Are you interested in climate justice? Are you interested in inclusive economic development and social justice? Do you want to preserve the beauty in cities and create ecologically sustainable cities? Those are some of the goals you can learn to achieve when you major Landscape and Urban Studies. You will learn to integrate the biological, physical, and social sciences; humanities; arts; and technology to develop the skills that will help you play an important role in creating a more inclusive and sustainable future.

The major provides students opportunities to specialize in several directions: Culture, Health and Community; Restoration and Ecological Design; and Urban Studies. The major also provides students opportunities to explore the design and planning professions. Students who graduate from the major are prepared for starting positions in public or private agencies that oversee conservation, land management, cultural landscape conservation, and planning or for continuing on to graduate school, in particular, professionally accredited programs in Landscape Architecture, Planning, or Environmental Studies. This is the major for people who care about the natural world and human creation by understanding cultural and natural resource protection, green infrastructure, social equity, and policy, and more. 

Students who intend to declare their major in Landscape and Urban Studies are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Undergraduate Advisor in the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture.

Students who attend SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration) session with the College of Letters and Science have the option to declare this major at SOAR.  Students may otherwise declare after they have begun their undergraduate studies.

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 & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Students pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science curriculum.

Bachelor of Arts degree requirements

Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major

Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.

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See an Advisor and the Advising tab for recommended focused elective sets

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Intermediate and Advanced level courses accepted in the major are Upper Level

University Degree Requirements

1. Demonstrate competence and critical judgment in creatively applying the intellectual and technical skills necessary for site and landscape-scale natural and cultural resource conservation, planning, and management; these skills include cultural, historical and landscape literacy, data collection and analysis, spatial and temporal analysis, multidisciplinary problem-solving approaches and communication skills.
2. Demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to explore ideas and synthesize information, both independently and in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members.
3. Understand, apply and evaluate the principles, theories and research findings underlying at least one of the following advising pathways, Ecological Restoration and Design; Culture, Health, and Community; and Urban Studies.
4. Integrate social, cultural, ecological and technological dimensions in solving design and planning problems concerning the conservation or management of sustainable natural and cultural landscapes.
5. Be able to perform as a member of a public, private or non-profits office or agency in the fields represented within the department.

Sample Four-Year Plan

This Sample Four-Year Plan is a tool to assist students and their advisor(s). Students should use it—along with their DARS report, the Degree Planner, and Course Search & Enroll tools—to make their own four-year plan based on their placement scores, credit for transferred courses and approved examinations, and individual interests. As students become involved in athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, volunteer experiences, and/or work, they might adjust the order of their courses to accommodate these experiences. Students will likely revise their own four-year plan several times during college.

Students enrolled in the major Landscape and Urban Studies have three opportunities for advising:

1. Our undergraduate coordinator can assist with general questions about registration, student assistance, and progress in meeting major requirements.
2. All students entering the program may choose a faculty advisor (see People/Instructors) to assist with guidance specific to the curriculum (e.g. coursework, internships, research) and career opportunities.
3. The College of Letters & Science offers advice on career paths, networking, and job search preparation (see below).

L&S career resources

Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities.  SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.

In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.

Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.

• SuccessWorks
• Set up a career advising appointment
• Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
  • INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
  • INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
• Learn about internships and internship funding
  • INTER-LS 260 Internship in the Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
• Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives

Instructors

Professors:  David Bart, Sam Dennis Jr., Ken Genskow, Evelyn Howell, James LaGro, Dave Marcouiller, Alfonso Morales, Brian Ohm, Kurt Paulsen

Associate Professor:  Carey McAndrews

Assistant Professors: Edna Ledesma, Revel Sims

Distinguished Faculty Associate: Shawn Kelly

Faculty Associate:  Eric Schuchardt

Assistant Faculty Associate: Edward Bosewell

Senior Lecturers:  Doug Hadley,  James Steiner

Lecturers: Jacob Blue, Nathan Larson

Earth Partnership Program

Director: Cheryl Bauer Armstrong

Outreach Specialists: Claire Bjork, Maria Moreno

Academic Advising

Undergraduate Academic Advising Manager: Deborah Griffin

Administrative Staff

Department Administrator:

Financial Specialist: Tori Cooper

IT Support Specialist: Rob De Roos

Department Chair: Alfonso Morales

The Wisconsin Experience combines learning in and out of the classroom, helping students  develop intellectual and personal growth. The Landscape and Urban Studies major mixes traditional learning with community-based learning in and out of the classroom. Students are encouraged to take opportunities that supplement classroom learning by engaging in research, study abroad, internships, student clubs, and community interactions. The major engages students in exploring people-place, culture-nature phenomena and how they might, in their professional and personal lives, apply continuous learning to the planning of environments that benefit people, cultures, and the environment at the local, state, national, and global levels.

Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH)

This scholarship provides amounts ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 each to help students participate in a first-time internship opportunity that is unpaid or provides a limited stipend.

HILLDALE UNDERGRADUATE/FACULTY RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

The Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowships support undergraduate research done in collaboration with UW–Madison faculty or research/instructional academic staff. Approximately 97–100 Hilldale awards are available each year. The student researcher receives $3,000, and faculty/staff research advisor receives $1,000 to help offset research costs (e.g., supplies, faculty or student travel related to the project).

HOLSTROM ENVIRONMENTAL SCHOLARSHIPS

The Holstrom Environmental Scholarships support undergraduate research done in collaboration with UW–Madison faculty or research/instructional academic staff.  Research proposals must have an environmental focus, and applicants must have at least  junior standing at time of application.

UNDERGRADUATE SYMPOSIUM

The annual Undergraduate Symposium showcases undergraduate creativity, achievement, research, service-learning and community-based research from all areas of study at UW–Madison including the humanities, fine arts, biological sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SCHOLARS

The Undergraduate Research Scholars program (URS) is dedicated to enhancing the academic experience of UW–Madison students by providing first- and second-year undergraduates with opportunities to earn credit for participating in the research and creative work with UW–Madison faculty and staff. The program has been designed to include partnerships between students and mentors, seminars on research-relevant issues, and practice in research/artistic presentations. The many benefits of the program are found in the fluid interaction between these activities.

WISCONSIN IDEA FELLOWSHIPS

Wisconsin Idea Fellowships are awarded annually to undergraduate student projects working towards solving a challenge identified along with local or global community partner. Fellowships are awarded to semester-long or year-long projects designed by an undergraduate student (or group of students) in collaboration with a community organization and a UW–Madison faculty or academic staff member.