Master of Landscape Architecture
Master in Landscape architecture class of 2024
| Course | 2024 Autumn | 2025 Spring | 2025 Autumn | 2026 Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | ||||
| 6 | ||||
| 24 | ||||
Elective | 6 | |||
Studio course | 24 | |||
| 6 | ||||
| 30 | ||||
| Sum | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO)offers a two-year master's degree in landscape architecture: The International master’s in landscape architecture (IMLA).
The study program provides students with the knowledge and skills to become effective practitioners and researchers in landscape architecture.
The program aims are to train design-driven landscape architects who can operate globally, contributing to sustainable development across scales and geographies. Landscapes architects graduating from this program will contribute with new knowledge and methods for shaping the public realm, in accordance with high standards of international professional and academic practice.
Through a sequence of landscape projects developed under a studio model, culminating in an independent diploma project, the students acquire the necessary competences to practice as Landscape Architects. The curriculum provides expertise in design, in science, representation, history and theory. This knowledge is disseminated in an environment that promotes interdisciplinarity and cross-cultural exchange. The program also offers the possibility of exchange across a range of institutions in Europe.
At a time when the increased pressure of climate change and extended urbanization – exerted by global sustainability goals – expand the scope of the discipline, the development of landscape projects is complemented by AHO’s ongoing research on design methods, sustainable urban development, anticipatory practices and ecologically driven design.
The two-year program is structured around three core topics:
- Commons
- Systems
- Form
After completing the study program, the student has acquired the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge:
- The student has advanced knowledge on the design of open spaces and of landscape architecture as a practice and scientific discipline including:
- the physical and natural systems and processes and the complex range of social, economic, and cultural factors that interact together to shape the landscape.
- a diverse range of landscape architecture media, such as plants, soil and water, inert materials and techniques used in landscape architecture.
- the contemporary tools and methods employed in the design of public spaces and landscape architecture projects at different scales.
- the social, cultural, and environmental values and ethical issues relevant to the practice as a landscape architect, with particular emphasis on the role of sustainability.
- The student has thorough knowledge on the theories, histories and concepts underlying the practice of landscape architecture, including the interface between the different areas of the profession, and between landscape architecture and other professions.
- The student has knowledge on the expanded field of landscape architecture, including recent developments related to climate science, climate adaptation and risk mitigation, transformation, landscape heritage and urbanisation.
- The student has knowledge on contemporary techniques, and the role of computation in the development of the field.
- The student has knowledge on the different approaches to judge environmental quality and sustainability goals, particularly those in relationship to natural and technological systems.
Skills:
- The student can critically formulate problems, analyse, design, explain, communicate, and argue for landscape architectural methods of research and proposals in complex planning and design work including:
- interpreting a brief or develop one, addressing familiar and unfamiliar problems.
- locate, analyse, synthesise and apply appropriate data and information to support the development of design proposals.
- use an appropriate range of visual, verbal and written media, including digital and analog tools to develop and express landscape architectural ideas at different scales.
- generate, develop, and evaluate creative and innovative solutions and proposals using state of the art techniques.
- The student can use relevant methods for research and artistic development work in an independent manner
- The student can carry out an independent, limited research or development project under supervision and in accordance with applicable norms for research ethics by:
- applying relevant theories and methods and be open to interdisciplinary insight.
- demonstrating originality and creativity in the application of knowledge.
- producing artistic knowledge and innovation through the design process.
Competence:
- The student can manage interdisciplinary assignments and projects with professional and scholarly integrity and:
- use communication and information technology effectively and appropriately in research, data handling, development and presentation of work.
- address spatial problems in different scales and contexts.
- make informed judgements in situations in the absence of complete or consistent data/information.
- work effectively as an individual, using self-management, time and task management and personal reflection to reach consistent levels of achievement.
- practice in interdisciplinary as well as cross-cultural teams contributing to the achievement of common goals.
- The student can participate in debates of landscape architecture and communicate and convey landscape architectural questions, research, and projects to expert and non-expert audiences.
- The student can contribute to innovation and development of the landscape architecture discipline by critically reviewing, consolidating, and extending related knowledge and skills.
- The student can apply professional knowledge and skills from a landscape architectural position to wider questions of sustainable development.
Teaching formats are studios and electives. Teaching methods are group work, individual work, lectures, fieldwork/excursions/outdoor teaching, projects, seminars and workshops. Teaching and working methods are further described in each course description.
Project and studio work with direct teacher/student – student/student dialogue forms a significant part of the learning process. Presence, active participation in a cross-cultural environment, and the ability to collaborate and work independently are expected.
Examination regulations are described in the course descriptions. A usual form of examination is the evaluation of an appropriate range of visual, verbal and written media to communicate design work presented in open reviews and critiques.
The study program consists of 120 credits, including a master’s thesis (diploma) counting for 30 credits. The program consists of mandatory courses and elective courses.
The master’s thesis is an independent work on a self-selected task. Typically, the master thesis is an independently solved design project encompassing typical scales of intervention. A monograph or a theoretical project can be proposed if well-reasoned in the pre-diploma program.
Students should have an understanding of scale, a basic understanding of the design of public spaces, and an interest in combining artistic and scientific work. .
Students must have:
- The ability to use computer aided design tools (CAD) on an advanced level, and basic knowledge in GIS.
- The ability to work with physical models, both as a process method and for presentation purposes.
- The ability to use hand drawings, both conceptually and communicatively.
Students will get access to the necessary software.
Students can exchange in the 3rd semester. Arrangements will be made for exchange at approved partner institutions.