Master of Landscape Architecture
The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program at Texas A&M University prepares students to plan, design and construct outdoor spaces. You’ll learn how to assess, protect, and design landscapes for people to interact with and benefit from connections with the natural and built environment. Landscape architecture is the regulated profession that ensures the health, safety, and welfare of citizens through landscape design. Through our accredited program, you’ll prepare to become a professional landscape architect.
Introduction
The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program at Texas A&M University prepares students to plan, design and construct outdoor spaces. You’ll learn how to assess, protect, and design landscapes for people to interact with and benefit from connections with the natural and built environment.
Landscape architecture is the regulated profession that ensures the health, safety, and welfare of citizens through landscape design. Through our accredited program, you’ll prepare to become a professional landscape architect.
About the MLA Program
The MLA program at Texas A&M is one of the top-ranked programs in the country. Students engage in studio classes that connect their learning to the professional world. This project-based coursework fosters innovation, assessment, and professional judgment. We provide students with unique opportunities to conduct design with research in an evidence-based design process.
The MLA program concludes with a yearlong final study where students apply design theories and create designs for real or theoretical projects. They take on responsibilities of a project manager would in a firm, preparing them for professional practice. Our students continually win prestigious national and state awards for their projects.
MLA Handbook
Professional Development
Our Master of Landscape Architecture program is fully accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB). After completing your degree, you can pursue licensure to become a licensed landscape architect.
As part of a leading research institution, students gain evidence-based experience applying research methods to design, learning concepts that directly support professional practice. Many graduates continue their studies through doctoral programs, further advancing the field.
The program features valuable resources to support student success. It concludes with a comprehensive final study where students apply design theory to real or theoretical projects, taking on responsibilities similar to those of a project manager.
Areas of Emphasis
Spatial Configuration, Environmental Design, Land Use Planning, Construction, Site Grading, Stormwater Management, Critical Thinking, Sustainable Site Planning, and Graphic and Verbal Communication.
Careers
Our graduates are motivated to be lifelong learners capable of independent and interdisciplinary leadership in the field of landscape architecture. Employment opportunities are found at the state, regional, and national level in private firms, governmental agencies, municipal planning and design offices, and interdisciplinary firms.
Curriculum
Our course curriculum focuses on design, construction, and planning components as well as the visual quality, theory, research, and technological aspects of the field. Digital and hand-drawn graphic communication, G.I.S., low-impact development, ecology, and plant material courses are also offered. In addition, the program offers professional practice, history, and research methods courses to round out the student’s education. Our students culminate their skills in a year-long final study, and a summer internship in private practice.
Our curriculum is structured so that our teaching and professional instruction foster critical analysis and critical thinking in our students from simple to complex.
Total Credits for Career Change Candidate: 73
Total Credits for Advanced Degree Candidate: 54
Year 1
26 Credit Hours- LAND 601 | Landscape Architectural Design Foundations | 5 credit hours
- LAND 612 | Landscape Architectural Site Engineering and Development | 4 credit hours
- LAND 622 | Landscape Architectural Theory (3) | 3 credit hours
- LAND 655 | Landscape Architectural Communications | 3 credit hours
- LAND 602 | Cultural and Social Issues in Landscape Architecture | 5 credit hours
- LAND 614 | Landscape Architectural Construction | 3 credit hours
- LAND 635 | Concepts in Ecological Planning and Design | 3 credit hours
Year 2
24-32 Credit Hours- LAND 620 | Open Space and Land Use Planning I | 5 credit hours
- HORT 608 | Plants for Landscape Design | 4 credit hours
- LAND 630 | Development of Landscape Architecture | 3 credit hours
- LAND 612 | Site Engineering (2-year program only) | 4 credit hours
- LAND 621 | Open Space and Land Use Planning II | 5 credit hours
- LAND 681 | Seminar | 1 credit hour
- LAND 640 | Research Methods | 3 credit hours
- LAND 614 | Landscape Architectural Construction (2 year program only) | 3 credit hours
- LAND 646 | Professional Practice | 3 credit hours
LAND 684 | Internship | 1 credit hour
Year 3
19 Credit Hours- LAND 693 | Professional Study | 3 Credit Hours
- Elective | 3 Credit Hours
- Elective | 3 Credit Hours
- LAND 645 | Practice Diversity Landscape Architecture | 3 credit hours
- Professional Study | 4 credit hours
- Elective | 3 credit hours
Student Work
Bee Creek Backwaters Master Plan by Jee Park – LAND 620
March 2, 2026 • < 1 min. readBrowse design and the master plan for the Bee Creek Backwater project by Jee Park.
The 2025 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Student Award of Excellence in Research
Nov. 7, 2025 • 1 min. readDiscover the 2025 ASLA Student Award of Excellence in Research, recognizing outstanding achievement in innovative, evidence-based landscape architecture by Texas A&M students.
FAQ About the MLA
No, in addition to the MLA degree, professional landscape architects also need to pass professional licensing exams and acquire two years of practice under the guidance of a licensed landscape architect. Our MLA degree is structured to prepare students in core knowledge and skills used in professional practice and covered in licensing exams. In addition, we require a summer internship. If a student works under the guidance of a licensed landscape architect, the time spent on the internship (2-3 months) can be counted as part of the two-year requirement to get licensed.
No, landscape architects work at multiple scales and for a variety of clients.
