Graduate Degree

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources in cooperation with the Landscape Architecture program and the Interior Design program in the School of Planning, Design and Construction and the Departments of Horticulture and Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies participate in the Master of Arts degree in Environmental Design. The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is the primary administrative unit.

The purpose of this master’s degree is to train students to address the environment-related issues in research and design using scientific, evidence-based approach. The program focuses on the complex interdisciplinary nature for sustainable environments. Students will develop a highly individualized plan of study with a focus in sustainable built, natural, and virtual environments. Students who are enrolled in the program will be able to take courses on ecology, human environment and design, construction management, social science, environmental resource development, city and regional planning, statistics or education, in addition to courses in the major.

The Master of Arts Degree in Environmental Design addresses four areas of professional development. These include:

1. acquisition of in-depth knowledge in the area of environmental design theory;
2. development of problem-solving skills within an interdisciplinary professional context;
3. development of technological expertise and a knowledge base in a selected area of environmental research and design; and
4. a greater command of analytical, graphic, written, and oral communication skills.

All students will take a core of three courses in environmental design (theory, seminar, and studio), in addition to either a Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). Students will elect relevant courses in fields which pertain to their design area of interest.

The program is planned to provide an alternative to traditional professional degrees by addressing the needs of students with undergraduate design backgrounds who wish to work in an interdisciplinary setting while pursuing an area of individual interest.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in Environmental Design, the applicant must have:

1. completed a bachelor’s degree in a design related field such as horticulture, park and recreation, interior design, landscape architecture, or architecture.
2. a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 in design and technology courses with an academic background sufficient to indicate probable success in the program.
3. satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE) as judged by the environmental design faculty. No substantive area GRE examinations are required.
4. acceptance as an advisee by a participating environmental design faculty member.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Environmental Design

Students in the Master of Arts in Environmental Design must complete a total of 33 credits for the degree under either Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). A minimum of 17 of those credits must be at the 800-level or above, distributed as follows:

For Plan A , students must complete a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 9 credits of Master’s Thesis Research (899) in one of the following departments: Planning, Design and Construction; Horticulture;  or Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies. They must also prepare a written thesis and pass an oral examination.

For Plan B, students must complete 6 credits of Master’s Research (898) in one of the following departments: Planning, Design and Construction; Horticulture;  or Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies. They must also complete either a major planning or design project or pass a comprehensive examination.