Department of Landscape Architecture
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
College of Fine and Applied Arts
Studio

Studio presentation

Contact

Gary Kesler,
Associate Head and
Undergraduate Coordinator

Professional BLA (Undergraduate) Curriculum

The five-year program in Landscape Architecture requires 152 semester hours, leading to an accredited, professional degree - Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. Of the 152 hours, 90 hours are required in landscape architecture courses, consisting of design studio, construction, plant materials and design, history, design communication, and professional internship. The remaining 62 hours are comprised of the following subjects.

Urban and Regional Planning 3 hours
Natural Sciences: Plant Biology and Geography 7 hours*
Mathematics (depending on placement) 0 to 5 hours
English (Composition I and Advanced Composition) 7 hours**
Horticulture 6 hours
General Education Electives (see current list at www.courses.uiuc.edu  
     Natural Sciences and Technology (6 hours)  
     Humanities and the Arts (6 hours)  
     Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)  
     Quantitative REasoning I & II (6 hours)  
     Cultural Studies: Non-Western (3 hours)  
     Cultural Studies: Western (3 hours)  
     Foreign Language (HS 3 years OR 3 semesters*** (3 hours)  
Supporting Electives (see list below) 15 hours
     Communication (minimum. 3 hours)  
     History (minimum 3 hours)  
     Technical (minimum 3 hours)  
     Environment (minimum 3 hours)  
Free Electives 1 to 6 hours
   
* fulfills the campus Natural Sciences and Technology General Education Electives
** three credit hours of his requirement are completed by LA 281, Design Communicatons II
*** foreign language requirement is satisfied by completion of three years of the same foreign language in high school or a third semester college language course
 

The first year of the program is structured to enable students to acquire the basic knowledge in graphics, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and mathematics. It is general and flexible to allow students from other colleges and universities to acquire this basic knowledge and transfer into the second year of the curriculum.

Professional sequences in design, construction, and plants begin in the second year. At this point, students from outside the curriculum (with a minimum of 30 credit hours, the necessary prerequisites, and a GPA > 2.75) are permitted to transfer into the program. Significant to the program is the use of a clearly defined "systematic approach" to the solution of landscape architectural problems, with emphasis on the basic principles of design, design process, and site planning skills. In addition, methods of landscape survey and analysis further supply the student with a logical basis for design decisions. The use of computers is introduced in this year as well.

The third year is structured to take advantage of this strong foundation. Courses in construction, plant materials, and large-scale design appear in the professional sequence. Lectures on theory and history are interwoven into the design sequence to acquaint students with design precedence and to encourage innovation. Following the third year, students complete a one year professional internship or combination of internship and study abroad, to further advance their knowledge of built landscapes and the practice of landscape architecture. Upon return to campus for the final year of coursework, techniques are refined and principles are tested in a series of comprehensive application courses. Emphasis is placed on the creative solution of land use problems at all scales. Idealistic solutions are continually tested against practical application by the use of actual sites and situations, many of which involve problems faced in the Central Illinois area, but may also include landscapes in other regions of the world.

FIVE-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM
BACHELOR OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
152 credit hours required

for Schedule, Courses Catalog and Gen Ed Distribution List, see www.courses.uiuc.edu

