Landscape Architecture Mission & Goals

The Department of Landscape Architecture educates students to become landscape architects and land stewards that constantly redefine the potential of the profession. The program's learner-centered curriculum instills ethical values, knowledge, and skills to create diverse, equitable, resilient, and sustainable communities and environmental systems that protect human health and safety. We serve a diverse student body, and graduates are well prepared for future challenges and opportunities through a grounding in the art and science of the natural and built environment in both theory and practice. 

The department has identified the following broad goals in support of our mission:

1. Advance professional, ethical, and sustainable approaches to landscape architecture
2. Present innovative, contemporary approaches, skills, and knowledge of landscape architecture
3. Incorporate skills and knowledge from allied disciplines, including the arts, technology, engineering and the natural and social sciences
4. Increase awareness and stewardship of natural and cultural systems that support a resilient environment, human health, and safety
5. Nurture creative development, innovation, critical thinking, and life-long learning
6. Support teaching, scholarship, and service
7. Advocate for a range of interdisciplinary professional roles for landscape architects that highlights collaboration and leadership
8. Create a diverse and inclusive learner-centered environment for students of all backgrounds and abilities

Through the efforts of a creative and dedicated faculty and staff, and an innovative curriculum, graduates of the department will be expected to meet the following outcomes:

• Integrate natural and cultural systems in projects at multiple scales
• Incorporate sustainable practices throughout the design, planning and implementation process
• Comprehend and demonstrate the relationships among analysis, concept development, design development and implementation
• Apply critical thinking and analytical problem solving throughout planning, design and implementation
• Demonstrate knowledge of theory, history and contemporary practices of landscape architecture
• Apply professional communication skills including written, oral, graphic and digital formats
• Identify the role of landscape architects in professional interdisciplinary settings
• Apply technical skills in site engineering, material explorations and detailing, construction documents, plant materials and planting design
• Apply professional standards, ethics and practices in the field of landscape architecture
• Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into landscape architecture related projects