The department offers programs of study leading to the Master of Science or the Master of Arts in Landscape Architecture, and provides graduate education related both to the discipline and to the profession of landscape architecture. The program provides a research track that concentrates on employing research theory, methodology, and techniques pertinent to the study of landscape architecture.
Students enter the department with varied academic backgrounds and training.
The majority of candidates receive a master of science degree, although candidates with primary research interests in the humanities and historiography generally pursue the master of arts. Research and teaching within these subfields reflect both the pioneering and long-term efforts of the department to build a body of knowledge in the areas of landscape planning, management, and design. All candidates are encouraged to take advantage of the interdisciplinary nature of the department by pursuing interdisciplinary theses and bridging research areas. Collectively, faculty members in the department have educational backgrounds in several disciplines. Throughout most of the department's history, faculty members have been involved with interdisciplinary research and research applications both within and outside the department, and with cooperating local, state, and national agencies.