Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)

3 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of New Mexico

Program Overview

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at the University of New Mexico is a professionally accredited, three-year program designed for students entering from non-design backgrounds, combining landscape design with social, cultural, environmental, and ecological perspectives. Students develop professional skills through design studios, technical courses, landscape theory, site and environmental studies, planting, construction, and a final comprehensive project, with New Mexico’s distinctive Southwestern landscapes providing an important context for study.

Curriculum structure

Year 1: Students build their core landscape architecture foundation through LA 501 Graduate Studio 1 and LA 502 Graduate Studio 2, developing design thinking and studio skills, alongside LA 582 Graphic Communication and LA 521 AutoCAD for Landscape Architects for visual and digital representation. Courses including LA 561 History + Theory of Landscape Architecture, LA 556 Site + Environment, LA 558 Plants 1, and LA 581 Landscape Construction Materials & Techniques introduce students to landscape history, site analysis, planting, materials, and construction.

Year 2: The second year moves into more advanced and collaborative design through LA 503 Graduate Studio 3 and LA 508 Interdisciplinary Community Studio, while LA 560 Land Arch in the 20th + 21st Centuries and LA 563 Theory in LA + Environmental Design strengthen historical, theoretical, and environmental understanding. Students also develop technical capabilities through LA 580 LA Technology 1 – Grading and deepen their plant knowledge through LA 559 Plants 2.

Year 3: The final year focuses on professional-level design and independent research through LA 505 Graduate Studio 5 and the LA 597 Master’s Comprehensive Project Studio, with LA 596 LA Thesis/Project Preparation supporting the development of the final research or design work. Students also study LA 531 Professional Practice in Landscape Arch and LA 585 Construction Documents, preparing them to translate design ideas into professional practice and technical documentation.

Focus areas

Design; urban environment; sustainable design; cultural landscape studies, particularly the cultural and historic landscapes of the Southwest; Art and Ecology.

Learning outcomes

Critical thinking; landscape design and practice; understanding social, cultural, environmental and evolutionary influences on landscapes; professional landscape architecture skills; preparation for private, public or academic practice; research and comprehensive project development.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The program has been fully accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB) since 2003 and is currently accredited through 2027. The MLA meets the educational requirements for initial landscape architect licensure in all 50 U.S. states, and the degree is recognized by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) as an accredited degree.

Reputation (employability rankings)

UNM reports that 98% of its MLA graduates since 2016 have found employment in professional practice or an allied field, while 97% of students have graduated from the program and more than 97% complete the program on time or within one year of their expected graduation year. At the university level, UNM reported a No. 74 position in the QS USA Top University Rankings 2021, a ranking that included employability among its indicators; this is an institutional ranking rather than a specific MLA ranking

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.) at the University of New Mexico develop practical design and research skills through intensive studio work, site analysis, environmental systems, landscape construction, plant studies, and digital design. UNM describes New Mexico’s distinctive Southwestern environment as an excellent laboratory for landscape architecture, giving students a strong setting for studying natural and human-made landscapes. The three-year curriculum also includes an interdisciplinary community studio, applied research, and a final project or thesis, allowing students to connect design concepts with real community and environmental challenges.

Experiential learning opportunities include:

Design studios: Students progress through Landscape Architecture Design Studio I–V, developing projects at different scales, including urban, neighborhood, and regional landscapes. The final studio uses a professional office/studio approach to a design project.
Real community projects: LA 504: LA Design Studio IV – DPAC Interdisciplinary Community Studio brings together landscape architecture, architecture, and planning students through the Design and Planning Assistance Center (DPAC). Projects address real landscape and urban-development issues within neighborhood and community contexts.
Digital design tools: Students complete LA 521: AutoCAD for Landscape Architects, giving the program a specific digital drafting and landscape-design component.
Site and environmental analysis: LA 556: Site-Environment develops skills in understanding site conditions, while the curriculum also covers grading, drainage, plant materials, landscape construction, and environmental systems.
Research experience: Through LA 596: Master’s Project/Thesis Preparation Seminar, students study landscape-architecture research methods, identify an area of interest, and develop a research proposal.
Applied research project: The Master’s Project (LA 597) allows students to undertake an applied research project addressing theoretical issues and their practical application in environmental design.
Master’s thesis: Students choosing LA 599: Master’s Thesis design and conduct a research study around a defined question or hypothesis, with the outcome intended to contribute to landscape-architecture knowledge.
Interdisciplinary opportunities: UNM’s School of Architecture and Planning works across Landscape Architecture, Architecture, and Community and Regional Planning, with the Indigenous Design and Planning Institute, Design and Planning Assistance Center, and Resource Center for Raza Planning providing distinctive interdisciplinary opportunities.
Professional practice preparation: Courses such as Professional Practice in Landscape Architecture and Professional Skills in Landscape Architecture help students develop the professional knowledge required for landscape-architecture practice and licensure.
Southwestern field context: The distinctive landscapes of New Mexico—including its natural and human-made environments—are incorporated into the educational setting, giving students an unusually direct context for examining landscape, ecology, culture, and development.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at the University of New Mexico prepares graduates for professional practice in private, public, and academic settings, with particular strengths in urban ecology and design, sustainable design, cultural landscapes, water systems in arid lands, and art and ecology. UNM reports that 98% of graduates since 2016 have found employment in professional practice or an allied field, while more than 97% complete the program on time or within one year of their expected graduation year.

Typical career paths include landscape architect, urban designer, environmental designer, and landscape planning professional:

Employment support: Students build professional networks through studio reviews with members of local landscape architecture firms and the student ASLA chapter’s mentorship program. The program also provides engagement in professional mentorship, portfolio review, and licensure-exam preparation, while encouraging students to participate in the annual American Society of Landscape Architects conference with scholarship and financial support coordinated through SASLA.
Employment outcomes: UNM reports 98% employment in professional practice or an allied field since 2016, alongside a 97% graduation rate over the last eight academic years and a 95% second-year retention rate.
Industry and community connections: The MLA benefits from the School of Architecture and Planning's close relationships with professional, state, civic, neighborhood, and cultural communities in the region. Students can also engage with UNM's Design and Planning Assistance Center, which works on design and development issues with neighborhoods and local organizations across New Mexico.
Professional accreditation value: The MLA is accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB), with UNM stating that its MLA meets the educational requirements for initial landscape-architecture licensure in all 50 U.S. states. The program is also recognized by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) as an accredited degree, providing a strong professional foundation for pursuing licensure.
Graduation and professional preparation: The curriculum is designed to prepare graduates for careers as private, public, or academic practitioners and to develop future leaders in landscape architecture. The program's interdisciplinary connections with Architecture and Community + Regional Planning broaden opportunities to work across design, planning, environmental, and community-focused projects.
Salary information: UNM's official MLA program disclosures report employment and graduation outcomes but do not publish a program-specific graduate salary figure, so a salary range or median is not stated by the university.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the MLA, graduates can pursue advanced or specialized study through UNM's graduate certificates in Historic Preservation and Regionalism, Indigenous Planning, or Urban Innovation, or continue into related graduate/research pathways within the School of Architecture and Planning. Students interested in professional practice can also progress toward landscape-architecture licensure, with jurisdiction-specific requirements and the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.) administered through CLARB.