Architecture Degrees Online

Entry Requirements
An average tarriff point offer is likely to be 230, including a minimum of two subjects at A2 or equivalent.

Mature students without formal qualifications will be considered individually.

Applicants for this course will be invited to present a portfolio to demonstrate their design ability.

Careers
The course is fully recognised and accredited by The Landscape Institute. Landscape architects are employed in a wide range of national, private and public practices in this country and abroad. Successful candidates can also pursue environmental design based careers in related fields, such as landscape management or landscape planning.

Students who graduate from the course at the appropriate level have access to Birmingham City University’s Postgraduate Diploma course in Landscape Architecture, which provides access to graduate membership of The Landscape Institute, the profession’s governing body.

Master in architecture

Would you like to create beautiful buildings that will outlast you? Would you like to shape aesthetic and practical surroundings to people’s delight? Do you want to work within a fascinating profession?

By following this five-year long Master’s degree programme in Architecture you will be trained as a creative planner in one of Norway’s largest industries. Planning and building activities in Norway amount to more than NOK 100 billion every year. The architect’s main area of responsibility and knowledge is the shaping of our physical surroundings with a view to quality, practical use and aesthetic value.

Interdisciplinarity
At NTNU we make sure our lecturers are highly skilled professionals. Landscape architects, interior decorators, advanced engineers, philosophers, sociologists, industrial designers and art historians teach alongside performing artists, but the majority of our teachers are trained architects. This is a presumption in order for our students to learn how to include the different architectural aspects in their work.

A project and problem based programme
Through project assignments and lectures the students will learn how to approach problems of various natures, and solve them in an aesthetical, practical and resource-friendly manner.

Parallel to the projects, we teach various theoretical, analytical and practical subjects which provide the basis for the creative process.

Specializations
The first three years of the programme are identical for all students. After that, the students may specialize over two years within the following areas:
Planning of buildings and building environments for industry and business, public institutions and housing
Form and function, creative processes and planning methodology
Technical and financial aspects of architectural activities. Construction engineering, technical installations, building economy, building management and computer engineering
Drawing, plastic form, use of colours and aesthetic communication
The theory and history of architecture; protection, renovation and improvement of buildings and building environments
City and town development, physical planning.

Excursions
Excursions in Norway and abroad are an important element of the programme. The students’ sense of form is trained through personal observations of surroundings and objects. Studies of both historical and modern examples are important in the learning process.

Studies abroad are also relevant for many students in their final part of the programme.

Landscape architecture is a profession committed to the creation of meaningful and vital outdoor places and to the sustainable management of our environment. Landscape architects strive to establish a balance between our use and enjoyment of the land and the conservation and health of the environment.

Students who choose this program receive specialized training in the knowledge and skills necessary to assist landscape architects to produce man-made environments that are ecologically appropriate, functionally successful and esthetically pleasing.

The work of landscape architects is all around us; in our city streets, along our motorways, within our shopping centres, parks, public gardens and city squares. Landscape Architecture involves the planning, design, creation and management of our external environment. It aims to combine the best for and from our natural and built landscapes.

Landscape Architecture includes master planning, regeneration of urban and rural sites, conservation and management of heritage landscapes and waterways and the design of public and private open spaces. From mining to forestry, from urbanisation to river reclamation, from transport to water storage, landscape architects bring together the natural and the built for a better environment.

Students require imagination, strong visual interests and problem-solving skills. Design is essential to this specialist degree and design methodology is taught and practised in the studio-based modules, which have an important element of self-direction. Drawing, landscape representation and computer graphics are part of the taught syllabus. However, a natural artistic or creative talent combined with the ability to reason in logical fashion will prove a helpful asset in this area.

Architecture and Landscape Architecture

If the combination of art and science inspires you, you are interested in designing buildings or planning the outdoor environment, then Architecture or Landscape Architecture will unleash your creative potential.

Central to Architecture and Landscape Architecture is design. An analytical, creative and enquiring mind will help you design innovative and novel solutions to everyday and future challenges. Architects and Landscape Architects have designed many of the things you see on a day-to-day basis. Architecture and Landscape Architecture lie at the heart of innovation and development and if this is something that appeals to you then UCD has the widest range of facilities in Ireland to fulfil your ambitions.

