Professional Landscape Architecture with Conversion MA

This course is in clearing

Overview

Course modules

The Landscape Architecture programme builds your progressive expertise through interconnected modules. These cover theory, design principles, and professional practice. You will work with practitioners on real-life projects while developing skills across many scales, from small interventions to regional planning. The curriculum balances theoretical frameworks with practical applications. You'll finish with a thesis where you can explore themes in contemporary Landscape Architecture.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Download course specification

Entry requirements

MA:

What makes this course different

Live projects with social impact

We work on live build projects, and with real clients to learn hands-on, changing lives and places, delivering positive social impact and benefits to London communities.

Industry placement

The course includes shadowing placements within leading landscape architectural practices in London, giving you the opportunity to gain direct experience and make professional connections while you study.

Tailored teaching to suit diverse skills

Our students are from a range of backgrounds, not just art and design. Through tailored teaching, we help extend your skills and subject knowledge to a professional standard, at your pace.

Course options

Select year

MA

Professional Landscape Architecture with Conversion MA, home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Full time, 2 years
  • Pound 6000 Year 1 (120 credits), £9,000 Year 2 (180 credits)

Professional Landscape Architecture with Conversion MA, international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant ,
  • Full time, 2 years
  • Pound 10840 Year 1 (120 credits), £16,260 Year 2 (180 credits)

MA

Professional Landscape Architecture with Conversion MA, home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Full time, 2 years
  • Year 1: £6,160 (120 credits). Year 2: £9,240 (180 credits)

Professional Landscape Architecture with Conversion MA, home applicant, part time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • Part time
  • Pound 1540 per 30 credit module

Professional Landscape Architecture with Conversion MA, international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant ,
  • Full time, 2 years
  • Year 1: £11,160 (120 credits). Year 2: £16,740 (180 credits)

What we're researching

We collaborate with other departments within UEL on a range of research projects. We work closely with UEL’s 
Sustainability Research Institute on projects relating to landscape architecture, biodiversity and nature-based solutions. One of our current research projects is investigating the suitability of a by-product of Tate and Lyle’s refining process as a suitable substrate for seeding meadows and green roofs. Tate and Lyle, as a local employer, are working with UEL on a range of research projects that our students are involved with. Students have been involved with designing and constructing the trial beds, as well as developing the methodology and undertaking monitoring as part of their thesis module. 

Clare Penny’s particular research interests include the pedagogy of landscape architecture. She recently prepared a conference post for a conference on the teaching of Landscape History and Theory, hosted by the University of Sheffield. Clare is also undertaking preliminary research, which investigates how humans will live on Mars, in relation to green space and mental health.

Your future career

Our Masters in Professional Landscape Architecture (Conversion) will set you on the path to rewarding and exciting ​landscape architecture jobs​. Landscape architects are in demand nationally and internationally. There is a high industry employment rate. 

Industry links

This programme uses industry links throughout its teaching. Our permanent staff and tutors all continue to practice landscape architecture, giving you the benefit of years of professional experience when being taught and receiving feedback. We also invite chartered landscape professionals and former students now working in landscape architecture to join us for studio days, to give advice and share their knowledge. Every year of your programme, you will be offered the opportunity to undertake a one-week (or equivalent) work shadowing placement in industry, which is organised by us and tailored, where possible, to your skills and interests. Many of our students are invited back to work for the practices they undertake work shadowing with.

Job roles

Our graduates perform well within the field, achieving recognition and industry awards, and 100 per cent of our Conversion MA graduates have found ​landscape architecture jobs​, employment in practice and in senior research, or policy roles, including many who have not come from an art or design undergraduate programme.  Our School has links with a range of professional practices and will give you invaluable experience in working collaboratively with other disciplines, on live projects, and with professionals in a practice setting.

All of our postgraduate landscape courses have full accreditation from the Landscape Institute and provide the necessary qualifications to allow registration on the Landscape Institute's Pathway to Chartership.

Graduate employers

Our graduate employers include private, public and third sector landscape practices, including Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Levitt Bernstein, LUC, Farrer Huxley, The Environment Partnership, Marian Boswall Landscape Architects, Essex County Council, Wynne-Williams Associates, Fabrik, Ramboll, Ground Control, Pegasus Group, Allen Pyke Associates, Groundwork and Outerspace. In addition, many of our students have undertaken paid positions with landscape practices whilst studying, including some of the above, plus Arkwood, HTA Design and Ireland Albrecht Landscape Architects.

Architecture & Engineering
I wanted to expand on my training in architecture and urban planning by learning to look at cities at the grand scale of landscape through an LI accredited degree. The UEL course has given me this perspective through a design focused curriculum, which has proved invaluable in my career as an urban designer."
Mat Proctor

Team Leader – GLA Growth Strategies and Urban Design (MA Professional Landscape Architecture with Conversion)

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, and further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting-edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

Our dedicated and award-winning team provide you with careers and employability resources, including:

  • Online jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work.
  • Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts
  • 1-2-1 career coaching services
  • Careers workshops and employer events
  • Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme which issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you’ve mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

Our Mental Wealth programme

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

  • Enterprise and entrepreneurship support
  • Ranked 2nd for graduate start-ups (2023/24)
  • Networking and visits to leading organisations
  • Support in starting a new business, freelancing and self-employment
  • London on our doorstep

How you'll learn

At UEL, your interests and passions count. We provide an inspiring, creative setting where you can extend your knowledge, skills and understanding, and inform your future direction in the profession. The MA in Professional Landscape Architecture (Conversion) runs alongside other landscape and built environment programmes, and offers flexibility, opportunities for collaborative project work, an active faculty and a diverse student body. We engage with live sites and clients and foster connections with visiting professionals. All staff continue in professional practice and bring relevant industry knowledge as well as extensive academic teaching experience to design studio seminars, tutorials, field visits and lectures.

Guided independent study

When not attending timetabled lectures or workshops, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This will typically involve skills development through online study, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects and preparing coursework assignments and presentations. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, and specialist facilities, such as game labs, the library, the full Microsoft Office software, including MS Teams, and Moodle: our Virtual Learning Environment.

Academic support

Our academic support team provides help in a range of areas - including learning and disability support.

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at UEL and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer.

How you'll be assessed

Your understanding of each module is assessed through a variety of written/ illustrated reports and design drawing portfolios, submitted at the end of each module. There are no exams. 

Your submitted coursework is completed against detailed project briefs, with submissions comprising project work developed in a variety of media, drawn conceptual, practical and 3D work, essays, site research studies, illustrated reports, seminar papers and presentations. Teaching supports the development of materials for submission through seminars, individual and group tutorials, field visits and lectures. 

All coursework is double-marked and reviewed by an external examination board. All modules are worth 30 credits, except the final Thesis module, which is worth 60 credits. Design Studio modules are assessed. (100 per cent portfolio, made up of 20 per cent group work and 80 per cent individual work)

In your first year of study (full-time mode), Theory & Technical modules are assessed. (60 per cent Illustrated Case Study/Essay and 40 per cent Technical Studies). In your second year of study (full-time mode), Theory modules are assessed (100% Report/Essay). Your final Thesis module is 100 per cent thesis – this is 10,000 words or 6,000 words with the equivalent in drawings/modelmaking.

Campus and facilities

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering

The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.