Master of Landscape Architecture
Student type:
Quick facts
-
Entry score
Not applicable
-
Duration
Full-time 2 years -
Location
Melbourne City -
Fees
Commonwealth Supported Places
Next intake
February, July Entry score
IELTS 6.5
Duration
Full-time 2 years Location
Melbourne City
Overview
RMIT’s Landscape Architecture is recognised as a world-leading design program.
Internationally acclaimed for producing students who have the ability to “respond to modern challenges in society through critical analysis, innovative design and clever use of space”*, RMIT’s Master of Landscape Architecture will equip you to become a leader and innovator in Landscape Architecture practice.
*Declared by the judges at the International Schools Award, European Biennial of Landscape Architecture, Barcelona. RMIT's LA students won first place ahead of more than 90 universities.
Exploration is encouraged
You will explore landscape as a medium that exists at all scales, from micro to macro, from garden to city, from political to infrastructural, from social to economic; and as a medium specific to site, time, and process.
You will be encouraged to engage profoundly with the discipline of Landscape Architecture as one that can respond to the challenges of a complex rapidly changing world through innovative design at the juncture of the urban and natural environments.
Design Research is at its core
Design research projects undertaken within this program sit at a contemporary and international level. This enables you to understand the roles and responsibilities of a landscape architect at a global level and in local situations.
You will investigate issues and topics that are relevantly related to the urgency of envisioning sustainable environments in urban and natural contexts increasingly affected by climate change, natural disasters and misappropriation of land.
Study in RMIT’s unique design studios
You’ll learn through design studios which operate as laboratories conducive to experimentation, investigation, and the exploration of design as an agent for understanding and responding to issues in the built environment of contemporary society.
Studios are led by distinguished local and international academic practitioners drawing from a diverse field of knowledge and experience.
Top 3 reasons to be part of RMIT Landscape Architecture
- Learn through design studios, which model the best-practice of industry
- Open up employment opportunities and develop industry contacts
- Be immersed in an urban design laboratory in Australia’s design capita.l
Details
It’s all centred around learning through design studios
The program's celebrated design studios are situated within an urban campus which means you will be immersed a laboratory of design exploration and at the centre of innovation.
Studios are located across the city campus and within the multi award-winning RMIT Design Hub. Design studios are one of the major reasons that RMIT Landscape Architecture and its graduates are so highly regarded by industry.
What is a Design Studio?
Design Studios model the best practice of local and global design firms.
The studios operate as laboratories conducive to experimentation, investigation, and the exploration of design as an agent for understanding and responding to issues in the built environment of contemporary society.
Studios are led by distinguished local and international academic practitioners drawing from a diverse field of knowledge and experience. Contemporary design projects and/or issues will provide the focus for these inquiries in order to develop scenario based design proposals.
Previous studios and lecturers include:
- Field, Craig Douglas – OUTR
- Affective Geometries, Marieluise Jonas – After Landscape
- Feed Forward, Charles Anderson – Augmented Landscapes Lab.
- Site Choreography, Jen Lynch – TCL
Design studios typically make up the majority of this program and are taught in small groups. You will select which design studio you wish to follow from approximately 15 on offer, completing one per semester during the course of your studies. Each design studio focuses on a particular theme and project per semester.
In your final year, you will complete a design thesis of your choice which is referred to as your 'major project'. This project will develop on the research outcomes reached at the conclusion of your landscape architecture studies.
All programs are delivered in English.
You will have access to online resources through the myRMIT student portal.
Acclaimed and award-winning international and Australian landscape architects, architects, urban designers and experts in related fields are consistently involved with the teaching and research projects undertaken within this program.
Industry-based projects occur throughout the design studios, such as working with Grand Designs Live and the award-winning landscape architecture practice Oculus. Many public lectures are also held throughout the year, led by prominent local and international landscape architects and urban designers.
RMIT University is committed to providing you with an education that strongly links formal learning with professional or vocational practice.
The landscape program offers a huge range of international exchanges and design studios as well as internship opportunities. In recent years students have participated in design studios in Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan, France, Spain, and Africa, been on exchange to universities in Berlin, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the USA, and participated in international internship programs in the USA and the Netherlands.
An internship elective is offered to selected students in both the Bachelor of Design and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees at a range of firms including the Karres en Brands office in the Netherlands and Stoss LU in Boston. Karres en Brands was the appointed landscape architect firm for Melbourne's Federation Square.
RMIT’s Global Mobility Office supports students to undertake an exchange or short-term mobility activity with over 165 partner universities worldwide.
Choose a program structure
| Title | Location | Duration | Plan code | CRICOS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Landscape Architecture | City Campus |
Two years Full Time
|
Two years Full Time
|
MC172 | 064392E |
Choose a program structure
Program code: MC172
Career
This program will prepare you for the professional practice of landscape architecture. Working independently or as part of a large multidisciplinary team, landscape architects find career opportunities in:
- the public and private sectors
- government organisations at federal, state and municipal level
- the offices of landscape architects, architects, planners, urban designers and engineers throughout Australia
From urban design projects (plazas and pedestrian precincts) to working with large open spaces (parks and nature reserves), the parameters of projects are broad.
