Landscape Architecture
Chair: Jody Beck, PhD
Email: jody.beck@ucdenver.edu
Overview
The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program balances theory and practice to prepare students to create health, well-being, and environmental resilience through design in the public realm. Our fully accredited professional program takes advantage of our location in the heart of Denver and the rapidly growing metro area. The program prepares students to enter practice and offers distinctive opportunities for students to engage in meaningful projects that impact our communities and our built environment. We educate landscape architects to lead the design and planning process; successful graduates pursue diverse practices and occupations in public and private arenas around the world.
Our students study relevant issues through classes and immersive experiences that challenge them to think critically about the applications and implications for the work we do. While grounded in design and professional skills, the curriculum is structured to address evolving concerns for our profession, our communities and our environment through topics such as learning landscapes, water in the west, inclusive landscapes, food systems and insecurity, and emerging sustainable practices.
Faculty
Professors:
Lois A. Brink, MLA, University of Pennsylvania
Ann Komara, MLA, MArch Hist, University of Virginia
Associate Professors:
Joern Langhorst, Dipl. Ing. (MLA), University of Hannover
Jody Beck, MArch, PhD, University of Pennsylvania
Assistant Professors (Tenure Track):
Louise Bordelon, MLA, PhD, Louisiana State University
Additional information about faculty in this department is on the college’s website.
Landscape Architecture (LDAR) Courses
LDAR 5501 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio 1 (3 Credits)
Introduction to basic strategies, methods and techniques of landscape architectural design and representational techniques. Explores fundamental issues of spatial form and landscape experience and meaning. Restriction: restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning and/or students in the Landscape Architecture Certificate program. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning and/or students in the Landscape Architecture Certificate program.
LDAR 5502 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio 2 (6 Credits)
Problem-based studio course covers strategies, methods and techniques of landscape architectural design with emphasis in more complex social and urban issues, design processes and development and the application of theory and research. Prereq: LDAR 5501. Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning. Max hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: LDAR 5501. Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 5503 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio 3 (6 Credits)
Problem-based studio covering the approaches, techniques and means for planning and designing sites to accommodate development program on a particular site within an identifiable context. Covers issues definition, site analysis, programming, development of design strategies, evaluation site planning, and communication. Prereq: LDAR 5501 and LDAR 5502 or permission of department chair. Max hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 5510 - Graphic Media in Landscape Architecture (3 Credits)
Introduces basic principles and methods associated with analog and digital drawing-plan, sections, perspectives, color, shading, composition and projection. Restriction: restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning and/or students in the Landscape Architecture Certificate program. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning and/or students in the Landscape Architecture Certificate program.
LDAR 5521 - History of Landscape Architecture (3 Credits)
Intro survey course fosters workable understanding of landscape architecture design history and theory and offers a base for understanding trends and ideas influencing contemporary practice. Emphasizes Western Europe and the United States from antiquity to early twentieth century. Cross-listed with LDAR 4421. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate level or senior level or higher students
LDAR 5532 - Landform Manipulation (3 Credits)
Focuses on the fundamental technical aspects of landscape architectural design and site engineering of related topography, grading, drainage design, landform manipulation, earthwork calculations, and road alignment. Prereq: LDAR 6641 or higher or permission of instructor. Cross-listed with LDAR 4432. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: LDAR 6641 or higher or permission of instructor.
Typically Offered: Spring.
LDAR 5540 - Introduction to GIS (3 Credits)
An introduction to GIS as a set of strategies, methods and techniques used to facilitate the inventory and analysis of complex systems. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Graduate level students.
Typically Offered: Spring, Summer.
LDAR 5572 - Ecology for Landscape Architects (3 Credits)
Course emphasizes continuity and change in an ecology of the natural and man-made landscape. Focuses on biological, geophysical, cultural, and perceptual factors involved in landscape, spatial organization, and urban and regional structure. Introduces field ecology for landscape architecture. Restriction: restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning and/or students in the Landscape Architecture Certificate program. Cross-listed with LDAR 4472. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning and/or students in the Landscape Architecture Certificate program.
LDAR 5573 - Advanced Landscape Ecology (3 Credits)
Critically investigates the performance of complex landscape systems on multiple spatial and temporal scales, with emphasis on the interaction of human and non-human systems. May address issues of sustainability, disaster recovery, mitigation, etc. Prereq: LDAR 5572 or permission of instructor. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: LDAR 5572 or permission of instructor. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students.
