Master of Landscape Architecture (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
Landscape Architecture is primarily a design discipline concerned with the quality of the environment. Through design practice and research, the Master of Landscape Architecture educates students in many aspects of the profession. It strives to create critical thinkers with rigorous skills in the execution of landscape architectural work across a variety of types and scales.
Course overview
- Course title
- Master of Landscape Architecture (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
- Award abbreviation
- MLArch
- Course code
- 25550
- Course type
- master's degree by coursework or by coursework and dissertation
- Status
- current / 2021
- Administered by
- UWA Design School
- CRICOS code
- 084739F
Course details
- Intake periods
- Beginning of year and mid-year
- Attendance type
- full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Credit points required
- 144
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Standard course duration
- 2 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 96 points of taught units and 48 points of admission credit, as recognised and granted by the Faculty
- Maximum course duration
- 3 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising up to 144 points of taught study (see Rule 5 for further information)
- Professional accreditation
- Master of Landscape Architecture (coursework or coursework and dissertation) is accredited by: Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.
- Time limit
- 6 years
- Delivery mode
- internal
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth)
- Domestic fee type
- Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Schedule 2: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Associate Professor Christopher Vernon
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.
Specialisations
FA-ENVPL Environmental Planning
FA-RSRCH Research
FA-UBDSN Urban Design
Course structure
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2021; NS = non-standard teaching period |
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2022 or 2023.
For students in Course by Coursework only without a Focus Area, take all Core units (66 points) and 30 points of Option units.
For students in Course by Coursework only with a Focus Area, take all Core units (66 points), required units from the selected Focus Area (24 points) and 6 points of Option units.
For students in Course by Coursework and Dissertation, take all Core units (66 points), all units from the Dissertation (18 points), and 12 points of Option units from Group A, B, or C.
Students who have not completed a bachelor's degree with a major in Landscape Architecture, or equivalent as recognised by the Faculty, must complete conversion units to the value of up to 48 points.
Take all units (66 points):
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | ARLA4506 | Research Strategies in Landscape Architecture, Urban Design and Architecture | seminars: 3–4 hours per week | |
| S2 | LACH4421 | Australian Landscapes |
| seminars: 3–4 hours per week |
| S1 | LACH4423 | Landscape and Urban Ecology |
| lectures: 1 hour per week; seminars: 3 hours per week |
| S1 | LACH4505 | Critical Theory: 'isms and 'ologies in Landscape Architecture |
| seminars: 3–4 hours per week |
| S2 | LACH5414 | Landscape Professional Documents |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; workshop/seminars: 2 hours per week |
| S1 | LACH5422 | Design Studio—Making (12 points) |
| up to 9 hours per week |
| S2 | LACH5424 | Design Studio—Complexity (12 points) |
| studio: up to 9 hours per week |
| S1 | LACH5460 | Landscape Professional Practice |
| lectures/seminars and tutorials/workshops: 48 hours in total |
| S2 | LACH5506 | Landscape Dynamics: Reconfiguring Terrains |
| lectures and workshops: 3 hours per week |
For students completing this course without a specialisation, select option units to the value of 30 points.
Option units
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | ARCT5505 | Conservation in Cultural Landscapes, Historic Towns and Urban Precincts |
| 35 (introductory lecture: 1 x 2 hours; lectures/field work exercises/seminars: 3 hours per week) |
| NS | ARCT5508 | Practical Building Conservation |
| Taught over 6 weeks with lectures and site visits in weeks 1, 3 and 5 |
| N/A | ARCT5511 | Utopia/Disaster and Imagining the City |
| lectures and seminars: 3 hours per week for up to 11 weeks |
| S2 | ARCT5513 | Near Future Scenarios for a New Architectural Era |
| 3 hour seminar each week |
| N/A | ARCT5520 | Drawing Resilience |
| Lectures and tutorials 36 hours: 3 hours per week for 12 weeks from week 1 |
| S1 | ARCT5521 | Empowering Communities Through Design |
| 3 hours per week |
| N/A | ARCT5528 | Delivering Good Design |
| up to 3 hours per week for up to 12 weeks |
| S2 | ARCT5529 | Forensic Architecture |
| seminars: 3 hours per week for up to 12 weeks |
| N/A | ARCT5531 | Suburban Cultures |
| seminars: 3 hours per week for up to 12 weeks |
| S2 | ARCT5536 | Photo Real Rendering |
| workshops: 3 hours per week |
| N/A | ARCT5578 | Building Pictures |
| seminars: up to 3 hours a week for 12 weeks |
| N/A | ARCT5580 | Advanced Architectural Animation |
| 36 (workshops: 12 x 3 hours per week) |
| N/A | ARCT5581 | Key Texts |
| 36 (lectures/seminars: 12 x 3 hours per week) |
| S1 | ARCT5583 | Introduction to Architectural Conservation |
| 35 (lectures: 24 hours; tutorials/site visits: 11 hours) |
| N/A | ARCT5586 | Australian Architecture in a Global Setting |
| seminars: up to 3 hours per week |
| S2 | ARCT5589 | Furniture Design |
| lectures: 12 hours; seminars/workshops: 24 hours |
| N/A | ARCT5593 | Furniture: from prototype to production |
| lectures: 12 hours; seminars/workshops: 24 hours |
| S1 | ARCT5595 | Digital Design Journal |
| 1 hour per week and 1 hour online per week |
| S2 | ARCT5885 | Bio-Based Materials in Global Settings |
| lectures: 1 hour; workshop/practical classes; 2 hours for up to 12 weeks |
| S1, S2 | ENVT4411 | Geographic Information Systems Applications |
| The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. This includes podcasts for viewing and reading to be undertaken prior to attending one compulsory 3-hour workshop per week where students will be contributing to interactive discussions together with practical lab work using GIS software. Completion of the practical workshop labs is necessary to enable skills for completing written unit assessment. Independent learning is required throughout the unit. |
