Summary
In the Spring of 2015, the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (MAPP) and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) created a dual degree master’s program enabling graduate students to obtain both the existing Master of Community Planning (MCP) degree and the existing Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree in an integrated format. The proposed program enables graduate students interested in community planning and landscape architecture to complete these complimentary degrees by using courses in the partnering programs to satisfy specialization and elective requirements.
The dual degree program builds on the unique strengths of faculty in the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation and in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture (PSLA) by bringing together expertise in sustainable design, landscape performance, environmental behavior, with expertise in physical, social and economic planning. The program promotes interdisciplinary education by providing advanced knowledge of planning to landscape architecture students and advanced knowledge of landscape architecture to students in planning.
Degree Requirements and Program Features
The dual master’s program in Community Planning and Landscape Architecture combines key elements of the Master of Community Planning and the Master in Landscape Architecture. Student have two options for the Landscape Architecture portion of the dual degree. Those who did not major in landscape architecture as undergraduates will be enrolled the First MLA Professional Degree Curriculum. Those students who already have a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture will enroll in LARC’s Post-Professional degree program.
The dual degree enables students to complete the MCP and either of the two MLA degrees in a shorter period of time that if they earned one degree first and then enrolled in the other degree program, as shown below.
The current MCP degree requires the completion of 48 credit hours, while the current MLA degree requires 39 credits for a two-year post-professional degree and 70 credit hours (plus 6 credits at the 200 level) for a three-year first professional degree. This means that completing both degrees separately (one after the other) would require:
87 credits hours for the MCP and the 2 year MLA post-professional degree; or
118 credit hours for the MCP and the 3 year MLA first professional degree.
By participating in the dual degree program, the credit hour requirements would be:
60 credit hours for the MCP and the 2 year MLA post-professional degree; or
91 credit hours for the MCP and the 3 year MLA first professional degree.
The reduction in total credits from 87 to 60 credits for the 2 year MLA post-professional degree and MCP is achieved by counting courses towards both programs. 12 credits of the current MLA program would be satisfied by counting URSP or RDEV as courses. 15 credits of landscape architecture courses count as electives for the Master of Community Planning degree. This amount of double-counting for the proposed MCP/MLA program is possible because of the complimentary missions of the two underlying degrees. The same type of double counting applies to the dual degree for students in the post-professional MLA program.
Curriculum for the LACP Dual Degree for students who majored in landscape architecture as undergraduate students (i.e. Post Professional MLA degree track for the LACP degree)
(Note that the URSP 688L-Planning Technology class would not be required for students in the joint degree because of the MLA required course LARC 620-621.)
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
FIRST SEMESTER Credits SECOND SEMESTER Credits
URSP 600 Research Design 3 URSP 601 Research Methods 3
URSP 605 History & Theory 3 URSP 604 Planning Process 3
LARC 642 Graduate Studio III 5 LARC 648 Graduate Studio IV 5
LARC 670 Theory & Criticism 3 LARC 671 Research Methods 3
14 14
*SUMMER SESSION I Credits
URSP 705-Comm. Plan. Studio 4
SUMMER SESSION II
URSP 706-Comm. Plan. Studio 2
6
(Note: URSP 705 + URSP 706 in summer sessions are equivalent to URSP 708 offered in Fall or Spring semester)
THIRD SEMESTER Credits FOURTH SEMESTER Credits
URSP 606 Microeconomics 3 URSP 688Z Planning . . . in Multicult Metrop. 3
OR Elective
URSP 673 Social Planning 3 URSP 603 Land Use Planning 3
LARC 748 Graduate Studio V 5 *URSP 708 Community Planning Studio 6 * 11 12 * if not taken over the summer session
FIFTH SEMESTER Credits
LARC 799 Thesis or Creative Project 6
Elective 3
URSP 709 Internship** 0 or 3
9-12
Total Credits: 60
Curriculum for the LACP Dual Degree for students who did NOT major in landscape architecture as undergraduate students (i.e. the MLA First Professional degree program)
(Note that the URSP 688L-Planning Technology class would not be required for students in the joint degree because of the MLA required course LARC 620-621.)
FALL TERM SPRING TERM
FIRST SEMESTER Credits SECOND SEMESTER Credits
LARC 450 Environmental Resources 3 LARC 621 Digital Mapping & Drawing 3
LARC 620 Graphic Tools 3 LARC 641 Graduate Studio II 5
LARC 640 Graduate Studio I 5 LARC 663 Landscape and Garden History 3
URSP 605 History and Theory 3 LARC 720 Analysis and Site Engineering 3
14 14
Remedial Requirements
PLSC 253 Woody Plant Materials I 3 PLSC 254 Woody Plant Materials II 3
THIRD SEMESTER FOURTH SEMESTER
URSP 600 Research Design 3 URSP 601 Research Methods 3
LARC 642 Graduate Studio III 5 URSP 604 Planning Process 3
LARC 670 Theory and Criticism 3 LARC 648 Graduate Studio IV 5
LARC 721 Landscape Construction 3 LARC 671 Research Methods 3
14 14
SUMMER SESSION I Credits
URSP 705-Comm. Plan Studio 4
SUMMER SESSION II
URSP 706-Comm. Plan. Studio 2
6
(Note: URSP 705 + URSP 706 in summer sessions, are equivalent to URSP 708 offered in Fall or Spring semester)
FIFTH SEMESTER SIXTH SEMESTER
LARC 420 Professional Practice 3 URSP 603 Land Use Planning 3
URSP 606 Microeconomics 3 URSP 688Z-Planning in Multicult. Metrop. 3
LARC 460 Landscape and Identity 3
LARC 748 Graduate Studio V 5 URSP 708 Community Planning Studio 6
14 12
SEVENTH SEMESTER
LARC 799 Thesis or Creative Project 6
URSP 673 Community Social Planning 3
OR Elective
URSP 709 Internship** 0 or 3
9-12
Total Credits: 91
* Student will be encouraged to take remedial courses (or equivalent courses) prior to initiating the program.
