Landscape Architecture Major, MALA

The Master of Arts in Landscape Architecture (MALA) is intended for students interested in developing greater knowledge and understanding of landscape-related topics while simultaneously advancing a more specialized area of investigation from a liberal arts perspective. This degree will not prepare the student for professional licensure but will prepare them for career paths that will benefit from knowledge of landscape architectural design concepts, design thinking skills, and related fields such as ecosystem management, sustainable development, green infrastructure, and more. While 42 credit hours is the minimum number needed to satisfy these degree track, students have the option to work with advisors to craft a unique curriculum that allows for greater development of design skills or supporting knowledge as necessary. This track requires the successful completion of a robust thesis project.

Admission to MALA

Submit online application to the Graduate Admissions Office. In addition to meeting the Graduate School’s minimum requirements, the following specific admission requirements must be met.

• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 12 credit hours of humanities courses from an accredited college or university is required or the international equivalent. International applicants must have an equivalent four-year degree and 3.0 GPA. 
• Three letters of recommendation. 
• Letter of Intent. This letter should indicate why the applicant is interested in pursuing a degree in Landscape Architecture at UTK. Students are strongly encouraged to touch on the following points:
  • cite examples of your experiences that demonstrate the personal ambition necessary to succeed in landscape architecture at UTK.
  • discuss your primary motivations for pursuing a degree in landscape architecture.
  • explain why the School of Landscape Architecture at UTK is the preferred program for you to launch a career in landscape architecture.
• The general portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is recommended but not required. Applicants choosing to take the test should take the GRE at least one semester in advance of application for admission. 
• Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take and pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Recommended overall TOEFL scores are a minimum of 92. 
• A personal onsite interview is desirable but not mandatory.

Candidates with a GPA less than 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission when evidence of exceptional promise is identified.

MALA applicants are also strongly encouraged to submit the following.

• Examples of creative work and/or research – particularly of a graphic or visual nature.  
• Examples of previous writings or research. The applicant’s role in any collaborative work submitted must be clearly identified.

Requirements

Thesis Option: Requires a minimum of 42 semester credit hours of graduate course work including 6 credit hours of LAR 500 - Thesis  with a public presentation and oral defense of the thesis.