Students who enjoy art, science, technology, problem-solving, and design should consider a career in landscape architecture. Graduates in landscape architecture influence the design and management of cities, parks, and open spaces. They often advise park managers, citizen groups, landowners, and state agencies. Landscape architects design public and private outdoor spaces, restore and help preserve natural areas, develop and implement regional planning and public policy, and revitalize urban neighborhoods. The professional Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) degree program focuses on form-giving design, design implementation, and professional practice. Emphasis is placed on principles of design theory and process; problem solving in relationship to human needs and aspirations, environmental awareness and stewardship; and on the development of technical proficiencies required of professional practice. Students learn site analysis, graphic communication, design synthesis, construction technology, and the social and environmental factors that are part of design.

The BLA degree program provides professional education accredited by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Students completing the requirements for this program are granted a BLA degree. Completion of this program is the first step in becoming a licensed landscape architect.

Please note that students completing the BLA degree cannot pursue an additional major, however, students may work towards and complete certificates.

How to Get in

Admission to the professional program during the sophomore year, or  in the second year of the degree plan, is on a competitive basis.

Students completing the requirements for this program are awarded a BLA degree. Because the BLA is an integrated degree program, it cannot be added as an additional major (“double major”) by students pursuing other degree programs. Students who are admitted to and complete the BLA degree may not declare or be awarded additional majors in combination with the BLA degree. However, BLA students are permitted to complete certificate programs.

1. Eligibility for Consideration into the Landscape Architecture Accredited Professional Program. Eligibility for consideration into the Landscape Architecture Accredited Professional Program depends on fulfillment of these requirements: students  apply for formal admission to the program during the spring semester of each academic year. Selections are made only once a year for the fall semester. The first round of selections takes place in early summer. All students will be notified of their status at least two weeks before the start of the fall semester. Students who plan to complete their prerequisite courses during the summer session must so indicate on their application. The department will admit up to a maximum of 30 students, as resources permit. Selection will be based on a letter of intent, written by the applicant, which will address their reasons for entering the major, submission of portfolio, and on grades earned in the following two prerequisite courses: LAND ARC 250  AND LAND ARC 210 or LAND ARC 366.
2. AND the applicant must have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours. University GPA will be considered.
   For more information on the professional design degree program and the application process please go to this link.
3. Selection Policies. On-campus selections for admission will be made as soon as possible after spring semester grades are received.
4. Notification of Status. Applicants who have completed their prerequisite courses at the end of spring semester will be notified of their status between June 1 and July 1 of each year for fall semester admission. Decisions on those applicants completing prerequisites during summer session will be made as soon as grades are received.
5. Appeal Procedures. An appeal to the department's curriculum committee may be presented to clarify an error of fact or extenuating circumstances.

University General Education Requirements

All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.

College of Letters and Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA)

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The BLA is a special degree program; it is not considered a major. The BLA degree is not available to students who intend to earn a degree outside the College of Letters & Science.

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree Requirements

Requirements for the BLA

Residence and Quality of Work

• 2.000 GPA in all LAND ARC courses and courses that count toward the BLA program
• 2.000 GPA on 15 Upper Level credits, taken in Residence ¹
• 15 credits in LAND ARC, taken on the UW–Madison campus

Footnotes 

¹

 LAND ARC and major courses numbered 500-699 are Upper Level.

University Degree Requirements

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate competence and critical judgement in applying intellectual and technical skills necessary for site and landscape-scale design, in particular skills of problem-solving using site inventory/analysis; spatial/temporal analysis; programming; synthesis; oral, written, and visual communication; construction implementation; and post-occupancy evaluation.
2. Demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to explore ideas and synthesize information, both independently and in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members to identify and solve complicated landscape design and planning problems.
3. Understand, apply, and evaluate the principles, theories, and recent research findings in the discipline of landscape architecture.
4. Integrate humanistic, scientific, legal, political, economic, social, ecological, and technological dimensions in solving novel design and planning problems concerning the betterment of rural and urban natural and cultural landscapes.
5. Understand, analyze, and apply design and planning theories and principles to urban and rural landscapes to benefit human living conditions.

Four-Year Plan

This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.

People

Professors

David Bart, Evelyn Howell, James LaGro

Assistant Professor

Anna Bierbrauer, Wenwen Cheng, Edna Ely-Ledesma

Distinguished Teaching Faculty

Shawn Kelly

Teaching Faculty III

Eric Schuchardt

Teaching Faculty II

Nathan Larson, Maria Moreno

Teaching Faculty I

Ed Boswell

Senior Lecturers

Doug Hadley, James Steiner

Research Associate

Gaylan Williams

Undergraduate Academic Advising Services

Deborah Griffin

Certification/Licensure

Landscape Architecture Registration Exam

Professional Certification/Licensure Disclosure (NC-SARA)

The United States Department of Education (via 34 CFR Part 668) requires institutions that provide distance education to disclose information for programs leading to professional certification or licensure. The expectation is that institutions will determine whether each applicable academic program meets state professional licensure requirements and provide a general disclosure of such on an official university website.

Professional licensure requirements vary from state-to-state and can change year-to-year; they are established in a variety of state statutes, regulations, rules, and policies; and they center on a range of educational requirements, including degree type, specialized accreditation, total credits, specific courses, and examinations.  

UW-Madison has taken reasonable efforts to determine whether this program satisfies the educational requirements for certification/licensure in states where prospective and enrolled students are located and is disclosing that information as follows.

Disclaimer: This information is based on the most recent annual review of state agency certification/licensure data and is subject to change. All students are strongly encouraged to consult with the individual/office listed in the Contact Information box on this page and with the applicable state agency for specific information.

The requirements of this program meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:

Wisconsin

The requirements of this program do not meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:

Not applicable

Updated: 1 June 2024

Accreditation

Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board

Accreditation status: Accredited. Next accreditation review: 2025.