FIRST SEMESTER   SECOND SEMESTER  
First Year      
LA 101 Intro to Landscape Architecture 2 Social/Cultural Factors in Design Elective ** 3
Geog 103 Earth's Physical Systems 4 IB 102, 103 or 105 Plant or Environ. Biology * 3
or Geol 101 Intro to Physical Geology *   Social/Behavioral Science Gen Ed Elective 3
Rhetoric 105 Composition I 4 Humanities & Arts Gen Education Elective 3
Math 115 Pre-Calculus (QR I) 3 Cultural Studies Western Gen Ed 3
Humanities & Arts General Education Elective 3 Elective (Discovery Course or Other) 1
  16   16
Second Year      
LA 233 Foundation Design Studio 5 LA 234 Site Design Studio 5
LA 250 Environmental Site Analysis 3 LA 241 Landform Design & Construction 3
LA 280 Design Communications I 3 LA 281 Design Communications II *** 3
UP 101 Planning of Cities & Regions 3 LA 314 History of World Landscapes 3
Social/Behavioral Science Gen Education Elective 3 Cultural Studies Non-Western Gen Ed 3
  17   17
Third Year      
LA 335 Community & Open Space Studio 5 LA 336 Design Workshop Studio 5
LA 342 Site Engineering 4 LA 343 Landscape Construction 4
HORT 301 Woody Ornamentals I 3 HORT 302 Woody Ornamentals II 3
Supporting Elective 3 Supporting Elective 3
  15   15
Fourth Year      
LA 345 Professional Internship OR   LA 345 Professional Internship OR  
LA 399 Off-Campus Study ****   LA 399 Off-Campus Study ****  
  12   12
Fifth Year      
LA 437 Regional Design Studio 5 LA 438 Design Workshop Studio II 5
LA 452 Natural Precedent in Planting 3 LA 453 Cultural Precedent in Planting 3
LA 346 Professional Practice 2 Supporting Elective 3
Supporting Elective 3 Supporting Elective 3
Quantitative Reasoning II Gen Ed 3 Elective 2
  16   16

*         IB 102, 103 or 105 and Geog 103/Geol 101 fulfill Gen Ed Natural Sci. and Technology requirement.
**       Social/Cultural Factors Elective course options are LA 212, LA 215, LA 218, LA 220, LA 222, LA 242, LA 270 or LA 470.
***     LA 281 fulfills University Advanced Composition requirement
****   To complete the professional internship requirement, students must complete two semesters of LA 345 OR one semester of LA 345 and one semester of LA 399. A maximum of 15 hours of LA 399, Off-Campus Study, may be credited toward the degree.

 

Progress Rule: In this curriculum, normal progress towards the degree is imperative. A student failing to complete any required course, in both landscape architecture and non-LA required courses, more than one semester later than the time designated in the curriculum may be encumbered from registration in landscape architectural courses until the deficiency is corrected.

GPA Rule: Students must have a minimum 2.5 (A=4.0) all-university grade point average and a 2.5 grade point average in all required landscape architecture courses in order to continue as a student in good standing in the program.

Transfer Applicants: Must have minimum 30 transferable hours and 2.75 GPA, and completed English composition, Trigonometry, Physical Geog or Geol, Plant or Environmental Biology, Quantitative Reasoning 1, and two of the three campus required units of foreign language to be eligible for admission. An introductory drawing or design course is strongly recommended.

Specialization Areas: Students that desire to develop an interest area in depth beyond the typical BLA student may do so by submitting a proposal to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator showing intent to complete a sequence of related courses that totals a minimum of 12 credit hours, with no more than 2 courses at the 100/200 level. The specialization must be approved by the Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

SUPPORTING ELECTIVES

General Education Electives

The following campus general education requirements apply to all FRESHMAN ENTERING FALL 2002 OR LATER:

1. Composition I 4 hours All Freshman
2. Advanced Composition* 3 hours Freshman Fall 1991 and after
3. Quantitative Reasoning (I & II) 6 hours Freshman Fall 2002 and after
4. Humanities and the Arts 6 hours Freshman Fall 1994 and after
5. Natural Sciences & Technology** 6 hours Freshman Fall 1994 and after
6. Cultural Studies    
     Western/Comparative Cultures 3 hours Freshman Fall 1995 and after
     Non-Western/Minority Cultures 3 hours Freshman Fall 1995 and after
7. Foreign Language***

HS-3 years OR 3 semesters

Freshman Fall 2000 and after
       

*      LA 281 fulfills the University advanced composition requirement
**    Geog 103 or Geol 101 and IB 102, 103 or 105 fulfill the 6 hours required in Natural Sciences and Technology
***  Foreign language requirement is satisfied by completion of three years of the same foreign language in high school or a third semester college language course. If you enter without three years of the same foreign language in high school, you must take a foreign language placement test to determine the courses in which you should enroll.

