Masters in Environmental Design vs MLA

[Deena]

I am an Urban Planner, and I am drawn to the design aspect of the built environment. I am in the research phase of choosing what to do my masters in. I have been considering Landscape Architecture, but I am aware of the job prospects in that department based on various discussions in this forum. I am wondering If a Masters in Environmental Design would allow me to do a certain level of designing landscapes, and an environemtal career, and avoid licensure thats required for becoming a licenced Landscape Architect. Some help here please!

 

What are the job prospects in Environmental Designing?

[Jordan Lockman]

I don’t know for sure, but I think that an Environmental design degree is a generic degree that is going to provide you less opportunity than a Landscape Architecture degree or Arch degree.

At my college they gave the Architects and Landscape Architects a BS in Environmental Design after 4 years(kind of a participation prize for the extra time in school that we have over other professions) than you would go one more year for your masters in Arch or professional LA degree. So I think that you are going to want to a degree that is dedicated to one of the fields otherwise you may have trouble sitting for either tests and then your degree is not as valuable. Professionally equivalent to an associates in landscape design. 

Where is this degree offered?

If you want to do something in the built environment other than Arch/Land Arch. you can be a planner or an engineer. There really is not a separate profession called Environmental design it is a general name for designing the world.

[Deena]

I saw a programme at the University of Calgary, and a few in Australia. To me its like Env Des lies somewhere in between La/Arch/Urban planning, so Im wondering if ill have problems defining who I am as a professional. I realise its not offered at many schools.

 

http://evds.ucalgary.ca/content/environmental-design-medes-thesis

[Deena]

Environmental career not in the sense of waste management, pollution, etc, but in terms of landscape design, urban design, technological systems design etc.  

[Jordan Lockman]

Yes you will have problems. Most people that I know with Environmental Design degrees only. Work in a design/build office as Landscape designers. Not a bad job, but it is a job that you can get with an Associates Degree. If you are spending the time and money you will want a degree that will you allow you to practice one of the specific professions. I think I see what this is designed for. (from the link above)

The MEDes Thesis program is intended for those wishing to expand their current professional or design related backgrounds with advanced interdisciplinary practice-based research and study.

This would be a good course if you have an professional undergrad degree, Arch, L. Arch, etc. and want to learn more. So if you do not have a professional degree I think you would be disappointed with this degree.
You could probably do well as a planner also? I would talk with the school and see what the grads are doing from this program. I have a suspicion it may be a degree you get to help become a professor.

[Deena]

Oh, I see where they are coming from. I had no extensive design tranining in my Urban Planning course, and thats what I would like to learn. I do not want to go into the engineering feild, so Im guessing that leaves me with Landscape Arch or Arch right?  

[Chris Whitted]

Environmental design is kind of a generic term, and from what I gather it has a lot of variation in what you actually learn depending on the program – even moreso than architucture or landscape architecture programs.  At the college I attended it’s aimed much more at the architectural aspect of things and shares courses with that major – not LA.  If you want the broadest range of possible outdoor design, LA is the way to go.  However I might also suggest looking at a Masters of Urban Design (which is different than planning).  Example programs include BSU and CU.

The thing to consider is what you actually want to do and where.  At some point, to get something built someone has to stamp drawings – that’s what licensure is for.  If you want to work on your own, you’ll need to be licensed to design whatever it is you want to do as required by whatever jurisdiction you’re in.

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