Landscape Architecture, B.L.A.
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture
Design the future. Be an agent of change.
Put your passions to work: Art. Ecology. Engineering. Sociology. Design. Conservation. Be a strong collaborator and problem solver as a landscape architect.
One of the most admired programs in the country, the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program at Penn State prepares students to make a difference in the world.
Earn a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at Penn State
Our mission is to do inspired work grounded in environmental and social good. Are you ready to join us?
As a newly designated STEM discipline, landscape architecture has the ability to transform not only a physical space but to reshape the way we think and feel about that space. The B.L.A. program at Penn State nurtures your creativity and challenges your perspective. Our building and studios promote the open and free exchange of ideas and acts as incubator for collaborative design exploration.
Our curriculum emphasizes real-world projects in real places from Pittsburgh to Tanzania. Our required semester abroad builds the global perspective you need to be a creative and responsive designer.
Next Steps
Is the B.L.A. right for you?
Our bedrock is a commitment to environmental and social good enhanced by a global perspective. Most of our students spend a required semester abroad studying sustainable urban design in Bonn, Germany. Our curriculum emphasizes flexibility, opportunity, and affordability. You can complete all requirements in 4.5 years; you can graduate in 4 years if you add a summer abroad program; or you can undertake an office internship (for credit!) + immersion in cutting-edge sustainability strategies while earning a one-semester Sustainability Leadership minor in Pittsburgh. And, through it all, our faculty will challenge you to do your best work while providing you the support you need.
Many U.S. states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.
Become a Facilitator
“Every person in this world wants to improve it; most just lack the tools to do so. In the built and natural environment, landscape architects become that facilitator.”
Our students say
Here are qualities our students say they value most about Penn State Landscape Architecture:
Level Up
Explore these opportunities; make the most of your education at Penn State.
Study Abroad Options
- Academy of International Education | Bonn, Germany
The preferred study abroad program, Bonn is particularly suited for the study of urban design. - Lincoln University | Christchurch, New Zealand
This program concentrates on sustainability and enhancement of ecological/cultural values. - University of South Wales | Sydney, Australia
The major strength of the UNSW program is urban design. - University of Melbourne | Melbourne, Australia
The major strength of the program at Melbourne is environmental planning. - University of Western Australia | Perth, Australia
Availability varies each semester. - Victoria University of Wellington | Wellington, New Zealand
This program focuses heavily on environmental planning. - University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong, China
In a city of 7 million residents, the strength of the program is urban planning. - University of Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires, Argentina
This program is available to those with advanced Spanish proficiency only. - Technische Universitat Berlin | Berlin, Germany
This program is available to those with advanced German proficiency only.
Popular Minors
- Environmental Inquiry Minor
Intercollege minor designed for students interested in addressing environmental issues or problems - Architecture Studies Minor
Allows students in other majors the opportunity to gain insight into the discipline of architecture. - Sustainability Leadership Minor
Designed for students who wish to promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability. - Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minor
Students learn to understand aesthetic value and what drives people to consume aesthetic products.
Student Organizations
- Alpha Rho Chi
Co-ed professional fraternity dedicated to architecture and the allied arts. - Landscape Architecture Student Society (LASS)
Focused on advancing the future of design within the community and the profession. - National Association of Minority Landscape Architects (NAMLA)
Student branch of the National Association of Minority Landscape Architects. - National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS)
Student branch of the National Organization of Minority Architects.
Considering the B.A. in Art? Consider this.
Our B.L.A. consistently ranks as one of the best in the country, according to DesignIntelligence.
- Our small class size and teaching-focused faculty ensures an effective, personalized education.
- Our inspiring building, advanced technology, and strong community set you up for success.
Earn your degree. Be an agent of change in society.
#1 in the nationwide 2019–20 DesignIntelligence Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program rankings.
alumni spotlight
Priyam Das
“A well-rounded M.L.A. program, solid mentorship, and a generous scholarship to support fieldwork in India sparked my interest in research and eventually drew me to academia.”
Priyam Das is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. She studies water governance in the global South, focusing on problems of inequality, poverty, and disenfranchisement. Other research interests include urban form and resilient design.