Consult the FAA College website (www.faa.uiuc.edu) or the campus website (www.courses.uiuc.edu) for the most current requirements and distribution list.

Supporting Electives

In addition to general education course requirements, a student in landscape architecture must complete a minimum of 15 hours of professional supporting electives, with a minimum of at least three hours selected from each of four categories: COMMUNICATIONS, HISTORY, TECHNIQUE, and ENVIRONMENT. The list on the following four pages includes those courses recommended as Supporting Electives. A student may petition to have another course not appearing on list accepted for credit if it meets the stated objective. A course that is listed as a prerequisite to a supporting elective course may be counted as part of the 15 hours needed, if it is not used to fulfill other program requirements.

Category I Communications: Courses for the development of graphic, visual, verbal and written communication skills.

Rubric

Course Title

Prerequisite

Cr Hrs

ADV 300

Introduction to Advertising

 

3

AGCM 240

Photography in Agriculture

 

4

ART 101

Intro to Studio Arts

 

3

ART 102

Elementary Drawing

 

3

ART 103

Watercolor Painting

 

3

ART 104

Intro to Oil Painting

 

3

ART 109

Sumi-E: Japanese Painting

 

2

ARTS 260

Basic Photography

Consent of Instructor

3

ARTS 261

Photography II

ARTS 260

3

ARTS 356

Computer Imaging

Soph. Standing or consent of instructor

4

BTW 220

Desktop Publishing and Design

 

2

BTW 250

Principles Bus Communications

Jr. Standing & completion of Comp I

3

BTW 253

Bus Admin Communications

Jr. Standing & completion of Comp I

3

BTW 272

Report Writing

Soph. Standing and completion of Comp I

3

FAA 190

Exploration of the Arts

 

3

RHET 204

Introductory Narrative Writing

Completion of Comp I

3

RHET 233

Principles of Composition

Completion of Comp I

3

SPCM 101

Public Speaking

 

3

SPCM 113

Small Group Communication

 

3

SPCM 120

Advanced Public Speaking

SPCM 101

3

SPCM 211

Business Comm

SPCM 101

2

SPCM 213

Persuasion and the Arts

 

3

SPCM 230

Intro to Interpersonal Comm

 

3

SPCM 277

Media of Public Discourse

 

4

SPCM 321

Persuasive Speaking

SPCM 101

3

SPCM 323

Argumentation

SPCM 101

3

THEA 170

Fundamentals of Acting, I

 

3

NOTE: Foreign languages will be accepted as a communication supporting elective with the following provisos:
1. A maximum of 6 hours of the same language may be credited to this category.
2. Test-based credit will not be accepted.

Category II History : Courses providing a historical perspective in art, architecture, urban planning, or cultural development.

Rubric

Course Title

Prerequisite

Cr Hrs

ANTH 102

Human Origins and Culture

 

4

ANTH 103

Anthropology in a Changing World

 

3

ANTH 107

Archaeology of Ancient Egypt

ANTH 102 is recommended

3

ANTH 160

Contemporary Social Issues

 

3

ANTH 220

Introduction to Archaeology

ANTH 102 or consent of instructor

3

ANTH 230

Sociocultural Anthropology

ANTH 103 or consent of instructor

3

ARCH 210

Introduction to the History of Arch

Soph. Standing or consent of instructor

3

ARCH 410

Ancient Architecture

ARCH 210, ARTH 111, or consent

3

ARCH 411

Early Byzantine Arch

ARCH 210, ARTH 111, or consent

3

ARCH 412

Medieval Architecture

ARCH 210, ARTH 111 or consent

3

ARCH 413

Renaissance Architecture

ARCH 210, ARTH 112 or consent

3

ARCH 414

Baroque & Rococo Architecture

ARCH 210, ARTH 112 or consent

3

ARCH 415

Neoclass & Nineteen Cent Arch

ARCH 210 or ARTH 112, or consent

3

ARCH 416

Modern American Architecture

ARCH 210, ARTH 112 or consent

3

ARCH 417

Twentieth-Century Architecture

ARCH 210 or ARTH 112, or consent

3

ARCH 418

History of the Urban Environment

 

