Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.)
Admissions

Applying to the M.L.A. Program

Application entails a two-part process:

•  application to the University for admission

•  application to the Department of Landscape Architecture which requires submission of the following:

1, a paper of 400 to 500 words stating the applicant's expectations of graduate education in landscape architecture and describing his or her professional interests, goals, and proposed area of concentration related to one of our four centers - The Center for Watershed Stewardship; The Hamer Center for Community Design Assistance; The Historic Places Initiative; and the Stuckman Center for Design Computing; or to a specific faculty member's expertise/research;

2. evidence of creative work;

3. evidence of analytical and problem-solving abilities;

4. an official transcript of all undergraduate course work;

5. scores from the Graduate Record Examination (G.R.E.), or from a comparable examination approved by the Graduate Program; (at the discretion of the Graduate Program;

6. a minimum of two letters of recommendation from faculty acquainted with the applicant's academic history; additional professional recommendations are also welcomed;

7. TOEFL score of 600 or above* for non-native speakers of English.

Department review of applications begins January 15 for entry in the following fall. Applicants are highly encouraged to submit materials before January 15 to ensure full consideration for highly competitive teaching and research assistantships and fellowships.

* 600 = paper version, 250 = web version

Selection of Incoming Students

Students are selected by the M.L.A. Program Committee following an assessment of their overall promise for graduate work, based on the entire application package. Fundamentally, we seek a strong fit between our strengths and the academic goals and qualifications of each applicant.

English Competency

Penn State University requires that incoming international students who are assigned a teaching assistantship take the American English Oral Communication Proficiency Test (AEOCPT). Students scoring below Penn State standards may be required to take a designated ESL/Speech Communication course, in addition to the regular 44-credit MLA program.