The three year BSc (Architectural Science) degree programme leads to the Bachelor of Architecture degree, after a further two years of study and is geared primarily towards the architecture profession.

Our BArch degree is accredited by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Our Architecture Programme offers a unique perspective to 3rd and 4th year undergraduates through contributions from our graduate and research programmes.

Architecture and Landscape Architecture

If the combination of art and science inspires you, you are interested in designing buildings or planning the outdoor environment, then Architecture or Landscape Architecture will unleash your creative potential.

Central to Architecture and Landscape Architecture is design. An analytical, creative and enquiring mind will help you design innovative and novel solutions to everyday and future challenges. Architects and Landscape Architects have designed many of the things you see on a day-to-day basis. Architecture and Landscape Architecture lie at the heart of innovation and development and if this is something that appeals to you then UCD has the widest range of facilities in Ireland to fulfil your ambitions.

The three year BSc (Architectural Science) degree programme leads to the Bachelor of Architecture degree, after a further two years of study and is geared primarily towards the architecture profession.

Our BArch degree is accredited by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Our Architecture Programme offers a unique perspective to 3rd and 4th year undergraduates through contributions from our graduate and research programmes.

LAAR 513 Landscape Resources
Three Hours: 3 Credits
An introduction to natural systems analysis for land use suitability and basic principles governing ecosystems. The role of natural factors as guiding determinants of urban land development is studied. Ecologically based planning methodology and techniques for resources preservation, reclamation, management and development are examined. The aim is to instill the sense of stewardship toward the landscape as a basis for urban landscape planning and design. This course is cross-listed with CREP 542. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 520 Landscape Architecture Studio II: Site Planning and Design
Ten Hours: 6 Credits
An introduction to site analysis and site design. Emphasis is placed on analysis, representation and design of site specific landscapes within the urban context and social environment. Prerequisites: LAAR 510 and LAAR 513, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 522 Technology I: Grading & Drainage
Four Hours: 3 Credits
The study of shaping of the earth’s surface in an ecological, technical and aesthetic manner with an emphasis on the technical ability to transform design ideas into physical reality. Specific topics include contours and slope analysis, the grading process, earthwork, and storm runoff analysis. Prerequisites: LAAR 510 and LAAR 513, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 523 Plant materials
Three Hours: 3 Credits
An introduction to plant materials in terms of their botanical identification, design characteristics and ecological requirements. Trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers commonly used in urban planting design are emphasized. Prerequisites: None.

LAAR 525 GIS for Landscape Architects
Four Hours: 3 Credits
An introduction to Geographic Information Systems and its specific application to the landscape architecture profession. Topics include: spatial modeling, visual analysis, resource management, site design, master planning, and public advocacy. Prerequisites: None.