3

ART 140

Introduction to Art

 

3

ART 209

Tea Ceremony & Zen

 

2

ARTH 101

Intro to East Asian Art

 

3

ARTH 110

Intro to African Art

 

3

ARTH 111

Ancient & Medieval Art

 

4

ARTH 112

Renaissance & Modern Art

 

4

ARTH 115

Art Appreciation

 

3

ARTH 217

Development of Ancient Cities

 

3

ARTH 235

Baroque Art

 

3

ARTH 241

20 th Century European Art

 

3

ARTH 350

American Art 1750-1900

 

3

ARTH 445

European Art Between the Wars

 

3 or 4

ARTH 446

Art Since 1940

Jr. Standing or consent of instructor

3 or 4

ENVS 201

Environmental History

 

3

FAA 130

International Arts

 

3

GEOG 425

Hist Geog Amer Land to 1880

 

4

GEOG 426

Hist Geog Amer Land Since 1880

 

4

GEOG 427

Amer Vernacular Cultural Land

 

4

LA 215

Buildings, Land and Culture

 

3

LA 242

Nature and American Culture

 

3

LA 315

History of Modern Landscape Architecture

LA 314

3

Category III Technique : Professional courses dealing with subject matter of a scientific or technical nature.

Rubric

Course Title

Prerequisite

Cr Hrs

ACCY 200

Fundamentals of Accounting

Soph. Standing

3

ACE 100

Agr Cons and Resource Econ

 

4

ACE 161

Microcomputer Applications

 

3

ACE 403

Agricultural Law

Jr. Standing

3

ACE 210

Environmental Economics

ACE 100 or ECON 102

3

ACE 310

Natural Resource Economics

ACE 100 or ECON 102

3

ACE 406

Environmental Law

ACE 403, or BADM 300, or BADM 301

3

ARCH 419

Historic Building Preservation

 

3

BADM 300

The Legal Environment of Business

Jr. Standing

3

BADM 301

Summary of Business Law

Jr. Standing

3

BADM 310

Mgmt and Organizational Behavior

Jr. Standing

3

BADM 320

Principles of Marketing

ECON 202 or equivalent (Stats I)

3

BADM 377

Project Management

 

3

BADM 446

Entrepreneurship Sm Bus Form

Consent of Instructor

4

CS 105

Intro to Computing, Non-Tech

MATH 012 or equivalent

3

ECON 102

Microeconomic Principles

 

3

EPSY 280

Elements of Statistics

MATH 012, 016 or 118

4

FIN 341

Fundamentals of Real Estate

ECON 102

3

GE 101

Engineering Graphics & Design

 

3

GEOG 280

Intro to Social Statistics

 

4

GEOG 371

Spatial Analysis

Course in geography

4

GEOG 379

Introduction to GIS

 

4

GEOG 403

Landform Studies

GEOG 103

4

GEOG 404

Soil Geomorphology

GEOG 103

4

GEOG 408

Watershed Analysis

GEOG 103

4

GEOG 460

Analysis & Interp of Aerial Photography

MATH 014 and GEOG 103

3 or 4

GEOG 473

Map Compilation and Construction

 

4

GEOG 477

Introduction to Remote Sensing

GEOG 280 or equivalent

3

GEOL 103

Planet Earth QRII

(credit not given for both 103 and GEOL 101)

3

GEOL 107

Physical Geology

(credit not given for both 107 and GEOL 101)

4

GEOL 108

Historical Geology

GEOL 107 or consent

4

GEOL 401

Geomorphology

GEOL 108 or consent

4

HDFS 262

Motor Develop, Growth & Form

 

