Landscape architects combine critical design thinking, planning and design, and knowledge of physical and social sciences, to engage situations of landscape involving health, safety, and wellbeing.
The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) is a STEM-designated degree and fully accredited program that prepares graduate students for the rigors of professional practice, research, leadership, and community engagement. Students combine critical design thinking with creativity, and passion to address a range of landscape architecture and environmental planning projects. For the program’s metrics and Fact Sheet, click here.
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We’re pleased to welcome one of our own as the next speaker in our Fall 2025 Lecture Series. Professor Gavin Smith will share insights from a career shaped by some of the most defining moments in climate and disaster policy in recent history.
His lecture, “From Katrina to the Present: Planning for a Changing Climate,” comes on the 20-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the 1-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene—two pivotal events that have significantly influenced disaster recovery, resilience planning, and climate policy. Professor Smith will explore the evolution of these efforts, beginning with his post-Katrina policy counsel and culminating in his recently published book focused on climate change adaptation.
Join us this Wednesday 10/8 at 6 pm in Burns Auditorium!...
Join us tomorrow for our first guest lecture of the Building Resilient Futures series! Kate Ancaya`s lecture titled "The Overlooked Landscape: Reimagining Roofs and Discovering Purpose Above Ground" will begin at 6pm in Burns Auditorium. Don`t miss it!...
Reminder that our fall open house is happening soon!
Join us for our open house on October 24th featuring a student-led tour, lunch, and presentations from our esteemed faculty Professors Andy Fox, Meg Calkins, Elen Deming, Gavin Smith, Celen Psalar, and Nilda Cosco.
This is a great opportunity to meet with Professor and Department Head Maria Bellalta and Director of the Graduate Program Associate Professor Carla Delcambre.
At both events, detailed curriculum information will be shared with prospective students, including which track would best suit their academic pursuits.
Our MLA program is fully accredited by the landscape Architecture Accredidation Board (LAAB) and is a STEM classifed professional degree.
Please RSVP for in-person or virtual in the links in the bio....
Our students are back—and already deep into the work of exploring how to design landscapes that respond to an ever-changing, dynamic, fast-paced world.
Here’s a glimpse at what each year in our program is diving into this Fall:
🌱 1st Year – Starting with Immersion Diving into the semester with Immersion Week, first-year students began their design journey by reimagining a path at the Eco-Station at Prairie Ridge. Through hands-on experiences with drawing and abstract 3D model-making, they are exploring the fundamentals of design principles, plant identification and ecological design, laying the groundwork for upcoming projects focused on public parks and streetscapes.
🏘️ 2nd Year – Design Development in Asheville Kicking off the semester, the 503 Design Development Studio traveled to Asheville for a multi-day design charrette (August 23–24) centered on historic Biltmore Village. Facing real-world issues like resiliency, flooding, tourism, and urban growth, students collaborated with community members and local experts to envision forward-thinking landscape architecture solutions. This site will serve as the basis for the semester’s work in design development and construction documentation.
🌆 3rd Year – Urban Exploration in Mexico City Third-year students launched their semester with a week-long immersive experience in Mexico City, diving into the city’s complex urban fabric. From walking over 8 miles daily and riding the metro, to collaborating with UNAM partners and meeting with top designers, students explored the rich histories and present-day challenges of neighborhoods like Tlatelolco and Atlampa. This deep dive sets the stage for a semester of advanced urban design and planning.
Join us for our open house on October 24th featuring a student-led tour, lunch, and presentations from our featured speakers Professors Andy Fox, Meg Calkins, Elen Deming, Gavin Smith, Celen Psalar, Carla Delcambre, and Nilda Cosco.
This is a great opportunity to meet with Professor and Department Head Maria Bellalta and Director of the Graduate Program Associate Professor Carla Delcambre.
At both events, detailed curriculum information will be shared with prospective students, including which track would best suit their academic pursuits.
