UWA Handbook 2025

Major Overview

Description

Landscape architecture is primarily concerned with the quality and design of the environment. It focuses on all aspects of landscape and land use planning, design and management; the restoration and rehabilitation of disturbed environments; and the design and management of outdoor spaces to create exciting, functional and attractive environments that will contribute to the life of the community. The Landscape Architecture major shares a number of units with the Architecture major. As such, cross-disciplinary content, collaboration and learning are key features of these majors. Other points of distinction include an emphasis on discovery through drawing; grounding in cultural landscapes and integration of culturally diverse content; engagement with contexts that are local, regional and international; and an embedding across learning areas of a deep appreciation for ecologically sensitive design and sustainability. By studying this major you will develop essential skills in critical thinking, providing you with a strong understanding in the practical, as well as the theoretical, art of landscape design. It will provide you with the foundation to pursue a professional postgraduate qualification in Landscape Architecture. Landscape architects work on a variety of scales, ranging from major regional projects to smaller urban developments which include industrial, commercial, institutional, recreational and residential environments.

Students should be aware that this major does not provide a pathway to an Honours.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

1. design projects that take a philosophical and ethical position in regard to the ecological, aesthetic and sociopolitical roles of landscape architecture
2. apply historical, theoretical and technical knowledge to design
3. produce designs which illustrate a working knowledge of plants, materials and construction techniques
4. negotiate and resolve complex site planning issues and developmental programs
5. display an active engagement with experimental design processes and self-directed research
6. work productively in collaborative and trans-disciplinary situations
7. communicate at a sophisticated level in verbal, visual and written modes.

Broadening guidelines

All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.
Suggested Minors to broaden you study area, are:
(1) MNR-CURAT Curatorial Studies
(2) MNR-DCREA Digital Creativity
(3) MNR-ETHFT Earth's Environmental Challenges
(4) MNR-MEHUM Environmental Humanities
(5) MNR-ECOLY Ecology
(6) MNR-GEARL Geological and Archaeological Landscapes
(7) MNR-OCEAN Ocean Innovation
(8) MNR-SPCEU Science and Policy: Climate Change, Environmental Planning and Urban Environments
(9) MNR-ENVST Understanding the Environment

Courses

Landscape Architecture can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

• BP011 Bachelor of Environmental Design
• BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Units