LAAR 530 Landscape Architecture Studio Ill: Nature in the City
Ten Hours: 6 Credits
This course addresses how nature can be integrated into the urban fabric through the design of greenways, urban forests, city and neighborhood parks, street tree plantings, green plazas, and community gardens. Emphasis is placed on such environmental values as contact with nature, sustainable landscapes, climatic comfort, and environmental health. These concerns are studied in relation to land use patterns, site context, and the socio-cultural values of city users. Prerequisites: LAAR 520, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 532 Technology II: materials & Methods of Construction
Four Hours: 3 Credits
This course covers the basic materials and methods of landscape architecture site construction with an emphasis on sustainable materials and construction methodologies. Specific topics include construction details for paving, curbs, edgings, steps and ramps; construction details for freestanding walls and fences and retaining walls; deck, pergola, bridge construction; structural loads, and ponds, pools and fountain construction details. Prerequisites: ENST 770 and LAAR 522, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 533 Plants in the City
Three Hours: 3 Credits
An urban study of plants from morphologic and physiologic adaptations in the environment to soil structure, nutrient chemistry and contaminant loading. Students study ecological needs and planting practices as well as the design benefits of plants in the urban environment. The class looks at typical urban street conditions, urban wetlands, brown-fields and city parks as areas of unique plant requirements. Prerequisites: LAAR 523, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 540 Landscape Architecture Studio IV: Urban Communities
Ten Hours: 6 Credits
This studio is focused on community design with the physical environment viewed as a catalyst for community enhancement and revitalization. Typical issues of concern include community identity, social cohesiveness, the role of open space in urban neighborhoods, and community safety and livability. The urban context and the pedestrian realm are used as the point of departure for designing public spaces and community places. Studies are aimed at accommodating the everyday life of local residents and users while recognizing the indigenous context of the built environment and the socio-behavioral characteristics of the inhabitants and their cultural heritage as formative influences during the design process. Prerequisites: LAAR 530, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 541 Technology Ill: Advanced Site Construction
Four Hours: 3 Credits
This is the capstone course of the technology series. Specific topics include: road alignment, and site demolition and layout. The major emphasis of the course, however, is the preparation of a complete set of technical construction documents with specifications and cost estimates. Prerequisites: LAAR 522 and LAAR 532, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 550 Landscape Architecture Studio V: Urban Design
Ten Hours: 6 Credits
This studio addresses issues related to the planning and design of the urban landscape. Studies focus on advancing skills in land development, programming, master planning, and site design of urban projects. Emphasis is placed on enhancing urban aesthetics, the quality of the pedestrian realm and the design of public spaces within site-specific contexts. The socioeconomic and cultural aspects of design and planning are also addressed. Prerequisites: LAAR 540, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 551 20th Century History and Theory of Landscape Design
Three Hours: 3 Credits
This course is an historical investigation of the development of landscape architecture and urban design in the twentieth century. Emphasis is placed on the rise of modernism in architecture and landscape architecture, the ecological critique of modernism, emerging theories of landscape design, and twentieth century urban design and theory. Prerequisites: None

LAAR 552 Planting Design
Three Hours: 3 Credits
In this course, students study the use of plants as a major site design factor. The course presents the uses of botanic elements to develop spatial definition and character and its relationship to architectural form and order. Plants are also studied for their uniqueness as a design element, color composition, form and order. Course compositions look at rhythm, order, form texture, color and balance as an expression of a landscape medium. Prerequisites: LAAR 520, LAAR 523, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 560 Studio VI: Master’s Degree Project
Six Hours: 6 Credits
Students investigate a topic of their own choosing through a site specific design project. Emphasis is on the framing of the problem, building on relevant literature and precedents and articulating a position and explanation of how the project addresses the critical issues of the site and problem. Prerequisites: LAAR 751, completion of the entire design studio sequence, (LAAR 510-550).

LAAR 561 Landscape Architectural Practice
Three Hours: 3 Credits
Students examine the role of the landscape architect in a variety of work environments such as private practice, government practice, education and related industries. Study includes the legal, ethical, and contractual responsibilities of landscape architectural practice and basic procedures, management and information systems used in professional offices. Prerequisites: Must be in the final year of the MLA program, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 562 Urban Stream Restoration
Three Hours: 3 Credits
This course introduces students to stream restoration techniques. Topics covered include: river mechanics, stream classification systems, stream morphology, and hydraulic geometry relationships. Students learn how to use stream measurement techniques, develop and construct stream protection and restoration strategies, and conduct post-construction monitoring. Prerequisites: LAAR 522, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 572 Urban Hydrology
Three Hours: 3 Credits
This is an advanced course for students wanting to become proficient in hydrologic applications, particularly those used in urbanized areas. Topics covered include Maryland’s storm water Management Regulations, storm water runoff calculations, storm drain design, and state-of-the-art best management practices. Prerequisites: LAAR.522, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 751 Research Methods
Three Hours: 3 Credits
This course provides an overview of research methods commonly used in landscape architecture focused on the development of each student’s individual scholarship either a thesis or a master’s degree terminal project. Emphasis is placed on the articulation of a research “problem” and the development of that problem into an appropriate project, approach, and time frame for investigating it. Prerequisites: Must be in final year of the MLA program, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 788-789 Supervised Research
Three Hours: 3 Credits
These courses are designed to enable students to participate in research areas of their competence under the supervision of faculty. Students are required to submit research findings verbally and to submit a written report to the graduate faculty. Prerequisites: The submission of a well organized, focused, operational research proposal and permission of the Program Coordinator.

