Landscape architecture students working on their laptops during class

Landscape Architecture Program

Inspiring Creative Communities

Landscape architects excel in addressing social and environmental issues with creative and achievable solutions. Classes in this program include art, design, horticulture, biological sciences, site planning and engineering. Students with a passion for creativity and the outdoors become the architects of the parks, campuses, downtowns, streets, trails, plazas, homes and many other essential places in our communities.


For information on supplemental and experiential learning opportunities, please contact the School of Design: 605-688-4103.

Getting to figure out a real-world project, and being able to look at when it is built and being able to say that this one is mine, I am excited to do that.
Riley Stueber , senior landscape architecture student
Information on attendance costs and financial support in this program

Number of Degrees Granted by Year

YearNumber of Degrees
20204
20216
20228
20238
20248
20256
Program's Mission, Objectives and Goals
Our Mission

We transform students and communities through creative and engaged problem solving. We use evidence-based design strategies to enhance the places where we live, work, play and learn.

Program Objectives
  1. Creative discovery and critical thinking through community outreach.
  2. Hands-on exploration of place, material and technology.
  3. Development of ethical stewards that support the planet, people and profits.
  4. Promotion of the profession of landscape architecture as a primary source for an improved quality of life.
  5. Collaboration and all-encompassing as norms for design exploration and creative engagement.
Educational Goals

Investigate: Students will examine the context and systems of their projects to develop a foundation for evidence-based design.

Design: Students will develop critical, creative and practical thinking behaviors through design.

Implement: Students will create projects linking materials and methods to expressions of craft and functionality.

Assess: Students will evaluate the processes, outcomes, contributions and impacts of their work.


Career

Recent Employers

  • Confluence Landscape Architecture
  • Beck Engineering
  • Bluestone Landscape Company
  • National Park Service
  • State of South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã Conservation Forestry
  • U.S. Forestry Service
  • Lanoha Nurseries
  • DGR Engineering
  • Tallgrass Landscape Architecture

Recent Internships

  • TerraSite Design, Rapid City
  • Confluence, Sioux Falls
  • Studio Outside, Dallas, Texas
  • Bret-Mar Landscape, Homer Glen, Illinois
  • Vireo, Omaha, Nebraska
  • Ayers Saint Gross, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Waldrop Engineering, Fort Myers, Florida
  • Stantic, Minneapolis, Minnesota

In the SDSU landscape architecture program, we use creativity and problem-solving skills to become better stewards of the natural and built environments. We enjoy creative problem solving while working both indoors and outdoors. We are looking for students with a passion for creativity and the outdoors to join us and learn how to plan and design the parks, campuses, downtowns, streets, trails, plazas, homes and other places that make up our communities.

Computer Specifications

Students need to have their own laptop computers with applicable software installed by the beginning of the first-year spring semester. Questions? Contact School of Design.

Landscape Architecture Laptop Operating System

Windows 11

Landscape Architecture Hardware
  • 3.5GHz or faster 64-bit processor
  • 32GB to 128GB RAM
  • Direct3D-compatible graphics card with 6GB to 16GB integrated RAM (RTX 4070 or better)
  • OpenGL 4 compatibility
  • 1TB to 4TB SSD hard drive
  • 1920 x 1200 minimum screen resolution, up to 4K
  • 15-inch screen minimum (27-inch external screen recommended) with 60Hz refresh rate
  • Integrated webcam
  • Three-button mouse with scroll wheel
  • USB-C to HDMI adapter
Landscape Architecture Software
  • Microsoft Office 365 (available through SDSU for all students)
  • (student version)
  • (student version)
  • (student version)
    • Acrobat (not Reader)
    • Photoshop
    • Illustrator
    • InDesign
  • (student version)

Accreditation

The landscape architecture program at South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã State University is fully accredited through the .

Number of Licensed Faculty
Icon of three people, representing community
Three faculty have been licensed by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards.
Icon of a teacher in front of a blackboard
One faculty member has active licensure.

The Council of Landscape Architecture Registration Boards outlines education requirements for licensure in each state/jurisdiction. SDSU strongly recommends that students and prospective students review the licensing information in the state where they plan to practice: . Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants to complete professional examinations, background checks, years of professional experience, jurisprudence exams, etc.

In compliance with the federal regulation, South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã State University is providing the following information.

Professional Licensure and Certification Programs

School of Design
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School of Design
905 Campanile Ave.
Brookings, SD 57007
Hours
Mon - Fri: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
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