The MA in Landscape Architecture at The University of Edinburgh is one of the most respected programmes in the UK and is renowned internationally as a leading centre of landscape architecture research and education.  The school was awarded the Best International School of Landscape Architecture in 2018 and continues to deliver against this legacy, prioritising learning and teaching at the highest level. Through consultation between staff, students and professional groups, we have invested time and effort to create a curriculum for excellence.

Who is this programme for? 

Our aim is to help develop students’ individuality, curiosity and creativity, to produce graduates who can go out into the world and make a positive change through their future careers. Throughout the degree, you will develop an in-depth understanding of how to read the landscape around you.  You will develop a set of complementary skills that will help you to understand how landscapes might be transformed or protected to safeguard their value for future generations. You will be taught how to apply new skills in drawing, digital media, visual culture, urban design, geography, ecology, construction and horticulture, so that your ideas become communicable with a wide range of other people.  Learning about key theories that exist within and around the discipline of landscape architecture will help you to think critically about the positioning and implications of your ideas.

Global Challenges 

Landscape Architects play an essential role in building a sustainable future for our planet. Many of society’s greatest challenges, including climate change, land degradation and biodiversity loss, sustainable cities and communities, inclusive societies and social well-being, are embedded in landscapes and require new solutions for how we care for and maintain our shared landscape resources.  In response, students on our programme work creatively across a diverse range of environments and scales, considering approaches for people, places and all the living entities upon which our planet’s health depends.

Professional Accreditation

Our MA Landscape Architecture programme has full accreditation from the UK Landscape Institute, and as a graduate landscape architect, you’ll be eligible to join the Landscape Institute as an associate member. This accreditation is recognised internationally, allowing many of our students to work in the UK, Europe or further abroad. 

A unique setting

Landscape Architecture at The University of Edinburgh is set within the vibrant and creative context of an art college, situated within one of the UK’s leading Universities. You will join a lively community of students studying closely together while having opportunities to participate in many social events, organised through our landscape architecture student society. As one of Europe's cultural capitals, Edinburgh offers an inspiring environment to live and study in, while being a short distance from many of Scotland’s dramatic landscapes. 

At Edinburgh we have established an international reputation for developing students of the highest calibre, making them highly employable within a vibrant profession. UK surveys indicate that our graduates have 100% employability in highly skilled jobs, reflecting the quality of our graduates entering what is a vibrant and growing discipline. 

Landscape architecture is a globally established profession, offering the potential for our graduates to find work across the world. Numerous landscape architecture practices can be found in any major city, meaning our graduates have great scope in finding employment in a region of choice. 

A professional career in landscape architecture encompasses an exciting range of options, from working in design offices to working for local authorities, and conservation and environmental agencies. Our graduates also possess transferable skills that allow them to diversify career paths across a range of allied disciplinary fields.

The integrated nature of the 5-year MA programme gives you confidence in defining your specific areas of interest and specialism, to carry these into a meaningful future career.  Our programme offers a period of work placement in fourth year that allows students to experience professional life, form connections with professional practices, while testing potential career paths. You will have the opportunity to take up work placements worldwide.

If you'd like to study on an undergraduate programme at Edinburgh College of Art, you must apply through UCAS. You can find out how to do this on the University of Edinburgh website, where you'll also be able to: 

• See the structure of the programme and what you will study each year
• See detailed entrance requirements for each programme on the Degree Finder
• Get information on what to expect after you apply
• Find out about fees
• Find out where to go for further advice and guidance.