Editor’s Note: This listing was updated on October 28, 2022.
OVERVIEW
Harvard GSD‘s landscape architecture programs espouse a timely mission to “advance research and innovative design practices in the natural and built environments, as they intersect with processes of urbanization and the present realities of a changing climate, including widespread environmental and social inequities.” They explore the relationship between landscape design and the contemporary city, and in particular, the importance of equitable distribution of resources.
Under the guidance of internationally acclaimed faculty, students in Harvard’s MLA program engage with urbanism, environmentalism and culture, approaching the challenges of the built environment through a multidisciplinary lens. With access to research amenities including Harvard Forest, a 1,214-hectare ecological research area, the Arnold Arboretum and the Harvard Centre for the Environment and Dumbarton Oaks, students are equipped with the resources to make strides within the field. Funding for graduate students is also available via the Aga Khan scholarship program, and the Loeb Fellowship.
“Franklin Park’s Edge” by Harvard GSD student Sophie Mattinson (MLA I ’22)
The three-year MLA I program, for those without a design background, allows students to master design skills through advanced studios and elective courses. To prepare for the rigorous curriculum, students must achieve a B- or above in three semester-long prerequisites: environmental science, history of the built environment (architecture, gardens, environmental history or urban history) and visual arts. Those already holding a professional degree may be granted advanced standing to complete the program in just two years.
Meanwhile, the two-year post-professional MLA II degree emphasizes “the design of the built environment at the intersection of urbanization and ecology.” In concert with studio and design representation courses, students explore current topics within the field before embarking on a flexible final year curriculum.
Notable alumni
Edward Durell Stone Jr., Garrett Eckbo, Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, Hideo Sasaki, Gary R. Hilderbrand, Dan Kiley, Charles Jencks, Kongjian Yu, Lawrence Halprin, Ken Smith
Notable faculty
Martha Schwartz, Michael Van Valkenburgh, Gary R. Hilderbrand