The Department of Landscape Architecture in the School of Architecture & Environment at the University of Oregon is a national leader in design education. The discipline of landscape architecture is growing from a mostly professional field to one that supports scholarship and research, thus changing its role and mission in the academic community and in society. As a result of this growth, a doctoral degree is rapidly becoming preferred for university faculty and professional positions in the field.

The doctoral program in Landscape Architecture offers opportunities for advanced study and scholarship across a range of spatial scales and cultural contexts. Students in the program pursue diverse topics related to their interests and to clusters of faculty expertise. Current clusters include:

• critical history, theory and practice
• ecology, infrastructure, and social justice 
• productive landscapes

The degree is intended primarily for students seeking careers in teaching, scholarship, and leadership in landscape design and planning in universities, practice, policy, and consultancy. Depending on their background and research goals, students can expect to complete the degree in four to six years, including required course work, qualifying exams, and their dissertation. Graduates of our doctoral program regularly find academic employment in institutions and organizations around the world.

For each incoming doctoral student, the department will provide a minimum of two academic years of graduate employment, which includes tuition and fee waivers, a stipend, and health insurance. Graduate employment typically includes instructional responsibilities for three quarters each academic year. This support typically continues through the fourth year, contingent upon satisfactory progress.

Prospective students must have either:

• a completed professional degree in landscape architecture or architecture (BLA, MLA, BArch, or MArch) or
• a master's degree in a related or relevant field (e.g., MA or MS) and show clear evidence of academic experience and goals suitably aligned with landscape architecture.

A record of demonstrated research as well as a clear capacity for and commitment to research are important admission criteria. 

For more details, read the PhD program handbook.