Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

5 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Pennsylvania State University University Park

Program Overview

Penn State’s Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (B.L.A.) is a professionally accredited, 139-credit program at University Park that combines design, ecology, technology, planning, and the study of natural and built environments, preparing students for professional practice or advanced study. It is particularly suited to students interested in sustainability, creative problem-solving, technology, hands-on design, and shaping places such as parks, campuses, waterfronts, transportation corridors, and urban spaces.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their design and technical foundation through LARCH 115: Design I: Intro Spatial Composition, LARCH 116: Design II: Spatial Design, and LARCH 155/156: Skills Lab I & II: Hand & Digital Graphics, alongside LARCH 145: Ecology and Plants I and introductory soil science.

Second Year: The curriculum moves into site-scale design and implementation through LARCH 215: Design III: Site Design and LARCH 216: Design IV: Expanded Use, Scale, and Context, while students develop technical knowledge through LARCH 235: Design Implementation I: Grading, LARCH 236: Design Implementation II: Materials, and LARCH 256: Skills Lab IV: GIS.

Third Year: Students tackle more advanced design and professional applications through LARCH 315: Design V: Expanded Use, Scale, and Context, LARCH 335: Design Implementation III: Planting Methods, and LARCH 336: Design Implementation IV: Stormwater. LARCH 365W: Contemporary Trends in Landscape Architecture, LARCH 375: Human Dimensions of Design – Applied, and LARCH 386: Professional Practice further connect design thinking with contemporary issues, people, and professional practice.

Fourth Year: Students move into advanced and contemporary landscape architecture through LARCH 499B: Design and Theory VI: Contemporary/International Landscape Architectural Design Issues, LARCH 499D: Contemporary/International Special Topics, and LARCH 424: Design Theory Seminar, supported by advanced LARCH 414: Design and Theory V: Advanced Landscape Architectural Design. This stage emphasizes comprehensive design development, contemporary/international issues, and deeper theoretical investigation.

Fifth Year: The final semester continues LARCH 414: Design and Theory V: Advanced Landscape Architectural Design, allowing students to develop comprehensive or independent advanced design work while completing remaining General Education and elective requirements.

Focus areas: Landscape design, site design, urban design, ecological systems, planting, stormwater, grading, materials, GIS, digital graphics, design theory, contemporary landscape architecture, international design issues, professional practice, sustainability, and human-centered design.

Learning outcomes: Students develop creative and technical design skills, spatial and site-analysis abilities, ecological and environmental knowledge, digital and GIS capabilities, implementation skills, professional practice knowledge, and the ability to address social, environmental, and economic challenges through landscape design.

Professional alignment (accreditation): LAAB accredited — Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board. Penn State states that its B.L.A. meets the educational requirements for licensure eligibility in every U.S. state and territory; the program was most recently reviewed in Spring 2024, with the next accreditation visit scheduled for Spring 2030.

Reputation (employability/rankings): Penn State reports that it is tied at No. 92 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2027, placing it in the top 6% of the 1,504 institutions ranked, and received a 5-star overall QS Stars rating, including a 5-star rating for employability. These are university-level rankings rather than rankings specifically for the B.L.A. program.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Penn State’s Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (B.L.A.) build practical design and technical skills through a sequence of studio courses, digital graphics labs, GIS training, field-based learning, and design implementation courses. The program includes nine semesters, with a required semester abroad, and combines creative design with ecology, site planning, grading, materials, planting, stormwater, and geospatial technologies. Students work in the Stuckeman Family Building, which houses integrated studio spaces, a digital fabrication lab, model construction shop, design computing resources, research centers, and the Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library.

Students can develop these skills through dedicated studios, technology, fieldwork, and professional opportunities:

Design Studios: LARCH 115, 116, 215, 216 and 315 provide progressively advanced studio projects covering spatial composition, site design, expanded scale and context, and landscape architectural design.
Digital Graphics: LARCH 155 and 156 develop hand and digital graphics skills, while LARCH 255 focuses on advanced 2D and 3D raster and vector drawing, sketching, plans, sections, perspectives, and three-dimensional modeling.
GIS: LARCH 256 introduces Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a primary tool for regional analysis and planning, including data management, concept development, and communication of design ideas.
Geodesign Technology: Students can also explore LARCH 450: Geodesign: Geospatial Technology for Design, connecting GIS and geospatial technology with landscape design and planning.
Field Learning: LARCH 246, Ridge & Valley in the Field, provides dedicated field-based learning connected to ecology, plants, and landscape conditions.
Design Implementation: Students gain technical experience through courses in Grading, Materials, Planting Methods, and Stormwater, connecting conceptual design with landscape construction and implementation.
Stuckeman Family Building: The 111,382-square-foot building provides integrated studios for architecture and landscape architecture students, together with a model construction shop, digital fabrication lab, gallery, library, and design-computing facilities.
Digital Fabrication: The Digital Fabrication Lab supports hands-on making and prototyping within the Stuckeman School’s design facilities.
Design Computing: The Stuckeman Center for Design Computing provides a dedicated environment for design-computing research and resources within the school.
Community Design: The Hamer Center for Community Design provides an interdisciplinary setting focused on community-oriented design and engagement.
Ecology + Design: The Center for Ecology plus Design (E+D) connects ecological thinking with design research and is one of the Stuckeman School’s dedicated research centers.
Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library: Located inside Stuckeman Family Building, the specialized library supports research and study in architecture and landscape architecture and their histories from 1850 to the present.
Rouse Gallery: The Willard G. Rouse Gallery presents exhibitions by architecture, landscape architecture, and graphic design leaders as well as faculty and student work, giving students exposure to professional and academic design work.
Internship: Penn State offers LARCH 495: Internship as an academic option within the Landscape Architecture curriculum, providing a structured route to professional experience.
Arboretum Experience: The Arboretum at Penn State offers seasonal internships involving horticulture, plant collections, mapping, field trips, and technologies including ArcGIS and IrisBG for relevant students.
Study Abroad: The B.L.A. includes a required semester abroad, giving students direct experience with landscape architecture and design in an international context.
Collaborative Studios: The Stuckeman Family Building’s open-plan, integrated studio environment brings architecture and landscape architecture students together and is specifically designed to support collaboration and multidisciplinary work.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (B.L.A.) at Penn State prepares graduates for professional landscape architecture practice as well as advanced study, with career directions spanning landscape design, urban planning, sustainability, ecology, conservation, technology, construction, and community-focused work. Penn State reports that its B.L.A. graduates have a clear path toward professional licensure, while the program’s professional accreditation supports eligibility for licensure requirements across U.S. states and territories.

Typical career roles: Landscape Architect, Landscape Designer, Urban Planner, Environmental/Conservation Designer.

Career support and progression include:

Stuckeman Career Services: Provides resume, cover-letter, and portfolio assistance, internship and career guidance, licensure information, salary discussions, academic advising, and preparation sessions for professional employment.
Career Day: Connects landscape architecture students directly with professional firms and alumni; recent participating firms have included AECOM, Ayers Saint Gross, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, CLR Design, Colliers Engineering & Design, and Kimley-Horn.
Internships: Students are encouraged to complete multiple design-industry internships, with opportunities sometimes available for academic credit. Recent B.L.A. students have interned with TBG Partners, Site Design Concepts, Allegheny County Parks, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Grounded Strategies, and Green Valley Landscaping.
Employment outcomes: Penn State's latest published B.L.A. data reports 62% in private landscape architecture employment, 21% in higher education/study, and 17% unknown. The same disclosure reports that 92% of B.L.A. students graduated within the regular nine-semester timeframe.
Salary information: Penn State’s Stuckeman Career Services specifically provides salary guidance to students, but the program’s official published employment disclosure does not state a B.L.A.-specific salary median or range.
Industry connections: Career Day has brought professional firms such as AECOM, CannonDesign, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, CLR Design, and Colliers Engineering & Design to interact with Stuckeman students for employment and internship opportunities.
Professional accreditation: The B.L.A. is accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB). Penn State states that its B.L.A. meets educational requirements for licensure eligibility in every U.S. state and territory; the program was most recently reviewed in spring 2024, with the next accreditation visit scheduled for spring 2030.
Graduation outcomes: Penn State reports 29 B.L.A. degrees awarded in 2023–24, with the program normally completed in nine semesters and 92% graduating within that regular timeframe.
Professional practice: The university describes the B.L.A. as a professional degree designed to prepare students for immediate professional practice while developing technical design, design-thinking, creativity, and ethical skills.

Further Academic Progression: After the B.L.A., students can pursue Penn State’s Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.) for further professional study or the M.S. in Landscape Architecture for research-focused specialization; Penn State also offers an online Graduate Certificate in Geodesign, focused on data-informed design and planning for environmental, social, and economic sustainability.