Our MLA program is fully accredited by the landscape Architecture Accredidation Board (LAAB) and is a STEM classifed professional degree.
Please RSVP for in-person or virtual in the links in the bio....
The next lecture of our Spring 2025 Lecture Series, ROOTS OF RESILIENCE: THE WATER, THE LAND, AND ITS PEOPLE, will be taking place on Wednesday, April 9th.
C.L. Bohannon, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) at the University of Virginia will be presenting “Sacred Spaces: African American Cultural Landscapes Along Florida’s Forgotten Coast”.
Please join us for this amazing lecture in Burns Auditorium at 6pm, you don’t want to miss it!
Go to https://design.ncsu.edu/landscape-architecture/news/lectures-events/ for more information.
The next lecture of the Spring 2025 Lecture Series, ROOTS OF RESILIENCE: THE WATER, THE LAND, AND ITS PEOPLE, will be taking place on this upcoming Monday, March 31st.
Kristina Hill, Research Director of The Institute for Urban and Regional Development at UC Berkeley, will be presenting “The Language of Sea Level Rise: Adaptation in Place Using Landforms”.
Please join us for this amazing lecture in Burns Auditorium at 6pm, you don’t want to miss it!
Go to https://design.ncsu.edu/landscape-architecture/news/lectures-events/ for more information.
Our next lecture of the Spring 2025 Lecture Series, ROOTS OF RESILIENCE: THE WATER, THE LAND, AND ITS PEOPLE, will be taking place on March 19th. Thaïsa Way, Director of Garden & Landscape Studies at Dumbarton Oaks, will be presenting “Gardens and Lands as Archives: Everything Happened in Place”.
Please join us for this amazing lecture in Burns Auditorium at 6pm, you don’t want to miss it!
Go to https://design.ncsu.edu/landscape-architecture/news/lectures-events/ for more information.
Our mission is to inspire and guide design students in their scholarship and application of landscape architecture through design solutions focused on social and environmental principles impacting communities across multiple scales and global territories.
The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) is a STEM-designated degree and LAAB accredited program that prepares graduate students for the rigors of professional practice, research, leadership, and community engagement. Our students, faculty, and local design community seek to understand the impact of human actions on the land and to respond with community-based design strategies. We are dedicated to teaching, researching, and practicing design processes that acknowledge the interdependence of built landscapes and ecological, social, and economic systems.
The department offers three main academic curriculum tracks:
The first half of the academic program prepares students for the current practice and discipline of landscape architecture. It equips them with the core knowledge base, tools, processes, and skills in design, site works, history and theory, planning, research and the culture of professional practice.
The second half of the academic program propels students into the profession and discipline of the future that they will help evolve and lead. It positions students to pursue substantive inquiry into their own, those of the faculty, and those of the larger extended community. Students master bodies of knowledge, pursue evidence-based research, and hone verbal, written, and graphic communication skills.
Throughout their program of study, students combine critical design thinking talents with their intelligence, creativity, and passions to frame, engage and challenge the questions, problems, and situations of landscape that involve health, safety, wellbeing, and quality of life.
The department also offers the following certificates and programs:
Graduate Minors and Certificate Programs
Graduate minors are available to all students and consist of nine credit hours of courses, in another graduate degree-granting discipline, listed as 400-level or above. A member of that degree’s faculty may serve as a third member of the student’s final project committee. Certificates offered in GIS, Public Policy and Horticultural Science may be of particular interest. Please visit the Graduate Minors and Certificate Page for more information.
Students at NC State University may also register for courses at local universities (UNC–Chapel Hill, UNC-Greensboro, and Duke University) paying NC State University credit fees. Our students have an exceptional range of courses and programs open to them through these inter-institutional study opportunities. Students may also take courses at the other Raleigh colleges that are members of the Cooperating Raleigh Colleges organization. Please visit the Inter-Institutional Study Page for more information.
