Landscape Architecture, M.S.

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Fox Graduate School application for admission.

For admission into the M.S. in Landscape Architecture, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture or a closely related discipline.

All submissions for admission must include:

• Evidence of creativity (portfolio or other)
• Evidence of analytical ability (research paper or other)
• An essay explaining why the individual seeks to study landscape architecture at Penn State
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
• Three letters of recommendation

Please note: An official GRE score is not required to apply.

Students with a 3.00 junior/senior grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) will be considered for admission. Exceptions to the minimum 3.00 grade-point average may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests, at the discretion of the program.

The language of the instruction at Penn State is in English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

See https://bulletins.psu.edu for an overview of graduate programs in landscape architecture at Penn State, including the M.S. degree program.

The Graduate Handbook attempts to compile relevant and frequently requested information regarding the Landscape Architecture M.S. degree program’s policies, requirements, and practices, but it is not exhaustive.

The core curriculum requires a minimum of 40 credits including a minimum of 18 credits at the 500 or 600 level. Students are required to take graduate level coursework, including 12 credits of Graduate Seminar, 4 credits of Graduate Colloquium, 3 credits of Research and Writing in Landscape Architecture, 3 credits in Intellectual History and Theory of Landscape Architecture, 3 credits in quantitative/qualitative analysis at the 500 level (which must be approved in advance by the student’s adviser and/or the graduate program professor-in-charge), and at least 6 credits in thesis research. The student at the student’s adviser, subject to the approval of the departmental Graduate Program Committee, determine the specific course requirements. The thesis must be accepted by the adviser(s) and/or committee members, the head of the graduate program, and the Graduate School, and the student must pass a thesis defense.

The Landscape Architecture (LARCH) Course List provides descriptions of classes in landscape architecture offered at the graduate level.

• Graduate assistantships with robust funding packages and University SHIP healthcare are available to students in this program based on eligibility and resource availability. Students on graduate assistantships must adhere to the course load limits set by the Fox Graduate School.
• Teaching assistantships are awarded as available on a competitive, semester-by-semester basis.
• Research assistantships are frequently available from our research centers or individual faculty on a competitive basis, as are grants-in-aid and graduate fellowships.