MSc in Landscape Architecture
When you choose to become an MSc in Landscape Architecture you choose a creative academic degree. Landscape architects and city planners create the spaces you spend most of your life in – they plan the development of cities, shape landscapes and design parks. Landscape architects combine knowledge about nature with an understanding of human experiences and use of their surroundings. This, combined with knowledge about planning and management of cities and landscapes, provides you with the ability to create sustainable city and residence areas and parks and landscapes that combine aesthetics and functional needs. You can specialise in Landscape Planning, Park Management – and from the academic year 2010/11 also in City and Regional Development.
Content
Academic focus
About the programme
Study programme
In touch with real life
Career opportunities
Admission criteria and admission
Application
I want to know more
You are going to learn how to combine functional, aesthetic, social and biological considerations to achieve holistic solutions to city and landscape development. You will get knowledge about the conditions for the development and structure of cities and you will shape the cities of tomorrow in a way that provides the best conditions for humans and nature. You will also learn how to plan, shape and manage parks and green spaces in cities. You can choose to work with entire cities and regions or e.g. a schoolyard, a park or a new residence area.
The programme consists of elective courses, an obligatory theme course and a thesis. The elective courses give you the chance to enhance your competences in terrain management, city ecology and planning of recreational planting. You can also combine your knowledge of landscape architecture with e.g. conflict management, city planning, politics, ecology or financial management. You can choose between two different theme courses: Park Management and Landscape Planning.
From the study year 2010/11 it will also be possible to choose a theme course on city development. The entire programme is taught in English. There are plenty of opportunities to study at other faculties at the University of Copenhagen, at other Danish or international universities or at the schools of architecture in Copenhagen or Aarhus.
Landscape Planning
The struture of the programme depends on which courses you follow, nut includes the theme Landscape Planning and a thesis (30 or 45 ECTS).
One block is equal to 15 ECTS and 9 weeks.
Year 2 |
Block 1 |
|
|
| Block 2 |
|
|
| Block 3 |
MSc thesis (30 or 45 credits) |
| Block 4 |
Park Management
The structure of the programme depends on which courses you choose to follow. You will end the programme with writing a thesis (30 or 45 ECTS). The two years are each divided into block 1, 2, 3 and 4. One block is equal to 15 ECTS and 9 weeks.
The elective courses give you the chance to combine your knowledge of landscape architecture with e.g. conflict management, city planning, politics, ecology or financial management. You create your education on the basis of your personal and academic interests.
Year 2 |
Block 1 |
|
|
| Block 2 |
|
|
| Block 3 |
MSc thesis (30 or 45 credits) |
| Block 4 |
|
The dark fields are compulsory courses |
|
The medium fields are MSc thesis and core courses |
|
The light fields are elective courses |
** Compulsory courses, core courses and the thesis must comprise at least 90 credits
City Development (from 2010/11)
You have to follow an obligatory course on the politics, theory and methods of city development as well as a theme course on city planning and politics (project based). Additionally you can follow courses on e.g. city ecology, humans and the city, administrative law, economics, conflict management and citizen involvement. The entire programme will be taught in English.
Core courses
See the different core courses in the curriculum for MSc in Landscape Architecture.
It is possible to apply for an opportunity to study one semester (30 ECTS) at the Academy of Fine Art’s school of architecture or at the School of Architecture in Aarhus. Such studies will be included in the group of theme courses.
Specialisations
The theme course on park management will allow you to study the problems related to park management and visions about the appearance and content of parks. You will also gain knowledge about the way parks are developed and tended. Several of the courses in this specialisation are taught in collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Malmoe (across the Oeresund strait from Copenhagen) and the primary language of instruction is English.
The theme course on Landscape planning consists of two parts: In the first part you will learn about theories and methods which you are going to use analytically while you are going to work on projects in the second part.
If you follow the theme course in city development (from 2010/11) you are going to work with the structural framework of city development, with the ecological cycle of cities and with city politics and city planning.
Thesis
The thesis is the final part of your degree. It is your opportunity to concentrate on an academic problem which interests you over half or three quarter of a year (30 - 45 ECTS). The thesis can be and actual plan for a specific subject or area or it can be an investigation of an academic problem which is handled scientifically.
If you choose to make a thesis of 30 ECTS then you need to obtain at least 60 ECTS from theme courses and core courses. If you choose to make a thesis of 45 ECTS you need to obtain at leas 45 ECTS from theme courses and core courses.
There are plenty of opportunities to achieve an international profile, for instance by taking courses at some of the partner universities which LIFE has in e.g. Europe, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. LIFE has a well established collaboration between students and the private sector which provides you with great opportunities to make your thesis in collaboration with a private company or to have an internship. You will get in touch with real life as you are going to work with some of the challenges that are important outside the university and it will provide you with unique experience and a good network.
- Some landscape architects are employed in the public sector, e.g. as city gartners responsible for the green areas of the municipality.
- Others choose to work in a private practice where they work with projects for private individuals, companies, authorities, administrations etc.
- You can choose to initiate your own private practice
- If you choose to specialise in city development you can work in municipalities, the state, in private consulting companies, in private practices or at developers.
- Finally you can choose to become a researcher or teacher.
You can get admitted if you hold one of the following bachelor degrees:
- A BSc in Landscape Architecture and City Design or Architecture
- A BSc in biology equal to a BSc degree in natural resources (theme package nature and society from LIFE) or a BSc in horticulture or a professional bachelor degree in forest and landscape engineering (SLING), if you have passed the course Contemporary Danish Landscape Architecture or a similar course. This will give you the opportunity to follow the theme course in Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, but not the theme course in landscape planning.
- Applicants wanting to follow the specialisation in city development (from 2010/11) can be admitted with a relevant bachelor degree (evaluated case by case).
Read more about the specific admission requirements here.
Application deadline for Danish citizens holding a BSc degree in landscape architecture and city design from LIFE is 1 June and 1 December.
Application deadline for applicants from other faculties or Danish universities and who are Danish or EU citizens is 1 June.
Application deadline for applicants from non-EU/EEA countries is 1 January.
The programme starts in February (only for bachelors from LIFE) and August.
40 applicants can get admitted each academic year.
Read more about application requirements, tuition fees and scholarships.
You are always welcome to contact our Student Services if you have any questions about the programme, student life etc. You can contact the Student Services by e-mail at or by calling +45 3533 3533.
Michael Guldager, - last update:10 March 2010