The purpose of this master’s degree is to train prospective or practicing professionals to address the complex interdisciplinary nature of environmental design. Students will develop a highly individualized plan of study with a focus in a relevant design area such as golf course architecture, landscape reclamation, visual quality modeling, landscape restoration, interiorscapes, wellness/therapeutic garden design, landscape development systems, plant management systems, adaptive reuse of facilities for tourism and recreation, park safety design and development, and park and tourism development and design within ecological systems.

The Master of Arts Degree in Environmental Design addresses four areas of professional development. These include:

• acquisition of in-depth knowledge in the area of environmental design theory;

• development of problem-solving skills within an interdisciplinary professional context;

• development of technological expertise and a knowledge base in a selected area of environmental design; and

• a greater command of graphic, written, and oral communication skills.

All students will take a core of three courses in environmental design (theory, seminar, and studio), in addition to either a Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). Students will elect relevant courses in fields which pertain to their design area of interest.

The program is planned to provide an alternative to traditional professional degrees by addressing the needs of students with undergraduate design backgrounds who wish to work in an interdisciplinary setting while pursuing an area of individual interest.