Students who enjoy art, science, technology, problem-solving, and design should consider a career in landscape architecture. Graduates with the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) influence the design and management of cities, parks, and open spaces. They often advise park managers, citizen groups, landowners, and state agencies. Landscape architects design public and private outdoor spaces, restore and help preserve natural areas, develop and implement regional planning and public policy, and revitalize urban neighborhoods.
The professional Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree program focuses on form-giving design, design implementation, and professional practice. Emphasis is placed on principles of design theory and process; problem solving in relationship to human needs and aspirations, environmental awareness and stewardship; and on the development of technical proficiencies required of professional practice. Students learn site analysis, graphic communication, design synthesis, construction technology, and the social and environmental factors that are part of design.
The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree program provides professional education accredited by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Students completing the requirements for this program are granted a BLA degree. Completion of this program is the first step in becoming a licensed landscape architect.
How to Get in
Admission to the professional program during the sophomore year, or in the second year of the degree plan, is on a competitive basis.
Students completing the requirements for this program are awarded a BLA degree.
- Eligibility for Consideration into the Landscape Architecture Accredited Professional Program. Eligibility for consideration into the Landscape Architecture Accredited Professional Program depends on fulfillment of these requirements: students apply for formal admission to the program during the spring semester or summer session of each academic year. Selections are made only once a year for the fall semester. The first round of selections takes place in early summer, and the second round in late summer. All students will be notified of their status at least two weeks before the start of the fall semester. Students who plan to complete their prerequisite courses during the summer session must so indicate on their application. The department will admit up to a maximum of 30 students, as resources permit. Selection will be based on a letter of intent, written by the applicant, which will address their reasons for entering the major, submission of portfolio, and on grades earned in the following two prerequisite courses: LAND ARC 250 AND LAND ARC 210 or LAND ARC 366.
- AND the applicant must have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours. University GPA will be considered.
For more information on the professional design degree program and the application process please go to this link. - Selection Policies. On-campus selections for admission will be made as soon as possible after spring semester grades are received.
- Notification of Status. Applicants who have completed their prerequisite courses at the end of spring semester will be notified of their status between June 1 and July 1 of each year for fall semester admission. Decisions on those applicants completing prerequisites during summer session will be made as soon as grades are received.
- Appeal Procedures. An appeal to the department's curriculum committee may be presented to clarify an error of fact or extenuating circumstances.
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
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| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
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| Language | Complete one:
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| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters and Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA)
The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture is a special degree program; it is not a major. The BLA degree is not available to students who intend to earn a degree outside the College of Letters & Science.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
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| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | Complete the third unit of one language other than English. |
| Breadth in the Degree: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| Breadth in the Degree: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| Breadth in the Degree: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts & Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced Coursework | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW—Madison Experience |
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| Quality of Work |
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Requirements for the BLA
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction and Foundation | ||
| LAND ARC 210 | Introduction to Landscape Architecture Design Studio | 3-4 |
| or LAND ARC 366 | Introduction to Architectural and Environmental Design | |
| LAND ARC 250 | Survey of Landscape Architecture Design | 3 |
| LAND ARC 260 | History of Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| Other Required Foundation Courses | ||
| BOTANY 100 | Survey of Botany | 3-5 |
| or BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130 | General Botany | |
| BOTANY/ENVIR ST/ZOOLOGY 260 | Introductory Ecology | 3 |
| DS 221 | Person and Environment Interactions | 3 |
| LAND ARC 311 | Introduction to Design Frameworks and Spatial Technologies | 2 |
| LAND ARC 380 | Plants for Ecological Design I | 3 |
| LAND ARC 381 | Plants for Ecological Design II | 1 |
| SOIL SCI/ENVIR ST/GEOG 230 | Soil: Ecosystem and Resource | 3 |
| or SOIL SCI 301 | General Soil Science | |
| Intermediate Studio Sequence | ||
| LAND ARC 261 | Principles of Landscape Architecture Design and Graphics | 4 |
| LAND ARC 321 | Environment and Behavior Studio - Designing Health Promoting Environments | 4 |
| LAND ARC 353 | Landscape Architectural Technology I | 3 |
| LAND ARC 354 | Landscape Architectural Technology II | 3 |
| Professional Theory and Practice Core | ||
| LAND ARC/ENVIR ST 361 | Wetlands Ecology | 3-4 |
| or ART 214 | Sculpture I | |
| or ART 521 | Installations and Environments | |
| or ART HIST/ASIAN 379 | Cities of Asia | |
| or CIV ENGR 392 | Building Information Modeling (BIM) | |
| or CIV ENGR 451 | Architectural Design | |
