Landscape Architecture, M.L.Arch.

Landscape Architecture
Head: Anna Thurmayr
Grad Chair: Anna Thurmayr
Campus Address/General Office: 201 Russell Building
Telephone: 204-474-8769
Fax: 204-474-7532
Email Address: gradarch@umanitoba.ca
Website: umanitoba.ca/architecture/department-landscape-architecture
Academic Staff: Please refer to the Landscape Architecture website for Faculty information.

Landscape Architecture Program Information

The program leading to the Master of Landscape Architecture degree at the University of Manitoba was the first graduate program in Canada.

The M.L.Arch. program is accredited by the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) which has reciprocal recognition from the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) in the United States. Successful completion of a program accredited by the CSLA/LAAB qualifies graduates to sit the Landscape Architecture Registration Exam (LARE), the North America-wide qualification for professional registration. In Manitoba, having an accredited degree plus two years in practice and passing required sections of the LARE is required for professional registration with the Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects (MALA).

Admission Information

Admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Application and Admission Procedures are found in the Academic Guide.

Admission requirements for Master’s students are found in the Master’s Degrees General Regulations section of the Guide.

M.L.Arch. Admission Requirements

Students admitted to the program must have one of three different types of degree with a minimum Grade Point Average (or equivalent) of 3.0 from a university recognized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies:

a 4-year degree in Landscape Architecture from a university recognized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies or a 4-year degree in Environmental Design from the University of Manitoba;
a 4-year degree in another design discipline from a university recognized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies;
a 4-year degree in another discipline from a university recognized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Application Information

Students should complete and submit their online application with supporting documentation by the date indicated on the M.L.Arch. program of study page.

Degree Requirements

Study is directed towards the analysis, planning, design, management and stewardship of natural and built environments at scales varying from whole regions to small individual sites. The program emphasizes to integrate and apply knowledge of ecology, socio-cultural factors, economics and aesthetics to create environments that are functional, innovative, sustainable, appropriate and attractive.

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) curriculum ranges from 39 credit hours for students who have completed required courses in the Landscape + Urbanism option of the Bachelor of Environmental Design program offered by the Faculty of Architecture or a Bachelor degree in Landscape Architecture to 69 Credit Hours for students with a non-design background.

Faculty of Architecture’s Cooperative Education/Integrated Work program (Co-op/I) Graduate Option

Students may apply to the Faculty of Architecture’s Cooperative Education/Integrated Work program (Co-op/I) graduate option. Students must complete a minimum of two and maximum of three 4-month work terms to have the Co-op/I option acknowledged on their graduation parchment. For each work term, students must enroll in the appropriate course: ARCG 7150 and, subsequently, ARCG 7250 and/or ARCG 7350. Each course requires submission of a written report and portfolio covering the work completed for the professional assignment. Work term courses are valued at zero credit hours and evaluated as pass/fail. These are above and beyond graduate course requirements. Additional fees will apply.

Expected Time to Graduate: 2-3 years

Progression Chart

M1 (non-design background) students must take Year 1, 2, and 3 courses (69 credit hours)
M2 (B.L.A. or B.E.D. (L+U)) students must take Year 2 and 3 courses (39 credit hours)

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1		Hours
GRAD 7300	Research Integrity Tutorial	0
GRAD 7500	Academic Integrity Tutorial	0
EVLU 3004	Ecology and Design 2	3
EVLU 3012	Site Morphology and Grading	3
EVLU 4000	Philosophy, Ethics and Aesthetics	3
EVLU 4002	Construction Materials	3
EVLU 4008	Plants, Ecosystems and Design	3
EVLU 4016	History of Landscape and Urbanism	3
LARC 7510	Studio 1	6
LARC 7520	Studio 2	6
	Hours	30
Year 2
LARC 7500	Digital Mapping and Analytics	3
LARC 7560	LA Construction	3
LARC 7250	LA History and Theory	3
LARC 7040	Design Research	3
LARC 7530	Studio 3	9
For M2 Students:
GRAD 7300	Research Integrity Tutorial
GRAD 7500	Academic Integrity Tutorial
	Hours	21
Year 3
LARC 7570	LA Practice	3
GRAD 7000	Master's Thesis	0
GRAD 7030	Master's Practicum	0
Select one of the following		6
ARCG 7102	Studio Topics in Environmental Processes ¹
Or
Six credit hours of electives ²
	Hours	9
	Total Hours	60

¹: As required by department head.
²: As approved by academic advisor.

Registration Information

Students should familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Graduate Studies ‘GRAD’ courses applicable to their program. If you have questions about which GRAD course(s) to register in, please consult your home department/unit.

All new students should meet with the Department Head and must meet with the Graduate Student Advisor before registering. Returning students with registration issues should make an appointment with the Graduate Student Advisor prior to the first week in September. Courses may be cancelled if there is insufficient enrolment.

Regulations

Students must meet the requirements as outlined in both Supplementary Regulation and BFAR documents as approved by Senate.

