BS Landscape and Urban Studies

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Wisconsin Madison

Program Overview

The BS in Landscape and Urban Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison prepares students to address urban and regional challenges by integrating biological, physical, and social sciences with humanities, arts, and technology, with emphasis on sustainable land use, social equity, conservation, and resilient communities. It suits students interested in landscape, cities, environmental systems, planning, and community development, with opportunities to specialize in Culture, Health and Community; Restoration and Ecological Design; or Urban Studies.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students build their foundation in landscape and urban studies through LAND ARC 250: Survey of Landscape Architecture Design, LAND ARC 211: Shaping the Built Environment, and URB R PL 215: Welcome to Your Urban Future. Alongside these introductory subjects, students begin biological or physical environment studies and complete university requirements in communication, quantitative reasoning, language, and ethnic studies.

Second Year: Students broaden their understanding through major electives and coursework in Biological and Physical Environment and Social and Cultural Studies, connecting environmental systems with human communities and urban development. The year also includes INTER-LS 210 and liberal-arts coursework, allowing students to develop interdisciplinary perspectives relevant to landscape and urban challenges.

Third Year: Students move further into specialized study through the major's Technology requirement, additional Biological and Physical Environment coursework, and major electives. Depending on their interests, students can explore areas such as Introduction to the City, Wetlands Ecology, Urban Design: Theory and Practice, Community Development, Transportation and the Built Environment, or Climate Action Planning: Sustainable Transportation.

Fourth Year: The final year emphasizes advanced electives and the integration of learning through the URB R PL 595: Landscape and Urban Studies Capstone. The capstone asks students to synthesize interdisciplinary knowledge, undertake thoughtful inquiry, communicate findings and recommendations, and develop creative solutions to real-world design and planning challenges.

Focus Areas

Culture, Health and Community; Restoration and Ecological Design; Urban Studies; conservation and land management; cultural landscape conservation; sustainable and equitable land use; green infrastructure; environmental planning; community development.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates develop skills in landscape and cultural literacy, data collection and analysis, spatial and temporal analysis, multidisciplinary problem-solving, communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, sustainable landscape planning and management, and the integration of social, cultural, ecological, and technological dimensions into design and planning challenges.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Professional preparation: The BS in Landscape and Urban Studies is designed as an interdisciplinary undergraduate major rather than a professionally accredited landscape-architecture degree; UW–Madison states that graduates can continue into professionally accredited graduate programs in Landscape Architecture, Planning, or Environmental Studies.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Career outcomes: UW–Madison reports that 90% of respondents who earned a bachelor’s degree in 2024–25 were employed, pursuing continuing education, serving in the military, contributing through volunteer organizations, or engaged in entrepreneurship, while 91% said UW–Madison prepared them for their next career step.

University reputation: UW–Madison was ranked #=110 in the QS World University Rankings 2026; QS's methodology includes employer reputation and employment outcomes within its Employability and Outcomes component.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the BS in Landscape and Urban Studies at UW–Madison gain practical experience by combining environmental science, social and cultural studies, design, planning, and spatial technologies. The program specifically includes technology-focused coursework in spatial technologies, visual communication, geodesign, and GIS, while the major also encourages students to build experience through research, internships, study abroad, student organizations, and community interaction. Students can further apply their learning through the Landscape and Urban Studies Capstone and community-based projects connected with local partners.

Students can develop these practical skills through:

