Landscape Architecture (LDA) College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

LDA 001 — Introduction to Environmental Design (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to the role of design professionals in contributing to the built environment at a range of scales. Introduction to basic methods used by design professionals to evaluate, design, plan, and manage landscapes and the built environment.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Science & Engineering (SE) or Social Sciences (SS); Domestic Diversity (DD); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 002 — Place, Culture & Community (4 units)

Course Description: Social dimensions of landscapes and everyday environments, including concepts of place, culture and community. Urban and rural environments including wilderness, parks, sacred space, agricultural sites, workplaces, transportation networks, housing, recreation, and military sites. Application of course concepts and methods for interpreting cultural landscapes through archival and field research.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Social Sciences (SS); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).

LDA 003 — Sustainable Development: Theory & Practice (4 units)

Course Description: Origins, theoretical perspectives, and practical applications of the concept of sustainable development across scales (site, building, neighborhood, city, region, and nation) through lectures, sketch exercises, student projects, walking tours.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Social Sciences (SS); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).

LDA 010 — World Regional Geography (3 units)

Course Description: Major geographic regions of the world; physical and human geography of each region; interactions between the people and the environment; culture and landscape; major resources; physical environments; population distribution and major cities.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC).

LDA 021 — Landscape Representation I (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to landscape architectural representation techniques. Fundamentals of orthographic drafting, freehand drawing, photography, and basic digital representation.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 001 (can be concurrent); or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Laboratory 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Pre-Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 023 — Landscape Representation II (4 units)

Starting Winter Quarter 2024, this course is no longer offered.

Course Description: Methods to explore and communicate environmental design intentions through digital media.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 021; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 6 hour(s), Project.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Fall quarters restricted to Landscape Architecture majors. Spring quarters restricted to Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 030 — History of Environmental Design (4 units)

Course Description: History of Environmental Design across disciplines, including landscape architecture, architecture, planning, and urban design.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 4 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).

LDA 050 — Site Ecology (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to ecological concepts, including nutrient dynamics, population regulation, community structure, ecosystem function. Principles will be applied to human activities such as biological conservation, ecological restoration, landscape planning, and management. Weekly lab devoted to field exercises in local ecosystems.

Prerequisite(s): BIS 002B.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Laboratory 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Pre-Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).

LDA 060 — Landform & Grading Studio (6 units)

Course Description: Introduction of landform and topography as landscape medium and utilization of grading and drainage to design meaningful and functional spaces. Intro to site analysis and site planning, with specific attention to topography.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 070.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s), Extensive Problem Solving, Project.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Pre-Landscape Architecture majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Science & Engineering (SE); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 070 — Introduction to Spacemaking (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to basic principles of design towards the creation of space. Design methodologies and skills to define, manipulate, and represent the built environment. Workshops in 3D physical modeling for spacemaking.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 021; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Laboratory 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Pre-Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 098 — Directed Group Study in Landscape Architecture (1-5 units)

Course Description: Directed group study.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-5 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 099 — Special Study for Undergraduates in Landscape Architecture (1-5 units)

Course Description: Special study for undergraduates.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-5 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 101 — Advanced Theory in Environmental Design (3 units)

Course Description: Provides exploration of contemporary theories and philosophies impacting design of landscapes and the built environment. Includes exploring competing definitions of "landscape," "nature," and "culture."

Prerequisite(s): LDA 070 (can be concurrent); or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Environmental Design majors only.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH).

LDA 102 — Methods in Design & Landscape Research (3 units)

Course Description: Research, design, and planning methods employed in landscape architecture. Exercises allow students to design independent landscape research. Lectures provide a historical overview of research methodology.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 171; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to Landscape Architecture majors only.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).

LDA 119 — Landscape Representation II (4 units)

Course Description: Methods to explore and communicate environmental design intentions through digital media.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 021; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Lab 4 hour(s),
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Fall quarter restricted to Landscape Architecture majors; spring quarter restricted to Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Credit Limitation(s): No credit if student has taken LDA 023.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • This course version is effective from, and including: Winter Quarter 2024.

LDA 120 — Landscape Representation III (4 units)

Course Description: Studio to explore advanced representation and modeling skills. Digital drawing applied as an analytical research method, generative design technique and presentation tool.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 023; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s), Laboratory 4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to Landscape Architecture majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 140 — Green Building, Design, & Materials (4 units)

Course Description: Sustainable design and construction techniques at site and building scales. Emphasizes real-world case studies, analysis of opportunities for actual sites, and application of LEED and Sustainable Sites green rating systems.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 050; LDA 070.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s), Laboratory 4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Science & Engineering (SE); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 141 — Community Participation & Design (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to community participation and design. Incorporates social and cultural factors, public and community processes, theories and practices related to human-environment behavior; community involvement in design, social analysis, community engagement, accessibility, diversity and politics of place.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 021; LDA 030; LDA 050; LDA 070.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s), Laboratory 4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Domestic Diversity (DD); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 142 — Applying Sustainable Strategies (6 units)

Course Description: Capstone class examines case studies and techniques of sustainable development. Student teams will develop detailed proposals for real-world sites.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 140; LDA 141.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to Sustainable Environmental Design Majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Science & Engineering (SE) or Social Sciences (SS); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); Writing Experience (WE).

LDA 150 — Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4 units)

Course Description: Basic concepts, principles, and methods of GIS are presented. Data structures, database design, GIS data creation, GPS, and spatial analysis. May be taught abroad.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Laboratory 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Landscape Architecture and Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Credit Limitation(s): Not open to credit for students who have completed ABT 180, PLS 180, ABT 181N.
  • Cross Listing: ABT 150.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 152 — Conservation Planning & Design (4 units)

Course Description: Theories and practice of conservation planning and design. Relationships between ecological theory, conservation principles, reserve design and policy. Applications to real-world conservation planning problems are presented in discussion/lab.

Prerequisite(s): BIS 002B; LDA 150 D or better or ABT 150 D or better.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s); Discussion/Laboratory 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE).

LDA 160 — Design & Build Studio (6 units)

Course Description: Introduction to the spatial design and construction of small-scale projects. Hands-on approach to learning and understanding materials (including wood, concrete, and stone) and methods in landscape construction, and the application of technical skills (including detailing, cost estimation, and specifications).

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s), Extensive Problem Solving, Fieldwork.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to Landscape Architecture majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 161 — Professional Practice & Construction Documents (6 units)

Course Description: Legal and professional aspects of landscape architecture, including the development of construction documents (drawings and specifications), proposal writing, fee calculations, project management, cost estimation, and insurance.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 171.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s), Project, Fieldwork.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to Landscape Architecture majors only.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 170 — Site Planning & Design Studio (6 units)

Course Description: Application of place-making and problem-solving skills to local landscape sites. Analysis of social and environmental conditions in the field. Lectures link design projects to contemporary theories and practices.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 160.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s), Fieldwork.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to Landscape Architecture majors only.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 171 — Urban Design & Planning Studio (6 units)

Course Description: Studio designing large-scale landscapes at regional, sub-regional, and neighborhood scales. Focuses on understanding complex social, economic, and environmental factors, developing sustainability priorities and strategies, and applying them through design and policy.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 170.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to Landscape Architecture majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 172 — Architectural Design (4 units)

Course Description: Conceptual design process as practiced by the discipline of architecture. Concepts of program, massing, structure, building systems and materials. Hand and computer aided drawing and physical model building.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 070 C or better; or consent of Instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Lab 4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Sustainable Environmental Design majors.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Science & Engineering (SE) or Social Sciences (SS).

LDA 180 — Advanced Design & Planning Studio (6 units)

Course Description: Application of advanced theories and methods of design and planning to real-world projects.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s), Fieldwork, Extensive Problem Solving.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to Landscape Architecture majors or consent of instructor.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 18 unit(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL).

LDA 182 — Advanced Landscape Architecture Studio I (6 units)

Course Description: Landscape architecture studio featuring advanced studies and applications of creative work, design, technology and/or theory. One day-long field trip required.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 171.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to Landscape Architecture majors or consent of instructor.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 183 — Advanced Landscape Architecture Studio II (6 units)

Course Description: Landscape architecture studio featuring advanced studies and applications of creative work, design, technology and/or theory. One day-long field trip required.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 182.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to Landscape Architecture majors or consent of instructor.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 184 — Capstone Landscape Architecture Studio (6 units)

Course Description: Capstone studio that synthesizes learning objectives within the senior-level Landscape Architecture studio sequence. Students required to apply creative problem solving, design theory, technology, and representation skills towards a design approach that addresses complex, real-world environmental design problems.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 183.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to Landscape Architecture majors or consent of instructor.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 190 — Proseminar in Landscape Architecture (1 unit)

Course Description: Lectures and discussion of critical issues in landscape architecture.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 1 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 3 time(s).
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 191 — Landscape Architecture Planning & Design Studio (2-12 units)

Course Description: Faculty initiated workshops featuring advanced studies and applications of original work in landscape architecture. May be taught abroad.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 001; LDA 070; LDA 170; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 1 hour(s), Workshop 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Priority to Landscape Architecture majors.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 20 unit(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 192 — Internship in Landscape Architecture (1-12 units)

Course Description: Professional field experience in landscape architecture.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor; senior standing in Landscape Architecture.

  • Learning Activities: Internship.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 12 unit(s).
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 193A — Senior Project in Landscape Architecture (3 units)

Course Description: Projects will focus on a critical area of landscape architectural design, planning, planning, analysis, communication, or research. Required of all Landscape Architecture majors.

Prerequisite(s): Senior standing in Landscape Architecture.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 6 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Limited enrollment.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 193B — Senior Project in Landscape Architecture (4 units)

Course Description: Projects will focus on a critical area of landscape architectural design, planning, analysis, communication, or research. Required of all Landscape Architecture majors.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 193A; senior standing in Landscape Architecture.

  • Learning Activities: Studio 8 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Limited enrollment.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 197T — Tutoring in Landscape Architecture (1-5 units)

Course Description: Tutoring in Landscape Architecture courses.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Tutorial 3-15 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 198 — Directed Group Study in Landscape Architecture (1-5 units)

Course Description: Directed group study. May be taught abroad.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 199 — Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates in Landscape Architecture (1-5 units)

Course Description: Special study for advanced undergraduates.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

LDA 200 — Citizenship, Democracy, & Public Space (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to seminal works in political theory, philosophy, and the social sciences that focus on citizenship and the public sphere; development of critical perspective regarding restructuring of public space in a pluralistic and global culture; discussion of contemporary case studies.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 4 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: GEO 230.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 201 — Theory & Philosophy of the Designed Environment (4 units)

Course Description: Examines the major theories of environmental design. Epistemology of design serves as framework to examine modern landscape architecture, architecture, urban design and planning. Normative theories of design are reviewed along with the social and environmental sciences.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 140; or the equivalent; graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 4 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 202 — Methods in Design & Landscape Research (4 units)

Course Description: Explores many of the research and advanced design and planning methods employed in landscape architecture. Exercises provide the student with a vehicle for designing independent landscape research and creative activities. Lectures provide an historical overview of research methodology.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 4 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 204 — Case Studies in Landscape Design & Research (4 units)

Course Description: Real-world designed environment situations where creative activity and/or basic research is the primary product.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing in Landscape Architecture, Ecology, Geography or Community Development or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 4 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 12 unit(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 205 — Urban Planning & Design (4 units)

Course Description: Regulation, design, and development of the built landscape, planning and land development processes, zoning and subdivision regulation, site planning, urban design goals and methods, public participation strategies, creatively designing landscapes to meet community and ecological goals.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s), Discussion 2 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Limited to graduate students.
  • Cross Listing: GEO 233.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 210 — Advanced Landscape Architecture Studio (4 units)

Course Description: Exposes students to real-world, designed-environment situations where creative activity and/or basic research is the primary product. Advanced landscape problems will be utilized at the site, urban or rural scale.

Prerequisite(s): LDA 113 or the equivalent; graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Laboratory 8 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 215 — What is Infrastructure: Critical Infrastructure Studies (3 units)

Course Description: Introduction to interdisciplinary scholarship and design on expanding conceptions of infrastructure, that include social, technical, ecological, political and aesthetic dimensions of the medium. Focus on application of theory to case studies and thinking through landscape as infrastructure.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to graduate students or consent of instructor.
  • Cross Listing: GEO 215.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 216 — Food & the City (4 units)

Course Description: Exploration of theory and practice related to the design and planning of alternative and resilient food systems, including urban agriculture, agrihoods, and agri-/rural tourism. Includes investigation of urban-rural connections and case-studies of regional urban agriculture projects.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to graduate standing or consent of instructor.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 270 — Environment & Behavior (4 units)

Course Description: Factors that influence human's interaction with their surroundings and the mechanisms used for recognizing and addressing general and specific human needs in community design and development decisions.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor; PSC 144 recommended.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Tutorial 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 280 — Landscape Conservation (3 units)

Course Description: Focus is on land planning, design, and management techniques to further the goal of resource preservation. Examines current critical theory in the establishment and management of conservation areas.

Prerequisite(s): Contact department for prerequisite courses; graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

LDA 290 — Graduate Seminar in Landscape Architecture (2 units)

Course Description: Seminar on selected topics in landscape architecture research, analysis, planning, design, communication, or education.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor; graduate standing.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 2 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

LDA 297 — Practicum in Landscape Architecture (1-10 units)

Course Description: Opportunity for students to work directly in the field with academics at other institutions or with professionals in an office setting. Gives experience beyond the confines of campus and allows direct interaction with the community.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor; graduate standing.

  • Learning Activities: Independent Study 1-10 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

LDA 298 — Group Study (1-5 units)

Course Description: Group study.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor; graduate standing.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

LDA 299 — Directed Individual Research for Graduate Students (1-12 units)

Course Description: Research.

  • Learning Activities: Independent Study.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

LDA 396 — Teaching Assistant Training Practicum (1-4 units)

Course Description: Teaching assistant training.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.