LDAR 6470 - ACE Mentoring (3 Credits)
Graduate students work with professional architects, designers, and engineers mentoring students in selected local high schools to learn problem solving, graphics and model making to produce a design project. Student mentors develop lesson plans, outcomes and keep a weekly journal. Cross-listed with ARCH 6470 and URPL 6850. Restriction: Restricted to majors within the College of Architecture and Planning. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6520 - Landscape Architecture in Other Cultures (3 Credits)
Study abroad. Various studies of landscape architecture, architecture, urbanism, and design to destinations outside of the continental United States. Cross-listed with LDAR 3690. Restriction: Restricted to majors within the College of Architecture and Planning. Repeatable. Max Hours: 9 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 9.
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6604 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio 4 (3 Credits)
Intermediate landscape design studios engage design projects and topics that cover diverse design approaches, contexts, and landscape processes at various scales and complexities. Design projects will vary. Students are expected to expand their graphic, oral communication, and design skills.. Prereq: LDAR 5501, 5502, 5503 or permission of department chair. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6605 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio 5 (3 Credits)
Intermediate landscape design studios engage design projects and topics that cover diverse design approaches, contexts, and landscape processes at various scales and complexities. Design projects will vary. Students are expected to expand their graphic, oral communication, and design skills. Prereq: LDAR 5501, 5502, 5503, 6604 or permission of department chair. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6606 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio 6 (6 Credits)
Advanced design studio covering landscape change in diverse contexts at various scales and complexities. Recommended: completion of 2 graduate level landscape studios or permission of department chair. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students within the College of Architecture and Planning. Max hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate students within the College of Architecture and Planning
LDAR 6607 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio 7 (3 Credits)
Advanced landscape design studios engage design projects and topics that cover diverse design approaches, contexts, and landscape processes at various scales and complexities. Design projects will vary. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of graphic, oral communication, and design skills. Prereq: LDAR 5501, 5502, 5503, 6604, 6605, 6706, 6707 or permission of department chair. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
LDAR 6608 - Landscape Architecture Design Studio 8 (3 Credits)
Advanced landscape design studios engage design projects and topics that cover diverse design approaches, contexts, and landscape processes at various scales and complexities. Design projects will vary. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of graphic, oral communication, and design skills. Prereq: LDAR 5501, 5502, 5503, 6604, 6605, 6706, 6707 or permission of department chair. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
LDAR 6620 - Landscape Architecture Theory and Criticism (3 Credits)
Explores and assesses theory in landscape architecture and the concepts, ideas and discourses underlying contemporary design approaches. Emphasizes developing critical understanding of the roles and agency of theoretical inquires in landscape architecture in relation to aligned disciplines. Cross-listed with ARCH 3620. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6625 - Landscape Architecture Field Studies (3 Credits)
Critical field evaluation of built works of landscape architecture using methodological approaches like field measurement, mapping, sketches, photography, written evaluations and applied research. It may also assess the performative aspects of designed landscapes. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6630 - Site, Society and Environment (3 Credits)
Sites are defined by relationships within environmental and social settings. Therefore site design should be primarily ethical and secondarily technical. This course examines the implications of this idea through site methodologies, conceptual construction of site, site analysis and site typologies. Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning. Cross-listed with LDAR 4430. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6631 - Landscape Construction Materials and Methods (3 Credits)
Develops understanding of detailed design processes, construction materials and selection of construction methods and documents. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6632 - Site Planning (3 Credits)
Focuses on site planning processes, criteria and decision-making. Includes research, site analysis, and data synthesis as they relate to site context and design concepts. Also addresses site work (grading and drainage, utilities), cost computation, and creating site and building program. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6635 - Community Engaged Design Practice (3 Credits)
Obtain real-world pre-design and conceptual design experience in complex urban environments focusing on evolving trends in sustainability. Using digital trans-disciplinary learning students will develop comprehensive sustainable strategies that draw from their own sustainable philosophy developed during this class. Cross-listed with ARCH 6257 and LDAR 4435. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students within the College of Architecture and Planning. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate students within the College of Architecture and Planning
LDAR 6636 - Urban and Local Food Systems (3 Credits)
In this seminar, we will examine the connections between landscape architecture and food production in cities as well as the role that food production plays in rural landscapes. The course material may be historical, theoretical, or oriented toward contemporary research. Cross-listed with LDAR 4436. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students. Max hours: 3 Credits
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Graduate level students.
