Master of Landscape Architecture

3 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Maryland College Park

Program Overview

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at the University of Maryland, College Park is a three-year first-professional program designed for students from non-landscape-architecture undergraduate backgrounds who want to develop professional expertise in landscape design, planning, environmental systems, and landscape construction. Students progress from foundational design and representation into advanced studio work, research, and a final thesis or creative project, covering the core knowledge areas required for professional landscape architecture.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: The first year establishes the fundamentals of landscape design, environmental resources, graphic communication, and site analysis. Students take LARC 640 – Graduate Studio I, LARC 620 – Graphic Tools for Landscape Representation, and LARC 450 – Environmental Resources, followed by LARC 641 – Graduate Studio II, LARC 621 – Digital Mapping and Drawing, LARC 663 – Landscape and Garden History, and LARC 720 – Environmental Analysis and Site Engineering. These courses develop visual thinking, digital representation, environmental awareness, site analysis, sustainable design, grading, drainage, and landscape history.

Year 2: Students move into more complex relationships between landscape science, urbanization, ecological systems, and human settlements. LARC 642 – Graduate Studio III examines landscape analysis, recreation planning, community development, hydrology, geology, transportation, and resource management, while LARC 648 – Graduate Studio IV is a collaborative studio involving students, professional practitioners, local government, and nonprofit representatives to address urban challenges such as climate change, population growth, resource constraints, and habitat loss. Students also develop their theoretical and research skills through LARC 670 – Theory & Criticism and LARC 671 – Research Methods.

Year 3: The final year focuses on professional practice, advanced design, and independent research. Students complete LARC 748 – Graduate Studio V, LARC 420 – Professional Practice, and LARC 799 – Thesis or Creative Project, allowing them to integrate design knowledge, professional preparation, research, and creative exploration into a substantial final project.

Focus areas

Landscape design, environmental resources, green infrastructure, sustainable site development, digital mapping and representation, landscape history and theory, environmental analysis, site engineering, landscape construction, urban design, community development, professional practice, and landscape research.

Learning outcomes

Students develop skills in landscape design, site and environmental analysis, digital and graphic representation, sustainable development, landscape construction, research, critical thinking, and professional practice, with the ability to respond to ecological, social, and urban challenges through landscape-based solutions.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The three-year MLA is an accredited first-professional program, and the curriculum follows LAAB standards covering landscape architectural history, philosophy, theory, values, ethics, practice, planning, design, implementation, and management.

Reputation (employability rankings): The university's Landscape Architecture Program states that UMD is a top-10 ranked landscape architecture program and highlights graduates working across private practice, public institutions, nonprofits, and international practice.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland, College Park emphasizes learning through design studios, collaborative work, physical prototyping, digital fabrication, and real-world landscape investigations. Students have access to dedicated studio environments and the MAPP Fab Lab, where landscape models and site-based prototypes can be developed using CNC machinery, laser cutters, and 3D printers. The School also provides specialized digital design software and research resources, giving students opportunities to move from conceptual landscape proposals to detailed physical and digital representations.

Key experiential learning opportunities include:

Collaborative studios: Graduate students work in a dedicated design-studio environment with flexible space for group work, where students use sketching, modeling, and digital design to address building, site, urban-design, and sustainable-material challenges.
Landscape fabrication: The MAPP Fab Lab specifically supports the creation of three-dimensional models of landscapes and urban sites, allowing students to translate landscape concepts into physical prototypes.
CNC fabrication: The Machine Shop includes a CAMaster Stinger SR-48 3-Axis CNC Router, together with woodworking and model-making equipment for producing detailed site and landscape components.
3D printing: The Laser/3D Print Lab provides six Prusa MK4/MK4S 3D printers for rapid prototyping and physical exploration of design ideas.
Laser cutting: Students can use four Speedy 360 laser engravers for precision model-making and fabrication; AutoCAD or Rhino3D files can be prepared for laser-cutting workflows.
Design software: The School's technology requirements identify AutoCAD, Revit, Rhinoceros, SketchUp Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Illustrator among the software used by architecture students.
Digital design workflow: Students can combine digital modeling with physical fabrication, moving from digital files to laser-cut and 3D-printed prototypes in the Fab Lab.
Research and project work: The School connects students with research tools and resources, including its library, historic collections, and computer lab, supporting investigation and evidence-based design development.
Interdisciplinary landscape projects: UMD faculty have led graduate design studios addressing real landscape challenges, including a studio focused on resilient buildings and landscapes at Assateague Island in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Real-world collaboration: Landscape-related teaching and research at UMD has included projects involving university scientists, government agencies, and interdisciplinary teams, giving students exposure to landscape problems beyond conventional classroom exercises.
Education abroad: MAPP offers global programs in locations including Italy, India, Japan, Cuba, and Scandinavia, providing opportunities to study architecture, landscape, urbanism, and place in different cultural and environmental contexts.
Professional development: MAPP provides graduate students with professional-development resources, including career fairs and portfolio workshops, while the School also advertises internship and financial-support opportunities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland prepares graduates for professional roles across private design firms, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and landscape-focused planning practices. The program’s LAAB accreditation also provides a strong professional pathway toward landscape architecture licensure, while its STEM designation can offer eligible international graduates up to three years of Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Typical career roles: Landscape Architect, Urban Designer, Ecological Designer, Community Designer.

Career progression is supported through:

Career services: The Landscape Architecture Program maintains a current list of job opportunities and shares employer vacancies with students and alumni. Students can also use AGNR career resources and professional job-search platforms such as ASLA and Land8.
Internships and job shadowing: Students can enroll in LARC389 Internship, while the Maryland ASLA Job Shadow Program connects students with practicing landscape architecture firms. Recent participating firms include AECOM, A. Morton Thomas & Associates, Ayers Saint Gross, and Barks Road Landscape Architecture.
Employer network: UMD LARC graduates have moved into organizations including AECOM, Ayers Saint Gross, Baltimore County Government, Clark Construction Group, Annapolis Landscape Architects, and Benning & Associates, demonstrating pathways across private practice, government, and related design/construction organizations.
Employment outcomes: The university's published public-information data reports that 80% of recent 2013 MLA graduates were employed in the private sector, with examples including Parker Rodriguez Inc. and Campion Hruby Landscape Architects; 10% were employed in the public sector and 10% in nonprofit work. This is historical program data rather than a current graduating-class statistic.
Salary progression: UMD's career information lists $45,000–$60,000 for entry-level private-practice positions, $60,000–$85,000 for project managers, $85,000–$110,000 for associates, and $110,000+ for principals/partners/presidents. These are figures published by the program for the MD/DC/VA area, not guaranteed graduate salaries.
Professional accreditation: The MLA is accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) and meets the educational requirements for landscape architecture licensure in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. UMD states that graduates of an accredited program can become eligible to take the licensing examination after two years of qualifying experience under a licensed landscape architect, subject to applicable state requirements.
Professional connections: Students engage with the Maryland Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (MDASLA) through job-shadow opportunities, scholarships, fellowships, and professional activities. In 2026, four UMD LARC students received MDASLA scholarships or fellowships, providing a direct connection to the professional landscape architecture community.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates pursue work in private design firms, corporations, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and universities, with professional activities spanning urban parks, streetscapes, ecological restoration, land planning, master planning, conservation, and site design.
International progression: The MLA is classified as a STEM program, and UMD states that international graduates may be eligible for up to three years of OPT, providing additional time to gain professional experience in the United States after graduation.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the MLA, students interested in advanced research, teaching, or high-level planning and design practice can pursue UMD's Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning and Design. The doctoral program specifically accepts master's degrees in related fields including landscape architecture and prepares graduates for university teaching, research, and decision-making across public, private, and nonprofit sectors; it is a 39-credit doctoral program.