BACHELOR DEGREES
Bachelor of Landscape Architectural Design
Melbourne City
Landscape architecture is about spaces - natural, urban, private and public. It’s about investigating and proposing better ways of living in a complex, rapidly changing world.
Landscape architecture involves the design of outdoor public and private spaces. This multifaceted discipline blends design, art, science, nature and culture to achieve environmental, socio-cultural and aesthetic outcomes.
RMIT’s Landscape Architecture is a world-leading program, having previously won the International Schools Award at the European Biennial of Landscape Architecture held in Barcelona and taking first place ahead of more than 90 universities involved.
The judges declared that the work from RMIT showed our students’ ability to ’respond to modern challenges in society through critical analysis, innovative design and clever use of space’.
In this program, unlike in many generalist degrees, you will learn from staff that are current practitioners and actively engaged in the field, who will offer you invaluable and specialised knowledge and feedback. Studying in the heart of Melbourne will provide you with a stimulating urban laboratory with countless opportunities for research and design inspiration.
International student visa holders can only study full-time.
Design studio typically makes up half the program each semester and is taught in small groups. You will focus on a particular theme and project each semester. After the first semester, you’ll select which design studio you wish to follow from approximately 15 on offer, completing 1 per semester during the course of your studies.
Supporting courses such as technology, communication and history comprise the remainder of your program and provide an understanding of the social and physical contexts of the built environment, as well as teaching you drawing skills.
In first semester you’ll complete a structured, foundational design and communications course. Subsequent semesters include 4 ’lower pool’ design studios. In the final semester of study, you will move into ’upper pool’ and complete an upper pool design studio working with Master of Landscape Architecture students. Study in the Master degree consists of 3 additional upper pool design studios, general elective courses and supporting courses such as professional practice.
Lower and upper pool studios are vertically integrated, i.e. grouped with students from various year levels.
Recent design studios include creating an innovative landscape installation for an indoor environment at the Grand Designs Live exhibition. The students received feedback and critiques from Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs UK) and Peter Maddison (Grand Designs Australia). Another design studio asked students to look at the future of farming in Victoria.
All programs are delivered in English. You will have access to online and digital 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 undergraduate program is a stand-alone award that provides employment options for those who seek to work in landscape design, or design more generally, in roles that do not require professional registration. Students must complete the Master of Landscape Architecture in order to be eligible to become accredited as a Landscape Architect.
Careers
- landscape architect
- urban designer
Professional recognition and accreditation
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), landscape architecture's accrediting body, accepts graduates of the Master of Landscape Architecture by coursework.
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 supports students to undertake an exchange or short-term mobility activity with over 165 partner universities worldwide.
For further information about this program, please make an enquiry.
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Program and course information
Key content
A multi-faceted discipline driving unique concepts and design.
Learn to deal with the challenges of urbanisation while ensuring equitable access to transport, work, leisure, health and happiness.