Yes, graphic communication and design are core skills of landscape architects. Although our curriculum includes courses to help develop those skills, it is helpful for applicants to have already developed some ability to design and draw. In addition to drawing by hand, some digital programs that our students use frequently include Adobe Suite programs (Photoshop, Illustrator), SketchUp, and AutoCAD. In the advanced courses, students may use GIS, Lumia, or Revit. While students can learn these programs while in their course of study, it is helpful for applicants to have experience with some of these programs.
On July 13, 2023, the United States Department of Homeland Security designated Landscape Architecture a STEM discipline (04.0601) in the United States. Our MLA curriculum is a STEM discipline and is the top-ranked program cited in the ASLA 2022 STEM white paper for the number of courses with STEM content (pp. 97-105). Our faculty and students work hard to engage current issues in landscape architecture to solve real-world problems. This means that international students with an MLA degree from Texas A&M University can apply for a 24-month OPT extension of their F-1 visa.
Featured Courses
Open Space Development II
LAND 621
Landscape Construction
LAND 614
How to Apply
All students admitted to the Master of Landscape Architecture program must hold a bachelor’s degree.
FAQ About the Admissions Process
Yes, our MLA program is a first-professional degree, which means an undergraduate degree from any allied field is good preparation for a career in landscape architecture and our MLA program (e.g. horticulture, arts, architecture, urban planning, geography, ecology, wildlife management, engineering).
Submit your application at Texas A&M GradCas along with a non-refundable application fee.
Your application should include the following:
- Transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended
- 3 letters of recommendation (academic references preferred)
- Statement of Purpose
- Portfolio
- Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
An admissions committee reviews all applications and makes a recommendation for admission and for financial aid.
Read more about the Master of Landscape Architecture application requirements
Only students with a BLA from a US Accredited school are considered for the 2-year track in our MLA program. Some exceptions may be possible for applicants with a BLA from a non-accredited US school, but also have significant skill development (including site grading, construction, context-based design), and significant experience in professional practice as a landscape architect (1-2 years).
We offer competitive scholarships for applicants based upon GPA, prior experiences, test scores, and a portfolio. All applicants to the MLA program who meet the application deadline are considered for competitive scholarships. Many of our applicants receive anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 as a one or two-year scholarship which also secures in-state tuition. Top applicants compete for up to $10,000 two-year scholarships, and applicants that meet diversity requirements may be considered for the Lechner Graduate Diversity Scholarship, which varies from $10,000 to $20,000 as a two-year scholarship. We also offer two-year assistantships for to up to two first-year MLA students which secures $1,000 per month and in-state tuition. Applicants with U.S. military service experience may qualify for special housing provisions.
No, the MLA curriculum is based upon the development of skills semester by semester. We only offer the core courses once a year.
No, the development of skills and knowledge requires face-to-face contact with instructors and peers. Some online education within the courses and curriculum may be possible, as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The portfolio should showcase recent, high-quality work, and will be judged on both content and overall design skills demonstrated. Applicants without professional training may submit work that shows other evidence of creativity (studio art, construction/renovation, furniture design, etc.) and clearly demonstrates interest in the proposed subject field. Any material that is not entirely the applicant’s own work must be clearly identified.
For more information about the MLA program, please contact Bruce Dvorak, MLA Program Coordinator, at [email protected].
Questions about application requirements and process can be directed to Thena Morris at [email protected].
Our Mission
The mission of the Master of Landscape Architecture program is to prepare graduate students to become professional landscape architects in the private and/or public sector of practice. Our MLA graduates are educated to be competent in mastering landscape architectural knowledge in areas such as spatial configuration, environmental assessment, land use planning, construction, context, and the communication of ideas. Our curriculum is structured and learning outcomes foster the development of students to be creative, critical thinkers, effective communicators, and able to produce simple-to-complex and integrated solutions. We teach students through an evidence-based approach, so students learn how to form design decisions about the natural and built environments from precedence, research, context, creative thinking, and a diversity of perspectives. We aspire for our MLA graduates to become life-long learners and leaders in their field as licensed landscape architects (Revised and adopted 2020).
Accreditation
Our Master of Landscape Architecture program is fully accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB). After completing your degree, you can pursue licensure to become a licensed landscape architect.
Programs accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB) are required to provide reliable information to the public. Programs must report on accreditation status and its performance (PDF). This information is to help potential students make informed application decisions.
Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosure Statement
General/Public Disclosures
Notice to students pursuing programs that may lead to a professional license or certification required for employment.
The following programs may lead to a career in which a professional license or certification is required for employment. Professional licensure/certification requirements vary from state to state, which may affect a student’s ability to apply for a professional license/certification upon the completion of the program. U.S. Department of Education regulation 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v) requires an institution to disclose a list of states where the institution has determined that the program “Does” or “Does not” meet educational requirements for licensure or certification. The administrative departments that offer the program have made the following determination regarding their curriculum:
| Program | Master of Landscape Architecture |
| Meets | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY; DC, VI, AS, CNMI, GU, MH, FM, PR, PW |
| Does not meet | — |
Each state board, agency, or department has the ultimate authority and discretion to determine whether professional licensure or certification will be issued. We recommend students contact the appropriate state licensing agency in the state where they intend to work to seek the most up-to-date information about state licensure/certification requirements before beginning the program.
We recommend students contact the appropriate state licensing agency in their state or the state where they intend to work to seek the most up-to-date information about state licensure/certification requirements before beginning the program.
Pertinent information related to the importance of licensure in landscape architecture can be found here: https://www.asla.org/licensure.aspx
Pertinent information related to experience requirements for licensure for landscape architects can be found here: https://www.clarb.org/learn-about-licensure/how-to-become-licensed