Graduates may also become involved in smaller projects such as private gardens, historic estates and productive landscapes.
Admissions
You must have successfully completed an Australian bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) in architecture or landscape architecture or a related design field.
You will be selected competitively based on your grades and folio.
You must have successfully completed:
- the Bachelor of Landscape Architectural Design from RMIT University with a grade point average of 2.5 (out of 4.0) or above.
OR - an Australian Bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) in architecture or landscape architecture or a related design field. You will be selected competitively based on your grades and folio.
Entry requirements
You must:
- Complete and submit the online pre-selection kit by 10 November. Submissions may be considered after this date if places are available. The link to submit your pre-selection kit will appear on the applicant dashboard after you have submitted your application.
- Attend an interview (some applicants)
Pre-selection kit
The pre-selection kit requires:
- a statement outlining why you wish to study this program, and your current research goals.
You may also wish to include details about why you want to pursue a career in design and how your work experience has informed your research interests.
Maximum 150 words.
- a statement outlining your academic achievements and professional experience, including any work experience you are currently undertaking.
Maximum 300 words.
- a folio containing pieces from your undergraduate studies and, if available, professional projects.
Your folio should be a package of images, drawings, sketches, paintings, models, photographs, computer work, etc. of personal creative/design projects; should include concepts/ideas that lead to the final design piece.
You must collate your work into a single PDF (maximum 30 pages).
You may upload your PDF (maximum 10MB) or supply a URL if it's hosted online.
Other information
If you successfully complete RMIT's Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BP256) with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 or more you are guaranteed entry in to this program.
If you have completed an equivalent bachelor degree from another institution, or are an RMIT graduate and do not meet the requirements for guaranteed entry, you will be required to attend a folio presentation.
You must:
- complete and submit a pre-selection kit with your application
- attend an interview if requested (some applicants)
Pre-selection kit:
You are required to submit a completed pre-selection kit along with your application.
Interview:
If you are short-listed, you will be contacted by the Postgraduate Selection Officer to arrange an interview.
To study this program you will need to complete one of the following English proficiency tests:
- IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band of 6.5 (with no individual band below 6.0)
- TOEFL (Paper Based Test): minimum score of 580 (TWE 4.5)
- TOEFL (Internet Based Test - IBT): minimum overall score of 92 (with minimum of 20 in all sections)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) (PTE (A)): minimum score of 58 (with no communication band less than 50)
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): minimum of 176 with no less than 169 in any component.
For detailed information on English language requirements and other proficiency tests recognised by RMIT, visit English language requirements and equivalency information.
Don't meet the English language test scores? Complete an Advanced Plus Certificate at RMIT English Worldwide.
Pathways
Fees
Entry for this program is primarily through Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs).
Government financial assistance is available to eligible students regardless of the type of place you enrol in.
2019 indicative fees
- Commonwealth supported places (CSP) range from AU$6,566 to AU$10,958*
- Full-fee places: AU$32,640*
* Amounts quoted are indicative fees per annum, and are based on a standard year of full-time study (96 credit points). A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load.
Additional expenses
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): AU$303 maximum fee for 2019.
- Other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.
Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.
For more information and to learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees see postgraduate study fees.
If you are offered a Commonwealth supported place, your tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian Government.
Your share of the fee (student contribution) is set on an annual basis by the government and is determined by the discipline areas (bands) of your individual enrolled courses, not the overall program.
How much can I expect to pay for my Commonwealth supported place?
In 2019, the annual student contribution amount you will pay for a standard year of full-time study is between AU$6,566 to AU$10,958.
Courses (subjects) fall into one of three bands. The band determines the student contribution amount for the course.
Amounts listed in the table below are based on a standard, full-time study load (96 credit points per year) with all courses in the same band. A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load or for enrolment in courses (subjects) from a combination of bands.
You can learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees for units from different bands at Fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Student contribution band by course (subject) |
Maximum annual student contribution amount in 2019 |
Band 1: humanities, behavioural science, social studies, clinical psychology, foreign languages, visual and performing arts, education, nursing |
$6,566 per standard year |
Band 2: mathematics, statistics, computing, built environment, other health, allied health, science, engineering, surveying, agriculture |
$9,359 per standard year |
|
$10,958 per standard year |
How does a HELP loan work?
If your FEE-HELP, HECS-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You will only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying).
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
This program is approved for income support.
You may be eligible for student income support payments from the Commonwealth Government if you are undertaking a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or an approved professionally oriented masters by coursework program. For more information see Income support for Masters students.
If you are enrolled in an eligible program you will also need to satisfy all other student payment eligibility requirements. You can contact Centrelink or the Department of Human Services for further information about student income support entitlements, your eligibility and how to apply.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student. The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2018 is $298.
You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA-HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.
For more information about calculating your actual SSAF see Paying SSAF.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from program to program.
The annual tuition fee for 2019 is AU$37,440.
The total indicative tuition fee for 2019 commencement is AU$76,800.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
- Some programs incur additional expenses.
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.