Bachelor [Landscape Architecture] From University of Illinois

The Department of Landscape Architecture offers a four-plus-year undergraduate curriculum, leading to the professional degree of Bachelor of Landscape Architecture as well as a minor in Landscape Studies. The degree is accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB).

The curriculum is a balanced program of technical, design, and general education courses that prepare the student with the necessary skills for entry-level professional practice in private offices or public agencies. Program requirements include design studio courses and classes in construction, plants, history, and design communication. Following the third year, students complete a professional internship to further advance their knowledge of built landscapes and the practice of landscape architecture. The curriculum also includes a minimum of 12 hours of credit in supporting electives that are taken in related art and science courses. A total of 124 semester hours of credit is required for graduation.

Students develop both breadth of viewpoint and technical competency in the widest possible range of activities pertinent to the design and study of the landscape. Some general aspects of such an education are:

• An understanding of the natural resource constraints on land use and design decisions

• An awareness of the cultural determinants of human behavior and the social, political, economic, and legal institutions that influence land-use and design decisions

• A working knowledge of the basic skills -- the tools, practices, processes, and techniques of analysis, synthesis and implementation used in the design profession

• A historical awareness and sense of responsibility to the land which will guide the use of these skills.