Course Overview

Features

• A two-year, 300 credit programme, accredited by the Landscape Institute and leading to an internationally recognised qualification in a fast growing profession
• The full two year programme provides a conversion course for graduates of related subject areas
• Graduates of accredited UK undergraduate landscape courses, or international equivalents, may gain direct entry to Part 2 of the course for their final year of study
• Part 1 provides a broad foundation in the discipline, and supports the development of core design and communication skills
• Part 2 promotes the exploration of individual design practice through experimental studio work as well as individual research
• An integrated work placement and opportunities for inter-disciplinary collaborations
• Teaching is delivered by experienced group of core staff, complemented by a wide range of practitioners and academics
• A study tour and site visits give students direct experience of a range of landscape projects both implemented and on site
• The MLA degree is awarded by Manchester Metropolitan University

Duration

2 years full-time
4 years part-time

Students with a good honours degree in Landscape Architecture may enter directly into Part 2 of the programme (1 year full-time or 2 years part-time).

Course Content

The MLA places emphasis on an understanding of landscape as a dynamic and adaptive phenomenon. Projects promote a focus on the interfaces between the landscape as a human, cultural construct and as a reflection of underlying natural and environmental process. Design ateliers explore themes of global relevance through the study of a specific landscape from a regional scale, progressively down to the detailed scale of material and technological resolution. There is a focus throughout on applying contemporary theoretical ideas and technologies to address the challenges of the landscapes explored.

The course has very strong links to practice. Students are exposed to a range of practitioners and their work throughout the course and gain individual experience through a combination of a direct professional engagement and a theoretical series of lectures and seminars.

Professional Engagement

The course has a very close relationship to practice and students are exposed to practitioners in a wide range of ways throughout the syllabus. The Landscape Practice and Profession unit generates understanding of the ethical, legal and professional context of the subject through a range of visiting lectures and workshops, as well as visits to practices and sites and direct personal experience. This may be through a 3-month work placement in a relevant practice or through a range of alternative means such as involvement in a client-led brief, or an external competition.

Employment

The vast majority of our graduates go on to find employment in the profession, either in the UK or abroad, many due to connections established during the course. Outside London, the North West of England is the base for more landscape practices than anywhere else in the country. Opportunities exist in a wide range of organisations, from small private practices to international, multi-disciplinary firms. Alternatively, landscape architects are also employed in the public sector or non-profit making organisations. Many alumni have gone on to positions of responsibility in major international firms and have been involved in the delivery of landmark projects around the world.