LDAR 6637 - Social Justice in Planning (3 Credits)
This course investigates various social justice issues encountered in planning, including conflict resolution; advocacy; environmental justice; social equity; culture and diversity; disadvantaged populations; public engagement techniques; affordability; equal access; and policy impacts. Cross-listed with URPL 6410 and ARCH 6258. Restriction: Restricted to Architecture graduate students within the College of Architecture and Planning. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to Architecture graduate students within the College of Architecture and Planning
LDAR 6641 - Computer Applications in Landscape Architecture (3 Credits)
Introduces digital technologies and methods commonly used in landscape architecture including primarily CADD, visualization, graphic design, and other emerging applications. Includes hands-on exercises. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6642 - Landscape Architecture Digital Design Workshop (3 Credits)
Provides hands-on experiences in the principles, software, and theories for emergent 3-D and 4-D design in landscape architectural practice and research. Prereq: LDAR 6641. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: LDAR 6641
Restriction: Restricted to majors within the College of Architecture and Planning
LDAR 6655 - Urban Ecology (3 Credits)
This lecture/seminar will cover ecological principles as applied to urban systems (lecture portion) and students will do an intensive study, presentation, and discussion on the topic of their choosing (seminar portion). Cross-listed with URPL 6547. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students in the College of Architecture and Planning. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate CAP students.
LDAR 6670 - Plants in Design (3 Credits)
Explores the challenges, opportunities and responsibilities of designing with living, growing, and ever-changing organisms. Students learn to identify plants that are commonly used in the Colorado region and the principles, theories, methods, and techniques for planting design. Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning. Majors and minors outside of landscape architecture and non-degree seeking students can ask the Department Chair for course permission. Cross-listed with LDAR 4470. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6671 - Plant Material Identification (3 Credits)
Students learn the names, characteristics and site requirements of plants including trees, shrubs, ground covers and perennials commonly used in built works in the Colorado region. Methods are transferable to other regions. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6686 - Special Topics: Landscape Architecture (3 Credits)
Various topical concerns are offered in landscape architecture history, theory, elements, concepts, methods, implementation strategies, and other related areas. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students. Repeatable. Max hours: 21 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 21.
Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing.
LDAR 6706 - Advanced Landscape Architecture Design Studio Immersive I (4 Credits)
Advanced design studio forms core of the Immersive experience; covers landscape change in diverse contexts at various scales and complexities. Travel competent also required (LDAR 6707). Recommended: complete 2 previous landscape graduate studios or permission of department chair. Coreq: LDAR 6707 and LDAR 6740 or LDAR 6745. Max hours: 4 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
LDAR 6707 - Advanced Landscape Architecture Design Studio Immersive II (2 Credits)
Advanced design studio forms core of the Immersive experience; covers landscape change in diverse contexts at various scales and complexities. Travel anticipated. Recommended: complete 2 previous landscape graduate studios or permission of department chair. Coreq: LDAR 6706 and LDAR 6740 or LDAR 6745. Max hours: 2 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
LDAR 6711 - Advanced Graphics Landscape Architectural (3 Credits)
Focuses on developing practical and applied expertise in various manual and digital visualization and representation techniques and media used for enhanced effectiveness in visual communication. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6712 - Green Roofs/Living Systems (3 Credits)
The primary objective for this seminar is to give students a general understanding of green roof systems, vegetated roofs above underground architecture and vertical vegetated systems. The seminar will engage in critiques and discussions using international, national and local case studies, covering history, typologies, function, design, master planning and costs. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6720 - Finding Common Ground (3 Credits)
Focuses on principles and societal variables that influence the structure of urban neighborhood space through research application. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6722 - Contested Terrains (3 Credits)
Explores the different processes, factors and forces that determine and influence occupation, land use and built form through the phenomena of conflict and contestation. Design is inherently located within the disputes and discourses involving landscape as location and resource. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6723 - Cinema and the Landscape (3 Credits)
Explores the relationships between landscape and film through theoretical and practical investigations. Explores film’s roles in understanding and investigating landscapes, their dynamic qualities and processes, and issues related to film’s capacity to construct spatial meaning. Repeatable. Max Hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6724 - American Landscapes (3 Credits)
Historical, theoretical and critical evaluation of the development of American landscapes. May cover the economic, philosophical and social trends behind changes in the landscape as well as the intellectual and contextual changes to the theory and practice of landscape architecture. Prereq: LDAR 5521 Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6725 - Design Communications (3 Credits)
In this seminar students will learn research and writing skills to produce articles in clear, readable, and substantial prose, from academic criticism to general interest reviews; writing forms and styles, including essays, reports, award applications and writing for oral presentation; and editing basics. Prereq: History and/or theory of landscape architecture or architecture. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6735 - The Landscape of Food (3 Credits)
An examination of the reciprocal relationships between landscapes and patters of food production, distribution, and consumption. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6740 - Advanced History/Theory Seminar - Immersive Semester (3 Credits)
Investigates topical issues in landscape architecture history/theory, process and methods within the framework of themes/issues running through the immersive semester course of study. Coreq: LDAR 6706. Restriction: Restricted to graduate CAP students. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Coreq: LDAR 6706. Restriction: Restricted to graduate CAP students.