** Internship requirement could be met during any summer after the second semester. Students are not required to take the internship for course credit.
2 year MLA post-professional degree and MCP
The reduction in total credits from 87 to 60 credits for the 2 year MLA post-professional degree and MCP is achieved by counting courses towards both program. 12 credits of the current MLA program would be satisfied by counting URSP or RDEV as courses. 18 credits of landscape architecture courses count as elective credits for the MCP degree. This amount of double-counting for the MCP/MLA program is possible because of the complimentary missions of the two underlying degrees.
3-Year First Professional Degree Curriculum and MCP
The reduction in total credits from 118 to 91 credits for the 3 year MLA first professional degree and MCPwould be achieved in the same was as for the 2 year MLA post-professional degree described above.
Admissions and Retention Criteria
Prospective LACP students need to apply and be admitted independently to both the MCP and MLA programs. If a student were only accepted to one of the two programs, he or she would only be permitted to pursue that specific program. Students would also have to meet the usual progress requirements for each of the two master’s programs to remain in the joint degree program.
Administration
The Director of the MCP program and the Director of MLA program oversee the administration of the dual degree program.
MCP and 2-year MLA Post-Professional degree
MLA Requirements
6 Credits: Courses in Theory and History
LARC 670 Theory & Criticism 3
LARC 671 Research Methods 3
15 Credits: Courses in Studio Design and Planning
LARC 642 Graduate Studio III 5
LARC 648 Graduate Studio IV 5
LARC 748 Graduate Studio V 5
18 Credits: Courses in Electives, Independent Study and Research, with Thesis or Creative Design project
Elective 3
LARC 799 Thesis or Creative Project 6
(9 credits to be satisfied by URSP or RDEV)
MCP Requirements
30 Credits in core courses in city and regional planning knowledge and skills development
URSP 600 Research Design 3
URSP 601 Research Methods 3
URSP 603 Land Use Planning 3
URSP 604 Planning Process 3
URSP 605 Planning History and Theory 3
URSP 606 Microeconomics or
RDEV 688N Microeconomics 3
URSP 673Community Social Planning or
URSP 688Z-Planning and Design in the
Multicultural Metropolis 3
URSP 708 Community Planning Studio 6
URSP 709 Field Instruction (Internship) 3
(18 Credits - Satisfied by LARC courses)
Total Credits for proposed dual LACP degree 60
MCP and 3-Year MLA First Professional Degree Curriculum
MLA Requirements
12 Credits: Courses in Theory and History
LARC 670 Theory & Criticism 3
LARC 671 Research Methods 3
LARC 663 Landscape and Garden History 3
LARC 460 Landscape and Identity 3
25 Credits: Courses in Studio Design and Planning
LARC 640 Graduate Studio I 5
LARC 641 Graduate Studio II 5
LARC 642 Graduate Studio III 5
LARC 648 Graduate Studio IV 5
LARC 748 Graduate Studio V 5
15 Credits: Courses in Graphic Communication and Practice Technology
LARC 620 Graphic Tools 3
LARC 621 Digital Mapping & Drawing 3
LARC 720 Analysis and Site Engineering 3
LARC 721 Landscape Construction 3
LARC 420 Professional Practice 3
3 Credits: Courses in Ecology and Plant and Soil Sciences
LARC 450 Environmental Resources 3
15 Credits: Courses in Electives, Independent Study and Research, with Thesis or Creative Design project
Elective 3
LARC 799 Thesis or Creative Project 6
9 credits to be satisfied by URSP or RDEV
MCP Requirements
30 Credits: Core courses in city and regional planning knowledge and skills development
URSP 600 Research Design 3
URSP 601 Research Methods 3
URSP 603 Land Use Planning 3
URSP 604 Planning Process 3
. URSP 605 Planning History and Theory 3
URSP 606 Microeconomics or
URSP 673Community Social Planning or
URSP 688Z-Planning and Design in the
Multicultural Metropolis 3
URSP 708 Community Planning Studio 6
URSP 709 Field Instruction (Internship) 3
9 Credits: “Specialization” Satisfied by LARC courses
9 Credits: Other electives Satisfied by LARC courses
Total Credits for proposed MCP and MLA 91
