Masters in Landscape Architecture

3 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Program Overview

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is a three-year, 89-credit professional degree designed to prepare students to address complex urban, suburban, and rural landscape challenges across human and ecological systems. Students develop expertise through design studios supported by landscape technologies, ecological systems, construction, GIS, history, research methods, and a final capstone, with opportunities to investigate issues such as climate change, water scarcity, flooding, biodiversity, and environmental justice.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: The first year builds the essential design, representation, ecological, and technical foundations of landscape architecture. Students study LA 5201 – Making Landscape Space and Types, LA 5202 – Landscape Analysis Workshop, LA 5376 – Representation I, LA 5413 – Introduction to Landscape Architectural History, and LA 5771 – Landscape Technologies and Systems I, followed by LA 5203 – Ecological Dimensions of Spacemaking, LA 5204 – Metropolitan Landscape Ecology, LA 5377 – Representation II, and LA 5772 – Landscape Technologies and Systems II. The curriculum combines intensive field investigation with ecological thinking, visual communication, landscape history, and landscape technologies.

Year 2: Students progress from foundational landscape design toward larger urban systems and advanced digital analysis. LA 5131 – Geospatial Data Analysis and Design, LA 8206 – Making Urban Landscape Space, and LA 8773 – Landscape Technologies and Systems III develop skills in geospatial analysis, urban landscape design, and advanced landscape systems; students can also pursue LA 8205 – Urban Form Options or the Cities on Water option featuring LA 5761 – Infrastructure + Culture and LA 8207 – LA Study Abroad Grad Studio. Second-year option studios may take students outside Minnesota to investigate issues such as sea-level rise, water scarcity, polluted-site remediation, and ecological restoration.

Year 3: The final year focuses on integrating design, research, programming, technology, and professional practice. Students continue LA 8206 – Making Urban Landscape Space, then undertake LA 8301 – Research Methods, LA 8554 – Project Programming, and LA 8774 – Landscape Technologies and Systems IV, before completing LA 8302 – Professional Practice and LA 8555 – Advanced Landscape Planning and Design (Capstone Studio). The capstone allows students to develop and research an independent landscape architecture project around a topic of their choosing.

Focus areas

Landscape design, urban and regional landscapes, ecological systems, climate resilience, landscape technologies, GIS and geospatial analysis, landscape representation, environmental analysis, construction technologies and materials, landscape history, research methods, urban planning, professional practice, and advanced landscape planning and design.

Learning outcomes

Students develop the professional skills to analyze, design, represent, and implement landscapes for human and ecological well-being, ecological function, and climate resilience, using iterative analog and digital design processes, systems thinking, place-based analysis, and research.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The three-year first-professional MLA is accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) and provides an educational pathway toward becoming a licensed landscape architect in the United States. The University of Minnesota announced in April 2026 that the MLA had received renewed LAAB accreditation.

Reputation (employability rankings)

The University of Minnesota highlights a strong landscape architecture network extending through the Twin Cities design community and internationally, with alumni working in or leading practices and some returning as adjunct faculty. The program also provides access to a major public research university environment and related centers including the Minnesota Design Center, Great Lakes Design Lab, Center for Sustainable Building Research, and Institute on the Environment.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is strongly studio-based, giving students practical experience through design projects, field investigations, ecological analysis, digital mapping, construction technologies, and landscape systems. Students work across Minnesota and the wider Great Lakes region, with later studios traveling outside the state to investigate issues such as water scarcity, sea-level rise, polluted sites, and ecological restoration. The program also connects students with community experts, practitioners, and interdisciplinary research centers, while the capstone studio provides an opportunity to develop an independent landscape architecture project:

Design studios: Students progress through hands-on studios including LA 5201 Making Landscape Space and Types, LA 5203 Ecological Dimensions of Spacemaking, LA 8206 Making Urban Landscape Space, and LA 8555 Advanced Landscape Planning and Design (Capstone Studio).
Field investigations: LA 5202 Landscape Analysis Workshop (Itasca) introduces field-based landscape analysis, while the studio sequence begins with local sites where intensive field investigations are part of the design process.
Geospatial tools: LA 5131 Geospatial Data Analysis and Design develops practical skills in geospatial data analysis and landscape design, supported by the program's geographic information systems and digital representation coursework.
Landscape technologies: LA 5771 Landscape Technologies and Systems I through LA 8774 Landscape Technologies and Systems IV allow students to work progressively with landscape technologies, infrastructure, and systems.
Travel studios: Second- and third-year option studios travel outside Minnesota to study climate and landscape challenges such as water scarcity, sea-level rise, polluted-site remediation, and ecological restoration.
Study abroad: The curriculum has included LA 8207 LA Study Abroad Grad Studio, giving graduate students an opportunity to investigate landscape and urban conditions in an international setting.
Community-based projects: Students engage with local communities and community experts to investigate issues including environmental justice, climate change, water, and social equity.
Collaborative studios: The program's studio model brings together students from different backgrounds and encourages collaboration with other disciplines and community groups, while the Twin Cities professional landscape architecture network provides opportunities for student-practitioner interaction.
Fabrication facilities: Students have access to the College of Design's Fabrication Shops, supporting physical model-making and hands-on design development as part of the school's design education environment.
Research facilities: The MLA is connected with the Center for Sustainable Building Research, Minnesota Design Center, Great Lakes Design Lab, and Institute on the Environment, providing opportunities to engage with sustainability, regional design, environmental research, and interdisciplinary work.
Professional exposure: The program has a substantial student-practitioner mentoring network, with Minneapolis–St. Paul landscape architecture firms employing or being led by program alumni; some practitioners also teach as adjunct faculty.
Conferences and professional learning: MLA students are encouraged to attend the annual ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture and other relevant professional conferences, with limited program funding available to support student travel.
Capstone experience: Students complete a required capstone project, developing and researching an independent landscape architecture project based on a topic of their choosing.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities prepares graduates to address complex urban, suburban, and rural environments through design, ecological thinking, and research. Its professional curriculum and capstone studio support progression into landscape architecture practice, while the Twin Cities setting and the School’s connections with practicing professionals provide valuable exposure to the profession.

Typical career roles: Landscape Architect, Urban Designer, Landscape Planner, Environmental Designer

Career development and progression opportunities include:

Career services: University of Minnesota Career & Internship Services supports College of Design graduate students with career consulting, resume reviews, Handshake job opportunities, career courses, and career fairs. The service also reports that 75.45% of students across CCAPS, CFANS, and CDes were employed, while 45% or more of employers recruit for internships year-round; these figures are college-group-wide rather than MLA-specific.
Employer connections: The Built Environment Career Fair specifically includes landscape architecture alongside architecture, engineering, building science, construction management, and interior design, giving students opportunities to meet employers recruiting for both full-time positions and internships.
Professional network: The School of Landscape Architecture connects students with the established Twin Cities practice community. Many adjunct instructors are alumni and current practitioners who bring direct industry experience and professional connections into the classroom.
Real-world projects: University career services also provides access to Projects and Micro-Internships, which connect students with short-term, project-based professional experiences through alumni and external employers.
Employment statistics: The university's publicly available career-services figure of 75.45% employed covers the broader CCAPS, CDes, and CFANS student population, not specifically MLA graduates. A program-specific employment percentage or salary figure was not stated on the official MLA pages reviewed.
Salary information: A program-specific graduate salary figure was not stated on the official University of Minnesota MLA pages reviewed.
University–industry connections: The program's professional network includes practicing landscape architects through its adjunct faculty, while the Built Environment Career Fair creates direct recruitment opportunities with employers seeking landscape architecture talent.
Long-term accreditation value: The three-year MLA is a professional degree accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB). The university states that this accredited credential is one pathway toward becoming a licensed landscape architect in the United States, giving the degree long-term professional value for students pursuing licensure.
Graduation outcomes: The program prepares students for careers addressing urban, suburban, and rural landscape challenges, with graduates developing a versatile background connected to ecology, climate change, and urban resilience. The university's official MLA materials do not state a specific MLA graduate employment rate or salary outcome.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into further specialized study within landscape architecture or related built-environment disciplines. The University of Minnesota offers an MLA/ Master of Urban and Regional Planning concurrent degree, allowing students to combine landscape architecture with urban and regional planning, while related graduate options include the Landscape Architecture Graduate Minor and Ecological Restoration Graduate Minor.