3

HDFS 314

Introduction to Aging

 

3

HDFS 404

Gerontology

 

3 or 4

HORT 236

Intro to Turfgrass Management

IB 103

3

HORT 240

Plant Propagation

IB 103

3

HORT 343

Herbaceous Plants 1

IB 103

3

HORT 344

Herbaceous Plants 2

IB 103

3

HORT 358

Arboriculture

NRES 302 or HORT 301 and NRES 201

3

LA 244

Sci-Values of Envt Decisions

 

3

LA 345

Professional Internship

Jr. Standing and consent of instructor

1-3

LA 441

Land Resource Evaluation

Consent of Instructor

4

LA 444

Social Impact Assessment

 

3 or 4

NRES 201

Introductory Soils

 

4

NRES 211

Forest Ecology Field Studies

NRES 302 or HORT 301

2

NRES 302

Dendrology

IB 103

4

NRES 329

Urban Forestry

NRES 302 or HORT 301

3

NRES 471

Pedology

NRES 201

3

NRES 474

Soil and Water Conservation

NRES 201

4

UP 116

Planning Policy and Law

 

3

UP 116

Analytical Planning Methods

 

4

UP 218

Politics of Environmental Protection

 

3

UP 408

Law and Planning

Sr. Standing

3

UP 420

Planning for Historic Preservation

Jr. Standing

4

UP 426

Urban Design and Planning

Sr. Standing

4

Category IV Environment: Courses which investigate the environment, natural systems, and environmental planning.

Rubric

Course Title

Prerequisite

Cr Hrs

ANTH 103

Anthro in a Changing World

 

3

ANTH 143

Biology of Human Behavior

 

3

ANTH 230

Sociocultural Anthropology

ANTH 103

3

ANTH 344

Anthropology of Play

A course in S-C Anthro or consent and Comp 1

3

ARCH 423

Soc/Beh Factors for Design

Consent of Instructor

3

ENVS 101

Introduction to Energy Sources

 

3

ENVS 336

Tomorrow’s Environment

One course in life sci & one social sci or consent

3

GEOG 130

The Changing Earth Systems

 

3

GEOG 204

Cities of the World

 

3

GEOG 210

Contemp Social & Env Problems

 

3

GEOG 214

Conserv Natural Resources

 

3

GEOG 224

Geographic Patterns of Illinois

 

3

GEOG 384

Population Geography

 

3

GEOG 410

Geography of Dev and Underdev

GEOG 101 recommended

4

GEOG 483

Urban Geography

 

3

GEOG 484

Migration and Spatial Interact

 

3

GEOL 104

Geology of the National Parks

 

3

GEOL 118

Natural Disasters

 

3

GEOL 143

History of Life

 

3

IB 105

Environmental Biology

 

3

IB 109

Insects and People

 

3 or 4

IB 150

Organismal & Evolutionary Biol

 

4

IB 203

Ecology

IB 150

4

IB 363

Plants and Their Uses

IB 102, or 103, or 150

3

LA 450

Ecology for Land Restoration

 

3 or 4

LA 470

Social/Cultural Design Issues

 

3

LEIS 140

Nature and Wilderness

 

2

LEIS 341

Community Recreation Planning

Jr. Standing

3

NRES 100

Fundamentals of Env Sci

 

3

NRES 102

Introduction to NRES

 

3

NRES 104

Intro to Env Social Science

 

4

NRES 109

Global Environmental Issues

 

3

NRES 219

Principles of Ecosystem Mgmt

Course in bio, zoology or botany recommended

3

NRES 419

Env and Plant Ecosystems

NRES 219 or LA 450 or IB 103, Chem 104 or NRES 201

3

SOC 375

Community

SOC 100 and Comp 1

3

UP 205

Ecology and its Applications

 

3

UP 260

Social Inequality and Planning

Soph. Standing

3

UP 405

Watershed Ecology and Planning

Course in env. science

4

 

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