Prospective Freshmen Students
Information For Prospective Freshmen Students
Prospective freshmen students should review all admission requirements and information posted on the Cal Poly Admissions web site. Admission to Cal Poly is handled by the Admissions Office, not by individual academic departments. You can view prospective student information 24/7 through Cal Poly's Admissions web site. The site contains all official admission information and most questions regarding the admissions process, including the freshman selection criteria, are answered on this site.
Prospective freshmen are encouraged to visit the Cal Poly campus and the department. If you would like to visit the Landscape Architecture department, feel free to call the office at 805-756-1319 to schedule an appointment with the Department Head or another faculty member.
Visit our page Landscape Architecture Videos to see a slide show of student life in the department as well as student work.
Course Sequences
It is important to understand the sequential nature of the Landscape Architecture curriculum, especially in the first two years of the program. Many courses are delivered as a series (e.g., LA 202, 203, and 204). Each course in such a series is offered only once a year and is a prerequisite to the next course. These series are arranged to be taken in one academic year. Students who do not follow the recommended sequence of courses may find that it takes them longer to complete the program. Such students also risk disqualification from the University for not making adequate progress toward fulfilling their degree requirements.
2021-2022 Landscape Architecture Flowchart
First Quarter Classes
In your first (Fall) quarter at Cal Poly, you are enrolled in classes by the Office of the Registrar. Your classes will include LA 101 - Introduction to Landscape Architecture (4 units), and three General Education (GE) classes. Block scheduling is designed to get freshman into classes chosen by their major and makes every effort to consider a student's academic history (placement exams, AP exam credit). Freshman are discouraged from adjusting their schedules unless they need to add additional units or a different class based on credit not yet reflected in their academic record (e.g.,college transfer credit).
Do not take more than 14 units during your first quarter. Taking a slightly lower load your first quarter can help with your transition to and success at Cal Poly.
Advanced Placement (AP)
We highly recommend that students look into taking Advanced Placement (AP) tests while in high school. A counselor or advisor should be able to tell you whether there is a testing opportunity at your school or in your geographic area. By passing various AP tests, it is possible for students to obtain college credit for certain support and general education courses needed to fulfill Landscape Architecture degree requirements. If you obtain AP credit, you will find that you can take a reduced unit load for one or more quarters and still complete the program in the prescribed time. Many students find this of great benefit, since landscape architecture is a very demanding program. To find out what credit you can receive for certain AP tests, click here.
