School of Architecture
Undergraduate Degrees
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture
The degree in landscape architecture provides the ability to critically examine and creatively respond to a wide array of environmental issues and purposes. New professionals must be equipped to take on the challenge of working in interdisciplinary fields, mediating between the goals and desires of diverse groups while soliciting their participation. Generating creative solutions for forming a supportive and humane urban environment requires certain fundamental skills. This program encourages development of students’ skills and abilities so that they can flourish in a professional setting:
- Knowledge of the physical world and the interrelationships between humans and the natural systems of which they are part.
- The ability to define the critical issues of places and sites through inventory, analysis and resolution of physical, social and cultural forces and meanings.
- The ability to use knowledge and experience to creatively respond to the problems that confront them and the dedication to understand great purpose and to take effective action.
- The ability to effectively communicate with peoples of diverse backgrounds through both words and images.
- The ability to interact collaboratively with individuals, community groups, public agencies or large corporations.
- Familiarity with new technologies, their impacts and their potential for the profession of landscape architecture and land planning.
- Awareness of the constant evolution of knowledge and a commitment to continually reexamine assumptions.
The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture is a four-year program of lectures, seminars and studio courses in conjunction with general education courses. Through academic research, personal participation and group endeavor, the program will introduce students to historic and contemporary issues in landscape architecture. Projects will concentrate on the design of spaces in the urban landscape. This emphasis derives from our location in Southern California, at the very heart of an exuberant and dynamic metropolitan area.
Each semester, the design studio will be paired with courses that develop technical skills, expand the students’ working knowledge of plant materials and natural systems, and explore the history and theory of design. A component of each studio project will be team-oriented to develop the ability to work collectively.
Curriculum
| First Year, First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 102aL | Architectural Design I | 4 |
| ARCH 105L | Fundamentals of Design Communication | 2 |
| ARCH 114 | Architecture: Culture and Community | 2 |
| General Education* | Social Issues | 4 |
| WRIT 140* | Writing and Critical Reasoning | 4 |
| 16 | ||
| First Year, Second Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 102bL | Architectural Design I | 4 |
| ARCH 211 | Materials and Methods of Building Construction | 3 |
| General Education | 8 | |
| 15 | ||
| Second Year, First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 202aL | Architectural Design II | 6 |
| ARCH 304x | Intensive Survey: Pre-History to the Present | 4 |
| ARCH 361L | Ecological Factors in Design | 3 |
| General Education | 4 | |
| 17 | ||
| Second Year, Second Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 260L | Landscape Architecture Design I | 6 |
| ARCH 362 | Landscape Architecture Construction | 3 |
| ARCH 363 | Plant Material Identification: Horticulture | 4 |
| ARCH 465 | History of Landscape Architecture | 4 |
| 17 | ||
| Third Year, First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 360aL | Landscape Architecture Design II | 6 |
| ARCH 364 | Materials and Methods of Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| GEOG 345 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 4 |
| WRIT 340 | Advanced Writing | 4 |
| 17 | ||
| Third Year, Second Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 207 | Computer Applications in Architecture | 2 |
| ARCH 360bL | Landscape Architecture Design II | 6 |
| ARCH 463 | Plant Material Identification: California Plant Communities | 4 |
| General Education | 4 | |
| 16 | ||
| Fourth Year, First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 460L | Landscape Planning Studio | 6 |
| ARCH 466 | Nature Landscapes and Gardens in Non-Western Cultures | 4 |
| PPD 100 | Los Angeles, The Enduring Pueblo | 4 |
| General Education | 4 | |
| 18 | ||
| Fourth Year, Second Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 461L | Landscape Architecture Comprehensive Project | 6 |
| ARCH 525 | Professional Practice: Pre-Design, Project and Office Administration | 3 |
| Electives | 5 | |
| 14 | ||
| Total units required: | 130 | |
General Education Requirements
The university’s general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing and diversity requirements, which together comprise the USC Core. See The USC Core and the General Education Program for more information.
Students who are required to take MATH 108 during the freshman year may take their Social Issues course in the fall and WRIT 130 separately in the spring.