Supplementary Regulations

Individual units may require specific requirements above and beyond those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and students should consult unit supplementary regulations for these specific regulations.

Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR)

Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR) represent the core academic requirements a graduate student must acquire in order to gain, and demonstrate acquisition of, essential knowledge and skills.

All students must successfully complete:

GRAD 7300 prior to applying to any ethics boards which are appropriate to the student’s research or within the student’s first year, whichever comes first; and
GRAD 7500 within the first term of registration;

unless these courses have been completed previously, as per Mandatory Academic Integrity Course and Mandatory Research Integrity Online Course.

Students must also meet additional BFAR requirements that may be specified for their program.

General Regulations

All students must:

maintain a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+,
meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum course requirements, and
meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum time requirements (in terms of time in program and lapse or expiration of credit of courses).

Courses

Landscape Architecture

LARC 7020 Field Studies 3 cr

A one- or two-week field study block course at the start of winter term or during mid-term break, co-requisite with winter term studios.

LARC 7040 Design Research 3 cr

The focus is on critical review of the literature, the formulation of research methods appropriate to securing, analyzing, and interpreting of research in Landscape Architecture, and the examination of approaches to design as a mode of enquiry and research.

LARC 7120 Special Topics in Landscape Architecture 3 cr

An assignment and conference course. A detailed study of some special topics in landscape architecture, including environmental sustainability, urban landscape technology, and housing form.

LARC 7160 Landscape Architectural Field Ecology 3 cr

Field study of plant taxonomy and ecology. Approximately two weeks duration immediately prior to the beginning of fall term. For Landscape Architecture students or with consent of department head.

LARC 7250 LA History and Theory 3 cr

An investigation of seminal theories in landscape architecture from the 19th to the 21st century through the careful interpretation of built works from diverse geographies and social conditions. The course examines the expanding field of theory and practice through shifts in representation, design methodologies, approaches to site, cultural and ecological processes, spatial configuration, and material practices.

LARC 7310 Landscape Design Seminar 1 3 cr

A cross-cultural overview of significant discourses with an emphasis on the influence of critical design inquiry upon specific landscape interventions.

LARC 7320 Landscape Design Seminar 2 3 cr

An examination of the means by which ideas are expressed in and through design with a focus on modes of communication, representation and engagement.

LARC 7400 Landscape Topics 3 cr

A critical examination of an individual topical study of relevance to contemporary landscape architecture. Students may take the course more than once for credit if the sub-topic differs. Course graded pass/fail.

LARC 7500 Digital Mapping and Analytics 3 cr

A course designed to prepare students to engage in the investigation and measurement of spatial variables, be it land, water, culture, ecology, or even virtual spaces. The course establishes the foundational expertise for digital mapping (such as GIS and earth observation) and analytics through data, algorithmic thinking, and cartographic design.

LARC 7510 Studio 1 6 cr

An introductory design studio that reviews the concepts, methods, tools, and techniques supporting the landscape design process. Particular attention is given to spatial literacy, site inventory and analysis, site planning, schematic site design, and the representation of design ideas. May not be held with the former LARC 7110.

Equiv To: LARC 7110

LARC 7520 Studio 2 6 cr

An intermediate design studio that investigates the multidimensional context within which landscape architecture operates. It situates individual creative expression within the nexus of social-cultural, environmental, and programmatic expectations that characterizes community-based projects. The course also introduces the multi-disciplinary collaborative approach demanded by contemporary landscape architecture practice. May not be held with the former LARC 7222.

Equiv To: LARC 7222

LARC 7530 Studio 3 9 cr

A landscape studio that engages social, economic, and environmental phenomena at the regional scale of investigation and practice. The course explores the transition between larger-scale planning / design of a regional area and site design interventions. Methods, tools, and techniques introduced in previous courses are applied across the various spatial scales of intervention, emphasizing geospatial analysis and modeling. May not be held with the former LARC 7340.

PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: LARC 7510 (C+) & LARC 7520 (C+).

Equiv To: LARC 7340

LARC 7540 Studio 4 9 cr

A comprehensive design studio that synthesizes and integrates the biophysical, socio-cultural, technical, and regulatory aspects of landscape architecture. Site design and implementation are investigated at a high degree of resolution, including grading and drainage, plantation, materials and assembly, and the preparation of construction documents. May not be held with the former LARC 7330.

PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: LARC 7510 (C+) & LARC 7520 (C+) (for M1 program-entry students)

Equiv To: LARC 7330

LARC 7560 LA Construction 3 cr

Introduction, investigation, and fundamental exercises in detailed landscape design and construction documentation, including specifications and working drawings for landscape construction projects. May not be held with the former LARC 7002.

Equiv To: LARC 7002

LARC 7570 LA Practice 3 cr

Introduction, investigation, and fundamental exercises to facilitate student understanding of the roles, requirements, and expectations of landscape architects in professional practice. The course addresses the legal context and circumscriptions on professional practice; responsibilities concerning human health, safety, and welfare; professional ethics; the modus operandi of professional design organizations, including office and project management. May not be held with the former LARC 7002.