MLA Landscape Architecture

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Washington

Program Overview

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at the University of Washington is a professional graduate degree focused on designing, analyzing, and planning outdoor environments through an urban ecological design approach, making it well suited to students who want to shape resilient, meaningful, and functional places. Students develop design, technical, ecological, social, and professional skills through advanced studios and coursework covering areas such as ecological systems, planting, landform, hydrology, design implementation, theory, and professional practice.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build advanced landscape architecture foundations through intensive studio and technical work, developing an understanding of ecological systems and the relationship between people, place, and environment. Key coursework includes L ARCH 501 GEHL Scan|Design Studio, L ARCH 431 Landform + Grading, and L ARCH 561 Experience of Place, developing skills in site analysis, spatial experience, landform and landscape design.

Year 2: The curriculum moves toward more complex design applications, community engagement, ecological planning, and professional preparation. Students undertake L ARCH 503 Community Design Studio, L ARCH 433 Design Implementation, and L ARCH 563 Ecological Design & Planning, connecting design ideas with implementation, community needs, and ecological systems.

Year 3: Students consolidate their professional and research capabilities through advanced design and independent investigation, culminating in a substantial thesis or project. Coursework includes L ARCH 507 Landscape & Art Studio, L ARCH 570 Theory/Scholarship, and L ARCH 700 Master’s Thesis, allowing students to develop an individual area of inquiry while demonstrating advanced landscape architecture practice.

Focus areas: Urban ecological design, ecological systems and planning, landscape design and implementation, landform and grading, soils and hydrology, planting design, experience of place, community design, landscape history and theory, professional practice, policy/law/finance, and landscape research.

Learning outcomes: Students develop aesthetic and technical design skills, knowledge of natural processes and ecological systems, social and environmental ethics, understanding of landscape history and theory, site planning and management capabilities, and the ability to collaborate with professionals and communities in addressing built and natural environmental challenges.

Professional alignment: The University of Washington’s MLA is professionally accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB), supporting its value as a professional landscape architecture qualification. UW’s official accreditation information identifies the MLA as a LAAB-accredited program.

Reputation: The University of Washington was ranked No. 92 globally and No. 7 among U.S. public universities in the 2026 QS World University Rankings, while UW’s official historical landscape architecture assessment records the MLA among the Top 15 Industry programs in DesignIntelligence’s 2011 ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the University of Washington Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) gain practical experience through design studios, technical coursework, digital media, fabrication, capstone projects, internships, and independent research. The 3-year MLA combines studio-based landscape design with hands-on technical training, while students have access to professional design software, digital fabrication equipment, dedicated studio spaces, computing facilities, and the Built Environments Library.

Digital software: Students learn Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign), ArcGIS, AutoCAD and Rhinoceros 3D through required digital-media courses; the department also states that MLA students learn Rhino, Grasshopper and Lumion during the program.
Design studios: Studio-based learning is central to the MLA, with students progressing through introductory, urban-site and advanced landscape studios before completing a capstone project that brings together their design and research skills.
Digital fabrication: The CBE Fabrication Lab provides woodworking and metalworking facilities, laser cutters and other digital fabrication tools, allowing students to physically prototype and construct design ideas after appropriate training.
Landscape furniture studio: MLA students have participated in the Landscape Architecture Furniture Studio, working collaboratively to design and fabricate landscape furniture and developing practical knowledge of materials, assemblies, sustainability, teamwork and design-build processes.
GIS and spatial analysis: Students develop spatial-analysis capabilities through GIS-focused coursework and projects; an MLA capstone, for example, involved site visits, GIS data analysis and selecting a pilot site for implementation.
Internships: The MLA includes opportunities to connect academic learning with professional practice, and the department provides an internship-credit process for MLA students. Students also have access to professional opportunities through the department and Seattle’s design community.
International field experience: UW Landscape Architecture offers international study opportunities, including the Scan Design Foundation Travel Study Program, which has taken students to Denmark and Sweden to investigate landscape architecture, urban design and related approaches in practice.
Digital Commons: The CBE Digital Commons provides Windows and Mac workstations, scanners, printers, plotters, a digital classroom and meeting areas for design and presentation work.
Archnet: Archnet provides design-studio computing support, design applications, scanners, printers and plotters for the College of Built Environments community.
Built Environments Library: The Built Environments Library in Gould Hall provides the primary library collection for landscape architecture, architecture, construction management and urban design and planning, with more than 40,000 books and bound periodicals plus extensive additional resources.
Research and making: The program connects landscape architecture with research areas such as digital fabrication, remote sensing, urban ecosystems, digital participation and mixed-reality landscapes, giving students opportunities to engage with emerging approaches to landscape practice.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA I) at the University of Washington prepares graduates for professional landscape architecture practice, combining design, ecological thinking, planning, construction, and communication. The three-year professional degree is LAAB-accredited, meets the academic requirements for landscape architecture licensure, and is STEM-designated, giving graduates a strong foundation for professional practice and eligible international graduates access to the STEM OPT extension.

Typical job roles: Landscape Architect, Landscape Designer, Urban Designer, Landscape Planning Consultant: graduates can work across private practice, government/public practice, design-build, planning, and related environmental design fields.

Career services: UW’s Career & Internship Center provides resume reviews, practice interviews, networking and interview guidance, career coaching, workshops, career fairs, and Handshake opportunities. The Landscape Architecture department also maintains profession-specific job and internship resources, including ASLA JobLink and Washington listings.
Professional internships: The department encourages professional internships and allows students to receive academic credit for them. Seattle’s professional community provides opportunities with design firms, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies in landscape design, planning, construction, and policy.
Employment outcomes: UW’s official MLA fact sheet reports that among the Class of 2024, 9 graduates entered private practice and 1 entered government/public practice; 17 outcomes were listed as unknown. For 2023, 18 entered private practice, 1 pursued advanced study/research, and 10 outcomes were unknown.
Salary figures: A specific MLA graduate salary or median salary is not stated in the official UW MLA sources reviewed, so no unrelated salary figure is substituted.
Industry connections: Students are supported by an engaged professional community in the Seattle region and the department’s Professional Advisory Council; alumni and employers also contact the department and faculty about available positions.
Accreditation value: The MLA is accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) and UW states that the degree meets the academic requirements for professional licensure. In Washington, graduates can begin the licensure process, which includes working under a licensed landscape architect and passing the Landscape Architecture Registration Examination.
Graduation outcomes: The program recorded 24 MLA graduates in Spring 2024, with an additional 3 students graduating through the concurrent MLA/M.Arch pathway. Recent alumni have progressed into professional landscape design roles, including work on public parks, institutions, residential projects, streetscape redevelopment, and urban renewal.
International progression: The MLA is STEM-designated, and UW states that international graduates can use OPT and the 24-month STEM OPT extension, subject to applicable immigration requirements.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can pursue advanced or interdisciplinary study after the MLA, including UW’s concurrent MLA/Master of Urban Planning (MUP) or MLA/Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) pathways. The department’s official fact sheet confirms that students have pursued both concurrent degrees, while graduates seeking deeper specialization or research can continue into appropriate advanced graduate study.