Program Requirements
The profession of landscape architecture is broad and complex, and deals with multiple scales that range from the site to the region. Practicing landscape architects work on a wide range of project types, including, but not limited to, urban design, community design, historic preservation, ecological restoration, parks and park systems, infrastructure and storm water management, institutional landscapes, memorials, cemeteries, industrial site reclamations, golf courses, wilderness areas and trails, residential landscapes, and gardens.
The profession is both an art and a science. Successful landscape architects are creative professionals who hold an environmental imperative and a social conscience. They are also excellent facilitators, able to bring numerous disciplines and professions together to work on complex projects in the landscape. In the first two years of the program, students learn critical thinking, core principles and communications skills needed to pursue higher level work. In the junior year, students are required to select an off-campus, location-specific studio and co-required course work in order to fulfill their off-campus study requirement. In the students’ spring semester of their senior year, the final studio focuses on the synthesis of a final independent project.
Clemson’s Landscape Architecture program is noted for a special emphasis on the art of design. Consequently, the landscape architecture design studio experience is at the center of the student’s education-45 hours of studio are required. The program leads to a nationally accredited Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree. The program is generalist, covering the major areas of practice and building from design basics to sophisticated studio experiences, such as large scale landscape planning; parks, recreation, and open space planning; and regional, urban, and community design. The studio experience is supported by other courses inside and outside the Landscape Architecture curriculum that provide the necessary grounding in landscape history and social, cultural, environmental, and aesthetic theories. Outstanding final year students may apply for admission into a shortened Master of City and Regional Planning, Master of Landscape Architecture, or Master of Real Estate Development program.
Accreditation and Registration
In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degrees in landscape architecture, recognizes two types of degrees, the First Professional Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and the First Professional Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA).
The Clemson University College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities, School of Architecture, offers both LAAB accredited First Professional programs: BLA (124 credits) and MLA (81 credits).
The next BLA accreditation takes place fall 2018 and the next MLA accreditation takes place fall 2018.
Any undergraduate student who meets the Academic Eligibility Policy after attempting 12 credit hours at Clemson University (or who is allowed to continue by virtue of a semester 2.4 grade-point average on 12 earned credits or who is allowed to continue through appeal to the Appeals Committee on Academic Eligibility or by other authorization of this committee) may transfer from one major to another. Any college or department that seeks an exception to this policy must have the approval of the collegiate dean and the provost.