| S2 | PLNG4401 | Planning Theory and Practice (12 points) | 7 hours per week—unit taught all day and comprises a mix of lectures, tutorials, workshops and/or field trips. The total workload for the unit is 300 hours. | |
| N/A | PLNG4402 | Planning Law |
| 4 hours per week. The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. |
| S1 | PLNG4404 | Statutory Planning |
| 4 hours per week. The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. |
| S1, S2 | PLNG5403 | Planning and Governance |
| Workshops: 4 hours per week including independent industry learning engagement related to planning and governance. The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. |
| S1, S2 | SCIE4403 | The Conduct, Ethics and Communication of Science |
| 7 workshops running once a fortnight. This unit runs in both Semester 1 and Semester 2 and taken in either semester. |
| S1 | URBD5803 | Sustainability and Cities |
| 36 hours |
| S2 | URBD5805 | Contemporary Urbanism |
| 36 (lectures/seminars: 12 x 3 hours per week) |
| S1 | URBD5807 | The Forces that Shape Cities |
| 36 (seminars: 12 x 3 hours per week) |
| NS, S1, S2 | WILG5001 | Professional Development Practicum A |
| 150 hours for pre-placement, placement and post-placement activities |
Environmental Planning (focus area)
Take all units from this group (24 points) and select an additional option unit (6 points).
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | ENVT4411 | Geographic Information Systems Applications |
| The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. This includes podcasts for viewing and reading to be undertaken prior to attending one compulsory 3-hour workshop per week where students will be contributing to interactive discussions together with practical lab work using GIS software. Completion of the practical workshop labs is necessary to enable skills for completing written unit assessment. Independent learning is required throughout the unit. |
| S1, S2 | GEOG4003 | Fundamentals of Planning |
| Video presentations - up to 20 x 20 minutes Virtual fieldwork - 3 days |
| S1 | PLNG5512 | Regional Planning |
| Three face-to-face (2-hour) lectures before, and one (2-hour) lecture after the four-day field trip to be held in February. (Charges: cost of food and accommodation is borne by the student). The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. |
| S1 | URBD5803 | Sustainability and Cities |
| 36 hours |
Research (focus area)
Take units to the value of 18 points from this group.
Note: Students must choose to complete their independent design research by either dissertation or design.
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | LACH5503 | Independent Dissertation Part 1 |
| up to 1 hour per week (on average) |
| S1, S2 | LACH5504 | Independent Dissertation Part 2 (12 points) |
| up to 1 hour per week (on average) |
| S1, S2 | LACH5510 | Independent Dissertation by Design Part 1 |
| up to 1 hour per week (on average) |
| S1, S2 | LACH5511 | Independent Dissertation by Design Part 2 (12 points) |
| up to 1 hour per week (on average) |
Urban Design (focus area)
Take all units from this group (12 points) and select an additional option unit (6 points).
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | URBD5803 | Sustainability and Cities |
| 36 hours |
| S1 | URBD5807 | The Forces that Shape Cities |
| 36 (seminars: 12 x 3 hours per week) |
Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:
| Availability | Unitcode | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | URBD5802 | Urban Design Studio 2 (12 points) |
| 72 (lectures: 12 hours; workshops/design critiques: 60 hours) |
| S1, S2 | URBD5804 | Urban Design Studio 1 (12 points) |
| 72 (lectures: 12 hours; workshops/design critiques: 60 hours) |
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Rules
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.
(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules
2.(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).
(2) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the CARS module is not required to repeat the module.
(3) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
English Language competency requirements
3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.
Admission requirements
4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 60 per cent.
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Articulations and exit awards
6. This course does not form part of an articulated sequence.
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 144 points (maximum value) which includes conversion units to a value of 48 points, course core units and focus area units. The course comprises the following focus areas :
- FA-ENVPL Environmental Planning
- FA-RSRCH Research
- FA-UBDSN Urban Design
(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.
(3) Students who have completed a bachelor's degree with a major in Landscape Architecture, or equivalent as recognised by the Faculty, are granted credit for conversion units up to a value of 48 points.
Satisfactory progress
8.(1) To make satisfactory progress in a calendar year a student must pass units to a value of at least half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
(2) Students who remain enrolled in a Design unit after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty in two or more teaching periods in a calendar year must pass at least one of those Design units.
(3) Students who fail a Design unit must pass that unit at the next attempt.
9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.
Progress status
10.(1) Students who fail to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 for the first time are assigned the progress status of 'Suspended' by the Faculty.
(2) Students who fail to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 for a second time are assigned the progress status of 'Excluded' by the Faculty.
11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.
Award with distinction
12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—
(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;
(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;
and
(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.
Deferrals
13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).
Additional rules
Time limit
14. Unless the Faculty approves an extension, the time limit is six years from the beginning of the semester in which the first unit is credited towards the course.