LDAR 6741 - Urban Design Process (3 Credits)
Advances current practice by exploring innovative methods of design analysis, production, representation, and communication. Community participation and civic engagement are integral components of seminar. Cross-listed with URBN 6641 and URPL 6398. Restrictions: Restricted to Graduate level students in the college of Architecture and Planning. Max Hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to Graduate Level students in the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6745 - Advanced Media/Technology Seminar - Immersive Semester (3 Credits)
Advances landscape architectural practice by exploring innovative methods of design analysis, production, representation, and communication. Community participation and civic engagement are integral components of this seminar aligned with the immersive studio core track. Coreq: LDAR 6706. Restriction: Restricted to graduate CAP students. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Coreq: LDAR 6706. Restriction: Restricted to graduate CAP students.
LDAR 6750 - Professional Practice (3 Credits)
Explores the essential elements of professional practice and equips students with the fundamental knowledge and skills requisite to understand and participate in this practice. Covers office organization, project management, contracts, professional ethics and non-traditional careers. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate majors within the College of Architecture and Planning.
LDAR 6755 - Urban Housing (3 Credits)
This course examines housing trends and patterns; supply and demand factors; housing policies; housing challenges (e.g., inequitable distribution, special needs, segregation/discrimination, and homelessness); sociological, demographic, and economic considerations; and the roles of planners and the public and private sectors. Cross-listed with ARCH 6205 and URPL 6405. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing.
LDAR 6840 - Independent Study (1-3 Credits)
Studies initiated by students or faculty and sponsored by a faculty member to investigate a special topic or problem related to landscape architecture or urban design. Restriction: Graduate level students. Repeatable. Max hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Restriction: Graduate level students.
LDAR 6850 - GIS Capstone (3 Credits)
Studies initiated by students or faculty and sponsored by a faculty member to investigate a special topic or problem related to GIS. Serves as Capstone for LA GIS certificate. Restriction: Graduate level students. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Graduate level students.
LDAR 6930 - Landscape Architecture Internship (3 Credits)
This experiential learning course provides students the opportunity to participate in and reflect on the practice of landscape architecture by working in a design office. Students will reflect on and critically analyze issues such as leadership, management and collaboration. This course may only be taken once during a student's academic career and is to be taken after the first year of graduate study. Restriction: Graduate level students. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Restriction: Graduate level students.
LDAR 6949 - Research Tools & Methods (3 Credits)
Introduces students to research in landscape architecture and related fields and disciplines. Provides students with research practices, methods, and methodologies and a critical framework to identify suitable approaches based on diverse projects and contexts. Supports studio, independent study and thesis. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students. Cross-listed with ARCH 6473. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to students with graduate standing.
Typically Offered: Fall.
LDAR 6950 - Thesis Research (3 Credits)
Student works closely with a landscape architecture faculty advisor and thesis committee to develop the thesis through focused research. Research might entail both written and graphic inquiry leading to specific products with conclusive ideas setting the stage for final thesis. Restriction: Graduate level students. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade with IP
Restriction: Graduate level students.
Additional Information: Report as Full Time.
LDAR 6951 - Landscape Architecture Thesis (6 Credits)
The Landscape Architecture thesis is expected to advance the field of landscape architecture by offering new insights into aspects of design, technology, history or professional principles. In this course, the student continues to work independently, but closely with a landscape architecture faculty advisor and thesis committee to complete the thesis. The thesis might take on different final forms (written volume, drawings, maps, digital images), depending on the subject inquiry. For further information on the Landscape Architecture Thesis Track consult the Landscape Architecture Thesis Guidelines. Restriction: Graduate level students. Max hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade with IP
Restriction: Graduate level students.
Additional Information: Report as Full Time.