Black Intelligentsia Libraries
The New Way Of Thinking
Landscape Architect
​Do you have a "green thumb," and are you attuned with nature?  Do you have a gift for designing?  Ever considered combining your passion with your gifts?  If so, and if you excel in Art and Science (particularly Horticulture), then you should consider a career in Landscape Architecture?  

Landscape Architects plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions (commercial, industrial, and residential sites), etc.  Their job is to design a landscape that is not only functional, beautiful, and harmonious with the natural environment but to design one that also creates a soothing mood, especially since people turn to attractively designed gardens, public parks, playgrounds, residential areas, college campuses, and golf courses as stress relievers.

The duties of a Landscape Architect include but are not limited to:  conferring with clients, engineers, building architects and other professionals involved in a project's planning and design; preparing models, graphic representations, drawings, specifications, and cost estimates of plans and designs; planning and coordinating the arrangement of existing and proposed land features with locations of building structures, roads, streets, highways, waterfronts, golf courses, resorts, parks, walkways, etc., determining where to plant flowers, shrubs, and trees; designing and planning the restoration of natural places disturbed by humans (wetlands, stream corridors, mined areas, etc.); analyzing environmental reports/data on land conditions (drainage, etc.); designing plans to manage storm-water runoff while conserving water resources and avoiding polluting waterways; preserving and restoring historic landscapes; designing landscapes for government buildings, state and national parks, and forests; inspecting landscape work; conducting research; and teaching at universities.

High school students interested in becoming a Landscape Architect benefit from taking Art, Drafting, Horticulture, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Computer Applications, Health, Earth Science, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Environmental Science.  Students entering Landscape Architecture Bachelor's of Science programs with no previous landscaping experience should expect a period of four years to complete said program.  Graduates from accredited programs must attain three years of work experience under the supervision of a licensed Landscape Architect and a passing score on the Landscape Architect Registration Exam (LARE) in order to acquire licensure, a requirement of every state.  State exams focus on laws, environmental regulations, plants, soils, climate, and other characteristics unique to the state.

​New hires, called apprentices or intern Landscape Architects, work under the supervision of a licensed Landscape Architect until they themselves become licensed.  All drawings and specifications must be signed and sealed by the licensed Landscape Architect.  After gaining licensure, Landscape Architects take on increased responsibilities and eventually manage entire projects, while others establish their own practices.

Due to rising land costs, environmental concerns, public desire for more beautiful and functional spaces, and rising demand for sustainably-designed construction projects ("green" roofs, etc.), employment of Landscape Architects is projected to grow 16 percent.  And with new construction, the redevelopment of existing buildings, and the popularity of "flipping" houses, sustainability will accompany this profession.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $64,180

Salary Range:  ~$38,450 - $101,850+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
​The normal routes to becoming an Architect have been to major in Landscape Architecture, Architecture and Environmental Design, Environmental Design, Landscape Design, Horticulture, Urban Design, Urban and Regional Planning, City and Regional Planning, Environmental Planning, City Planning, Transportation Planning,​​ Architectural Studies, Plant and Soil Science, Integrated Plant Sciences, Built Environment Studies, or even Environmental Engineering or Civil Engineering before going on to pursue a Master of Landscape Architecture degree.

For those who choose Landscape Architecture or the related majors, it should be understood that select undergraduate Landscape Architecture programs require a portfolio of art, design, drafting, and science projects dating back to middle school years as well as interviews as final means of attaining acceptance.

​College courses include:  Surveying, Landscape Design and Construction, Landscape Ecology, Urban and Regional Planning, Geology, Site Design, Plant and Soil Science, ​Model Building, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Video Simulation.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
​Colleges and universities that have Landscape Architecture and related majors are:  North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Alabama A&M University (Normal, Alabama); Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); and University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC).
Available Scholarships