GIS & Spatial Technologies: Students can take LAND ARC 311 – Introduction to Design Frameworks and Spatial Technologies or GEOG/CIV ENGR/ENVIR ST 377 – An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, with further options including LAND ARC 511 – Geodesign Methods and Applications and LAND ARC/ENVIR ST/GEOG/URB R PL 532 – Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Planning.
GIS Applications: The GIS curriculum develops skills in accessing, explaining, analyzing, and applying spatial data to planning and related fields, including conservation, landscape architecture, public policy, and public health.
Visual Communication: LAND ARC 460 – Advanced Visual Communication in Landscape Architecture provides an option for students to develop advanced visual communication skills relevant to landscape and spatial design.
Geodesign: LAND ARC 511 – Geodesign Methods and Applications allows students to explore geodesign as part of the major's technology component.
Capstone Projects: Students complete a capstone through options such as URB R PL 595 – Landscape and Urban Studies Capstone, URB R PL 601 – Site Planning, URB R PL 611 – Urban Design: Theory and Practice, or LAND ARC 668 – Restoration Ecology. The Landscape and Urban Studies Capstone includes inquiry, discussion, written work, presentations, and communication of findings and recommendations.
Community-Based Projects: Wisconsin Idea Fellowships support semester- or year-long undergraduate projects developed with community organizations and UW–Madison faculty or academic staff; projects may be completed individually or by groups.
Local Government Projects: The UniverCity Alliance Scholars Program has involved Landscape and Urban Studies students in projects with Wisconsin local governments, applying academic and data skills to community priorities such as trail design and facilities studies.
Research Experience: The Undergraduate Research Scholars Program enables first- and second-year students to earn credit while participating in research and creative work with UW–Madison faculty and staff, with mentoring, research seminars, and presentation practice.
Environmental Research: The Holstrom Environmental Research Fellowship supports undergraduate research conducted with UW–Madison faculty or research/instructional staff, with proposals required to have an environmental focus.
Faculty Research: Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowships provide opportunities for undergraduate research in collaboration with UW–Madison faculty or research/instructional staff, including support for project-related costs such as supplies and travel.
Internships: Students are encouraged to gain professional experience through internships, with UW–Madison SuccessWorks providing career advising, internship resources, networking opportunities, and guidance on securing internships and employment.
Digital Design Support: UW–Madison's DesignLab provides students with access to design-focused support, computer-lab locations, instructional resources, and project assistance.
Digital & Physical Project Work: UW–Madison landscape-design student work documented through DesignLab includes digital illustration, digital collage, photography, mapping, physical models, 3D modeling, and VR, demonstrating the range of digital and physical approaches used in landscape design education at the university.
Community & Field Learning: The major explicitly encourages learning outside the classroom through community interactions, internships, study abroad, research, and student clubs, allowing students to connect landscape and urban issues with real places and communities.
Libraries & Digital Resources: Students can access DesignLab support at College Library, Memorial Library, Morgridge Hall, and Ebling Library, including computer-lab and digital-scholarship spaces.

Progression & Future Opportunities

For the BS in Landscape and Urban Studies, UW–Madison prepares graduates for entry-level roles connected to conservation, land management, cultural landscape conservation, planning, and related environmental and urban fields, while also providing a strong pathway into graduate study. The program specifically identifies professionally accredited graduate programs in Landscape Architecture, Planning, and Environmental Studies as progression options.

Career Roles: Conservation planner, land-use planner, environmental planning assistant, natural/cultural resource management specialist.

Career Services: SuccessWorks provides one-to-one career advising, networking opportunities, internship support, job-search preparation, and connections with alumni and employers.
Internships & Experience: The program explicitly encourages students to build professional experience through internships, research, student organizations, study abroad, and community interactions.
Employer Connections: SuccessWorks connects Letters & Science students with employers through career fairs, internships, job postings, networking, and its Employer Partnership Program. Employers can post opportunities through Handshake and participate in recruitment and career events.
Handshake: Students can use UW–Madison’s Handshake platform to search thousands of jobs and internships, receive recommendations based on their interests and major, register for career fairs, and arrange interviews with employers.
Employment Outcomes: UW–Madison’s 2024–25 university-wide undergraduate First Destination Survey reports 62.1% employed after graduation, 93% of job-, service-, or military-seeking graduates accepting a position within six months, and 26.6% entering graduate school. These figures are university-wide and are not specific to Landscape and Urban Studies.
Salary Figures: UW–Madison does not publish a program-specific starting salary or median salary for the BS in Landscape and Urban Studies on the official program page, so a salary figure is not stated.
University–Community Partnerships: Wisconsin Idea Fellowships allow undergraduate students or groups to work with a community organization and UW–Madison faculty or academic staff on semester- or year-long projects addressing challenges identified with community partners.
Research Opportunities: Undergraduate Research Scholars provides first- and second-year students with opportunities to earn credit while participating in research or creative work with UW–Madison faculty and staff, including mentoring, research seminars, and presentation practice.
Graduation Outcomes: Graduates are prepared for starting positions in public or private agencies involved in conservation, land management, cultural landscape conservation, and planning, or can continue into graduate study in professionally accredited Landscape Architecture, Planning, or Environmental Studies programs.
Accreditation Value: The BS itself is not presented by UW–Madison as a professionally accredited landscape architecture degree. Students seeking the professional landscape architecture pathway can progress to UW–Madison’s BLA, which is accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB), or pursue another professionally accredited graduate program.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BS, students can continue into graduate study in Landscape Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, Environmental Studies, or related fields; UW–Madison itself offers graduate programs including the MS in Landscape Architecture, MS in Urban and Regional Planning, and PhD in Urban and Regional Planning through the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture.