence may change from year to year, depending on offerings from the MLA, MArch, and MUD programs. The program office determines which courses fulfill this requirement. Students are required to complete a minimum of two ecological systems electives.
Studio Grade Requirement
Master of Landscape Architecture Studio Grade Requirement
Students must achieve a minimum average of B– in the core sequence in order to enter the 7000-level studio sequence. Students who do not fulfill this requirement may be permitted to repeat LANDARCH 6110 Landscape Architecture Design Studio III or LANDARCH 6120 Landscape Architecture Design Studio IV. If a student still fails to meet the B– average after taking an additional 6000-level studio, they will be dismissed from the Master of Landscape Architecture program.
The option to repeat a studio is contingent on a student having met the requirements of Academic Probation. A suspension or dismissal resulting from the Academic Probation policy takes precedence over this Studio Grade Requirement policy.
For a list of available courses, please refer to the Courses section of the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design in this Bulletin.