| or CIV ENGR 461 | Construction Project Management | |
| or DS/COMP SCI 579 | Virtual Reality | |
| or DS 521 | Environments of Crisis & Design | |
| or ENVIR ST/AMER IND 306 | Indigenous Peoples and the Environment | |
| or ENVIR ST 308 | Outdoors For All: Inequities in Environmentalism | |
| or ENVIR ST/ATM OCN/GEOG 332 | Global Warming: Science and Impacts | |
| or ENVIR ST/GEOG 337 | Nature, Power and Society | |
| or ENVIR ST/GEOG 339 | Conservation and Climate Change - Local to International Strategies | |
| or ENVIR ST/AMER IND/GEOG 345 | Caring for Nature in Native North America | |
| or ENVIR ST/HISTORY/LEGAL ST 430 | Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives | |
| or ENVIR ST/C&E SOC/GEOG 434 | People, Wildlife and Landscapes | |
| or ENVIR ST/PHILOS 441 | Environmental Ethics | |
| or GEOG/AMER IND 410 | Critical Indigenous Ecological Knowledges | |
| or LAND ARC 363 | Earth Partnership: Restoration Education for Equity and Resilience | |
| or LAND ARC 373 | Mindfulness in Restorative Environments | |
| or LAND ARC/CHICLA 475 | Latino Urbanism: Design and Engagement in the American City | |
| or LAND ARC 525 | Social Justice and the Urban Landscape | |
| or LAND ARC/ENVIR ST 581 | Prescribed Fire: Ecology and Implementation | |
| or LAND ARC 590 | Special Topics | |
| or LAND ARC 668 | Restoration Ecology | |
| or LAND ARC 677 | Cultural Resource Preservation and Landscape History | |
| or URB R PL/A A E/ECON/REAL EST 306 | The Real Estate Process | |
| or URB R PL/JOURN/POLI SCI 373 | Introduction to Survey Research | |
| or URB R PL 411 | Marketplaces and Entrepreneurship | |
| or URB R PL/GEOG 505 | Urban Spatial Patterns and Theories | |
| or URB R PL 512 | Gentrification and Urban Restructuring | |
| or URB R PL 550 | Transportation and the Built Environment | |
| or URB R PL 551 | Climate Action Planning: Sustainable Transportation | |
| or URB R PL 601 | Site Planning | |
| or URB R PL 611 | Urban Design: Theory and Practice | |
| LAND ARC 397 | Internship in Landscape Architecture | 1 |
| LAND ARC 460 | Advanced Visual Communication in Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| LAND ARC 511 | Geodesign Methods and Applications | 3 |
| LAND ARC 550 | Professional Practice in Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| Advanced Studio Sequence | ||
| LAND ARC 560 | Plants and Ecology in Design | 4 |
| LAND ARC 562 | Urban Design and Open Space Systems | 4 |
| LAND ARC 563 | Designing Sustainable and Resilient Regions | 4 |
| Capstone Sequence | ||
| LAND ARC 610 & LAND ARC 611 | Landscape Architecture Capstone I and Landscape Architecture Capstone II | 7 |
| Total Credits | 73-74 | |
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all LAND ARC courses and courses that count toward the BLA program
- 2.000 GPA on 15 Upper Level credits, taken in Residence 1
- 15 credits in LAND ARC, taken on the UW–Madison campus
Footnotes
- 1
LAND ARC and major courses numbered 500-699 are Upper Level.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate competence and critical judgement in applying intellectual and technical skills necessary for site and landscape-scale design, in particular skills of problem-solving using site inventory/analysis; spatial/temporal analysis; programming; synthesis; oral, written, and visual communication; construction implementation; and post-occupancy evaluation.
- Demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to explore ideas and synthesize information, both independently and in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members to identify and solve complicated landscape design and planning problems.
- Understand, apply, and evaluate the principles, theories, and recent research findings in the discipline of landscape architecture.
- Integrate humanistic, scientific, legal, political, economic, social, ecological, and technological dimensions in solving novel design and planning problems concerning the betterment of rural and urban natural and cultural landscapes.
- Understand, analyze, and apply design and planning theories and principles to urban and rural landscapes to benefit human living conditions.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
Advising and Careers
Students are assigned to a faculty advisor once they are admitted to the degree. Prospective students should contact the undergraduate academic coordinator for more information.
The BLA degree program provides professional education accredited by the the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB).
Completion of this program is the first step in becoming a licensed landscape architect through the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB)
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students
Certification/Licensure
Landscape Architecture Registration Exam
Professional Certification/Licensure Disclosure (NC-SARA)
The United States Department of Education (via 34 CFR Part 668) requires institutions that provide distance education to disclose information for programs leading to professional certification or licensure. The expectation is that institutions will determine whether each applicable academic program meets state professional licensure requirements and provide a general disclosure of such on an official university website.
Professional licensure requirements vary from state-to-state and can change year-to-year; they are established in a variety of state statutes, regulations, rules, and policies; and they center on a range of educational requirements, including degree type, specialized accreditation, total credits, specific courses, and examinations.
UW-Madison has taken reasonable efforts to determine whether this program satisfies the educational requirements for certification/licensure in states where prospective and enrolled students are located and is disclosing that information as follows.
Disclaimer: This information is based on the most recent annual review of state agency certification/licensure data and is subject to change. All students are strongly encouraged to consult with the individual/office listed in the Contact Information box on this page and with the applicable state agency for specific information.
The requirements of this program meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:
Wisconsin
The requirements of this program do not meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:
Not applicable
Updated: 1 June 2026
Accreditation
Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board
Accreditation status: Accredited. Next accreditation review: 2031.