Fall Admissions Priority Deadline: January 15th
Rolling admissions until May 1 as space permits
Landscape architecture plays an essential role in connecting justice to environmental design and the ecological infrastructures of the urban realm. The mission of the Master of Landscape Architecture Program at the Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York, is to prepare students to be leaders in the field of landscape architecture through innovative research and practice in urban ecological design, planning, and policymaking. The program aims to reimagine and rethink the profession’s current and future challenges through the lens of social, environmental, and multi-species justice, including rapid urbanization, resource extraction and management, the interface of nature and technology, ongoing species extinctions, and the climate emergency. The curriculum engages critical thinking about complex and indeterminate systems, empowering students to implement actionable change across multiple scales of the urban landscape.
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Pioneering Landscape Architecture for Justice and Sustainability: only here at ccny
Distinguished as the only accredited MLA program in New York City.
Winner of the International Landscape School’s Prize at the 11th International Biennial of Landscape Architecture in Barcelona, Spain.
Funded research on robotics, urban agriculture, and climate justice through CCNY's College-wide Research Vision.
Our faculty are prolific authors with interests in climate change, politics and the environment, and the entanglement between technology and nature.
Student Info
Our students are prepared to be leaders in the field of landscape architecture through innovative research and practice in urban ecological design, planning, and policymaking. We are a small program (8-14 students per year, 30+ students in total across three years), with high-touch teaching, mentoring, and advising. Graduates of our program go on to work at design firms and public agencies.
Faculty Info
The MLA program features three full-time faculty members known for their prolific authorship, active research, and esteemed scholarship in landscape architecture. We also maintain a rotating roster of approximately 15 adjunct faculty members from public sectors like the NYC Parks Department and private firms engaged in public work. They contribute real-world case studies and valuable connections to enhance your learning experience. Our faculty collectively bridges the gap between academic excellence and professional success, providing you with exposure to a diverse range of perspectives and industry insights.
Curricular Innovation
In our design studios, we harness the dynamic environment of New York City as a living laboratory to experiment with innovative landscape and urban strategies. These studios incorporate diverse and multidisciplinary frameworks into landscape design and planning, drawing from fields like environmental sciences, engineering, and the humanities. Students cultivate landscape expertise by exploring a wide range of topics, such as urban agriculture, coastal engineering, urban ecology, and robotics.
Photo Credit: "Harlem Daisy Chain” by George McCracken MLA '25 & Nada Gatalo MLA '25
Admissions Facts
Total Credits: 90
GRE Required: No
Minimum Language Test Scores: 550 (TOEFL PBT), 79-80 (TOEFL IBT), 6.5 (IELTS), or 105 (Duolingo English Test)
Degree Awarded: M.L.A.
Supporting Documents Required:
- Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Resume/CV
- Personal Statement
- Portfolio: A portfolio of creative work is required for all Spitzer School applicants. The portfolio should reflect your level of creative ability and creative process and can include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, graphic design, furniture design, garden design, photography, crafts, or other types of work. Your portfolio should be a single file (PDF preferred). There is no maximum or minimum page count or project count. Submit your portfolio file at: https://securetransfer.ccny.cuny.edu/filedrop/SSAGrad.
Additional requirements: Students will be expected to start the program with an awareness of current versions of design software ( Auto CAD, Adobe Creative Suite) and basic graphic design skills: color theory, fonts, and 2D layout. Students lacking these skills may take a late-summer, intensive course at the Spitzer School in order to gain proficiency prior to the fall semester.
Interim Program Director: Zihao Zhang, zzhang@ccny.cuny.edu
Admissions Contact: Hannah Borgeson, hborgeson@ccny.cuny.edu
For more information, please visit the Program Website.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Application Process Apply Today
CONTACT INFORMATION
Wille Administration Building
Room 101
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
212.650.6977
graduateadmissions@ccny.cuny.edu
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Last Updated: 03/27/2024 17:39