Mission Statement
The mission of University of Rhode Island Landscape Architecture Department is to provide a challenging and rewarding academic experience for students to excel. This is accomplished through a structured program that fosters a high level of creative and scholarly activity.
Through design, planning and technical classes students explore the roles of nature, culture, and community in shaping the human, built and natural environment. Our intent is to enrich the students' personal development and understanding of ethical principles and ecological values through an effective balance of problem solving and communication skills and global awareness.
Academics
View a course sequence plan that takes place over 8 total semesters. See which classes should be taken first and when you should apply for internships.
View the three minors in Community Planning, Geography and Landscape Architecture offered by the Department of Landscape Architecture.
Course Descriptions
Check the detailed description of a Landscape Architecture course, find out how many credits it is worth and when the class is offered.
Roseheart Center: Lisa Costitch '10
Student Profiles
Nina Marelli ‘11
Hometown: South Kingstown, RI
This one-time architecture student turned to URI’s landscape architecture program after she discovered she shares her father’s passion for gardening. Nina loves the hands-on experiences she’s getting at URI, and the learning that takes place outside the classroom. Experiences such as trips to conventions where she meets students and professionals from around the country, and her internship at the U.S. Naval War College, where she recommended green technologies and sustainable landscape design to decrease energy consumption on the naval base. She’s also been pleasantly surprised by the broad range of student backgrounds, personalities and design philosophies represented within her classes. Her upcoming plans include an internship in Shanghai, and a career focusing on high-end residential landscape design.
David Empel, ‘13
Hometown: Franklin Lakes, NJ
A proponent of landscapes that address environmental issues, David says humans are going to have to change the way we treat our natural resources, and he wants to be one of the people leading that change. And, from computers, design software, hand graphics, plant identification, design history and more, he’s amazed at the breadth and depth of knowledge he’s already gained toward that goal in just two years in URI’s landscape architecture program. Another pleasant surprise - the close-knit learning community. “The teachers are always available and willing to do what it takes to make sure a student is successful. They also encourage an environment where students rely on each other and work together,” he said. Thanks to his experiences at URI, he landed an internship at the Azalea Collection at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. where he was involved in research, education and conservation, not to mention a hands-on design project that’s now part of his portfolio.
