Master of Landscape Architecture
The purpose of the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program at Kansas State University is to prepare students for entry into the practice of the profession. The curriculum meets the needs of students with landscape architecture degrees (BLA) seeking professional advancement and non-landscape architecture (non-BLA) backgrounds as a first professional degree.
The coursework consists of two components: the proficiency series taken by students with a non-BLA background, and the advanced graduate courses taken by all students. The MLA varies in length from two years for students entering with a BLA to seven-semesters, taken in a three-year sequence, for non-BLA students.
The MLA program has two areas of concentration from which students can choose: Community and Urban Design or Resource Management and Planning. These options allow students to develop specific programs of study focused around their particular interests. Students in the Community and Urban Design concentration learn how to develop appropriate and practical design strategies, which address the socioeconomic, cultural, environmental, and technological issues found in the urban environment. Students in the resource management and planning concentration acquire a working knowledge of factors critical to environmental resource analysis, methods of data collection and interpretation, and how to apply these to land use planning problems.
MLA students may pursue a Certificate in Community Planning and Development or may receive the Master of Regional and Community Planning with an additional year of study.
The MLA program provides a variety of educational venues. About half of the coursework is conducted in a studio environment. Students may work on community service projects and with careful planning, may apply to the Italian Studies Program for a semester’s study in Castiglion Fiorentino. While not required, MLA candidates are encouraged to pursue summer internships to gain experience in professional practice.
Career Opportunities
Alumni are employed across the United States and abroad, in private firms, both large and small, as well as in public agencies such as the National Park Service, Forest Service, and state and municipal offices.
Accreditation
The Master of Landscape Architecture is accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) of the American Society of Landscape Architecture (ASLA).
To learn more, visit the Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning