Master of Landscape Architecture ( 2 Years Program)

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Michigan Ann Arbor

Program Overview

The University of Michigan’s Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) Two-Year Program is designed for students who already hold an accredited landscape architecture degree and want to develop advanced expertise in a specific area or pursue research in landscape architecture and ecological design. Students explore ecological design, environmental justice, spatial analysis, policy and scenario design, landscape ecology, ecological restoration, and related interdisciplinary subjects while working with faculty and students across SEAS and the wider University.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1: Students begin by selecting landscape architecture core coursework aligned with their interests, with options including EAS 501 Professional Practice, EAS 592 Environmental Planning: Issues & Concepts, EAS 620 AR/VR for Sustainability, EAS 687 Landscape Planning and Analysis, EAS 688 Site Planning and Design, and EAS 691 Ecological Planting Design Studio. The first year can also incorporate an approved social or natural science course, an analytics course, and graduate-level electives, allowing students to connect landscape design with ecological, technical, and environmental systems.

Year 2: Students deepen their specialization through additional graduate electives and complete substantial independent or collaborative work through the program’s EAS 701 Master’s Project or EAS 700 Master’s Thesis options. The interdisciplinary master’s project can be completed as a team-based alternative to a traditional thesis, enabling students to apply their landscape architecture expertise to complex ecological-design questions and develop advanced research or professional capabilities.

Focus Areas: Spatial analysis, policy and scenario design, industrial ecology and green design, environmental justice, landscape ecology, ecological restoration, real estate and brownfield development, ecological design.

Learning Outcomes: Students develop the ability to apply ecological principles to landscape design, synthesize ecological processes with human behavior and cultural and political systems, use design precedent and research to inform design processes, and visualize proposals through technologies ranging from sketching and model-making to virtual reality simulations.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The Two-Year MLA is non-accredited and is intended for students who already hold a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from an accredited North American institution; the University of Michigan’s Three-Year MLA, rather than the two-year program, holds Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) accreditation.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): The University of Michigan reports that it is recognized as a leading global research institution in the QS World University Rankings, with graduate employability among the factors contributing to its recognition; U-M’s official Almanac records University of Michigan–Ann Arbor at #45 in the 2025 QS World University Rankings. A separate official QS employability ranking specific to the MLA program is not stated.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The University of Michigan’s 2-Year Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) is designed for students who already hold an accredited landscape architecture degree and want to develop advanced expertise in ecological design, spatial analysis, planning, and related areas. Students gain practical experience through specialized landscape architecture courses, site planning and design, ecological planting design, research, analytics, and a capstone, with opportunities to collaborate across SEAS disciplines and use digital visualization technologies. The program also allows students to build expertise in areas such as spatial analysis, policy and scenario design, landscape ecology, ecological restoration, brownfield development, and green design.

Landscape Architecture Studios: Students can take EAS 688 Site Planning and Design and EAS 691 Ecological Planting Design Studio, developing applied skills in site planning, landscape design, and ecological planting.
Research Projects: EAS 600 Directed Research and Special Problems allows students to pursue focused research aligned with their landscape architecture interests, while the program's capstone provides an opportunity to bring advanced learning into a substantial project.
Team-Based Learning: The two-year MLA allows students to pursue an interdisciplinary, team-based master’s project instead of a traditional thesis, providing an opportunity to work collaboratively on complex landscape and ecological design questions.
GIS & Spatial Analysis: EAS 531 Principles of GIS is available to Landscape Architecture students and combines lectures with technical GIS labs. The course uses ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Pro, and QGIS for environmental applications and analysis.
AR/VR Technology: EAS 620 AR/VR for Sustainability is part of the two-year MLA's approved landscape architecture core courses, giving students the opportunity to explore augmented, extended, and virtual reality as tools for environmental visualization and simulation.
Geospatial Research: The Geospatial Data Science Lab provides high-end workstations and software licenses for satellite-image processing, spatial databases, spatial analysis, and spatial modeling, supporting research involving land-use and landscape change.
Landscape Research: The Landscape Ecology, Perception & Design Lab investigates landscape patterns and management regimes across urban lots, brownfields, greenfield developments, agricultural landscapes, and watersheds, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary landscape planning and ecological design.
Field-Based Learning: SEAS provides access to field properties where students can study ecological features, soil composition, and topography directly in the field, complementing studio and landscape analysis work.
Professional Practice: EAS 501 Professional Practice is one of the courses available within the two-year MLA's landscape architecture core, connecting advanced study with professional practice.
Internships & Career Support: SEAS provides MLA students with internship and job-search support through its Careers staff, including resume and cover-letter reviews, mock interviews, and internship-search assistance.
Ecological Design Facilities: Students benefit from SEAS's research environment and its laboratories, where faculty and students conduct hands-on work involving environmental systems, natural resources, landscape ecology, geospatial analysis, and ecological design

Progression & Future Opportunities

The University of Michigan’s two-year Master of Landscape Architecture prepares graduates to apply advanced landscape architecture knowledge in ecological design, planning, research, and specialized professional practice. Graduates can progress into private-sector design firms, government and conservation organizations, academic/research careers, or continue into doctoral study, with the program particularly suited to students seeking advanced specialization after an accredited landscape architecture degree.

Career roles: Landscape Architect, Landscape Designer, Urban/Environmental Planner, Ecological Design Specialist

Career development: Students receive dedicated support from SEAS Career Services, including resume and cover-letter reviews, mock interviews, internship and job-search assistance, professional connections, and career advising. SEAS also provides access to its alumni network and career opportunities, while the University Career Center offers additional services for international students.
Employment outcomes: University of Michigan’s 2024 SEAS employment data reports Landscape Architecture graduates at an average salary of $67,000, with a $65,000 median and a reported salary range of $52,000–$70,000. These figures are SEAS-wide reported specialization data and should not be interpreted as a guaranteed salary for every two-year MLA graduate.
Graduate employment: The University’s MLA public information statement reports recent MLA graduates working across private practice, public practice, landscape horticulture/design-build, teaching, and other professional areas. For graduates receiving the MLA degree during 2022–24, the reported occupation distribution was 11% private practice, 2% public practice, 9% landscape horticulture/design-build, 2% teaching, and 19% other; not all graduates responded to the survey.
University–industry connections: The program identifies employers of MLA graduates including AECOM, Biohabitats, Environmental Consulting & Technology, Gibbs Planning Group, H.T. Harvey & Associates, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, National Park Service, Sasaki Associates, SmithGroup JJR, U.S. Department of the Interior, and U.S. Forest Service. These examples demonstrate the breadth of professional destinations across design, ecological consulting, government, conservation, and multidisciplinary practice.
Professional network: SEAS Career Services helps students develop professional connections with alumni and identify career paths, while the program’s alumni work in private firms, multidisciplinary practices, government agencies, NGOs, and independent practices after licensure.
Professional accreditation: The two-year MLA is a post-accredited-degree program intended for students who already hold an accredited landscape architecture degree; therefore, the University’s LAAB professional-accreditation statement specifically identifies the three-year MLA as the program accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board and satisfying the academic requirements for professional licensure.
STEM designation: The Master of Landscape Architecture is STEM-designated, which can provide eligible international F-1 graduates with access to the 24-month STEM OPT extension after qualifying post-completion OPT.
Long-term progression: The two-year MLA can support advanced professional specialization in areas such as spatial analysis, ecological restoration, environmental justice, landscape ecology, green design, real estate, and brownfield development, while also providing a pathway toward research and academic careers.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the two-year MLA, students can pursue doctoral study in landscape architecture or related environmental/design fields, or strengthen their interdisciplinary profile through University of Michigan dual-degree opportunities. The program specifically offers dual-degree options involving urban planning and architecture, while SEAS also provides certificate opportunities in areas such as spatial analysis, industrial ecology, and real estate.