First Professional Degree, 153 Credits

Ball State University's five-year undergraduate major in landscape architecture is a comprehensive first professional degree that prepares students for a challenging career as a licensed landscape architect in the public or private sectors. The degree is fully accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the national professional society in this field.

This program teaches students how to apply aesthetic and scientific principles to plan and design the land and outdoor spaces for human use, enjoyment, safety, health, and welfare. Students learn to integrate the work of architects, engineers, planners, ecologists, geographers, and physical and social scientists.

Our distinctive blend of hands-on learning, research, and practice enables aspiring professionals to bridge the interests of society and environment, seeking responsive solutions that meet both contemporary human needs and assure the future sustainability of natural systems.

First-Year Program

All undergraduate students in the College of Architecture and Planning share a common first year of study. Students planning to major in landscape architecture, architecture, or urban planning are introduced to all three disciplines and share design and design communications studios. The first year also provides the opportunity to take courses that meet Ball State's University Core Curriculum requirements. In the second year, students begin to concentrate on their chosen major. Learn more about your freshman year at CAP.

Degree Curriculum

The core of the undergraduate landscape architecture curriculum is a sequence of courses in design, design communications, history, environmental systems, site engineering and construction, plant materials, and planting design. Complementary support courses are offered in such subjects as historic landscape preservation, land reclamation, computer-assisted regional analysis and planning, park and recreation planning, and other computer applications.

Students also may enroll in a minor of their choice or in a sequence of directed electives that might include business, natural science, social science, or humanities courses. The program culminates with a comprehensive project in landscape architecture.

Studio Courses

Studio courses challenge landscape architecture students to develop skills and a knowledge base for solving problems in creative and environmentally sound ways. Studio problems may focus on the planning and design of a variety of landscape types such as residences, neighborhoods and housing communities, parks, campuses, urban plazas and streetscapes, or regional open spaces and river corridors. Other studio projects include recreation studies and large-scale environmental resource analysis and planning studies. Students also may participate in interdisciplinary studios, working together with architecture and urban planning majors on community or regional problems. Learn more about CAP's design studios, or view examples of student projects online (coming soon).

Internship

A 10-week internship is required for all students in this major during the fourth year of the degree. Students gain valuable education and firsthand experience as an employee of a professional firm or public agency. Extended internship opportunities are available. Find out more about our internships.

Special Activities

Noted professionals in the field share their expertise with students as guest lecturers, visiting scholars, and studio critics on campus and through interactive teleconferences and gallery exhibits. See what's happening in our calendar of events.

Landscape architecture students also take trips to significant sites, attend conferences, and participate in field study programs across the country and abroad, developing a multicultural perspective. Find out more about our field study opportunities.

Related Programs
Students can enhance their studies with the many electives and undergraduate minors available within CAP and in other disciplines across campus. Ball State's Honors College program also offers exciting educational challenges for exceptional undergraduate students.

For More Information
Malcolm Cairns, Chair
Department of Landscape Architecture
(765) 285-1971
mcairns@bsu.edu

For complete information on program requirements, please consult the Ball State University Undergraduate Catalog.