LAAR 797 Thesis Guidance
Two Hours: 2 Credits
Thesis guidance (for the LAAR.799 option only) provides students, who have not completed their thesis in the assigned semester, a mechanism for continuing their work under faculty supervision. Prerequisites: Permission of the Thesis Advisor or Program Coordinator.

There are two final options for students pursuing the MLA degree: the “Master’s Degree Project” or the “Thesis Seminar.” (Students, after consultation with the Program Coordinator, will decide which of the two options they will complete)

LAAR 799 Thesis Seminar
Three Hours: 3 Credits
Students are expected to demonstrate leading professional knowledge through rigorous thesis research. A research-based thesis is for students having an interest in a topic relevant to landscape architecture history/ culture, theory, design, construction, or practice; the presentation format is a written text with supporting graphics as appropriate. The thesis option must meet all of the requirements for completing a thesis as outlined in the School of Graduate Studies Dissertation/ Theses Handbook. This option is required for students pursuing the MSLA degree. Prerequisites: Completion of the entire studio sequence, or permission of the Program Coordinator.

Message from the Coordinator
Landscape Architecture is the profession of design, planning and management of the land. Landscape architects enhance the quality of our lives designing urban plazas and parks, housing projects and office parks, or they may develop land use policy for a whole region. What all landscape architects have in common is a deep appreciation for the environment, commitment to the highest standards of planning and design, and the reward of work that directly enhances the quality of people’s lives

Mission of the Program
The Master in Landscape Architecture program is designed to provide students the opportunity for in-depth investigations into issues of urban landscape architecture and to develop a strong background in design theory, design technology, or computer aided design.

About the Program
The accredited graduate Landscape Architecture Program at Morgan State University offers the pursuit of an urban-based education. The programs urban focus challenges students to solve complex city related problems that deal with population density, architectural density, human diversity, environmental diversity, and public infrastructure systems. These interwoven structures of urban life also interface with the important social, economic, and political structures of city life.

The city of Baltimore, Maryland offers the program faculty and students fertile ground upon which to explore urban issues along waterfronts, within commercial centers, within inner-city neighborhoods, along the boundaries of urban and suburban growth, and between natural systems and new and existing human settlements.

Within the context of an urban agenda, the program offers a design-based multi-disciplinary education drawing from contemporary design theory and technology. This urban education focus is supported by two accredited graduate programs – Architecture and City and Regional Planning. Through these in-house professional affiliations, students in the landscape architecture program receive a diverse education

Accreditation
The Master of Landscape Architecture program is a fully-accredited, professional degree program by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) of the American Society of Landscape Architecture (ASLA). In the State of Maryland, graduates are eligible after three (3) years of full-time, professionally supervised employment to take the National Landscape Architecture Registration Exam (LARE).

Landscape Architecture is the design profession which applies artistic, cultural, scientific, and technical knowledge and skills to the analysis, design, planning, development, and management of the land. Landscape architects accept certain responsibilities related to the health, safety, and welfare of the public and are concerned with resource conservation and stewardship of the environment. The practice of landscape architecture requires an appreciation and understanding of natural and social processes, a creative imagination, technical expertise, and a commitment to preserve or improve the physical environment for optimum human use and enjoyment and the protection of resources and other life forms on the planet (maybe someday on other planetary bodies).

Landscape architects are employed by private planning, design, engineering and construction professional offices, public planning agencies, land development companies, industrial or commercial firms, educational and research institutions, park and recreation authorities, NGOs, and a variety of other organizations which require regional planning, land use planning, site design, and environmental management services. The landscape architect’s professional activities include consultations with clients, resource inventories and landscape analysis, site development programming, development of design concepts and land use proposals, provision of design implementation drawings and specifications, preparation of contracts and reports, and observation/supervision of projects under construction. The landscape architect often collaborates with other professionals, including architects, engineers, naturalists, geographers, interior designers, construction professionals and planners, in the design and development of urban, rural, and wilderness on land areas, waterbodies, and the atmosphere.

The undergraduate Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program provides a diverse learning experience which strives for a balance between philosophy, theory, and application of concepts related to past, present, and future problem-solving in landscape architecture and allied environmental planning and design professions.