Environmental Design Program (BA/BS)

View of the Willamette River.

Degree Overview

The College of Design at the University of Oregon provides undergraduate students with a design school experience supported by the resources and benefits of a large research university.

The Environmental Design program is a multidisciplinary BA/BS focusing on visual and spatial design skills applied to the context of environmental sustainability. This degree combines coursework from landscape architecture; architecture, interior architecture, planning, public policy, art, product design, and historic preservation.

How to Apply

Careers

The unique multidisciplinary structure will equip students with skills for a range of careers in government agencies, including parks and recreation; city planning offices; the National Park Service and Forest Service; environmental nonprofits; ecological restoration; and sustainable development. The degree will address student and professional demand for crafting creative cross-disciplinary solutions to imminent environmental challenges.

Curriculum

The Environmental Design (BA/BS) degree emphasizes design skills within the five-track areas of design technology, landscape design, urban sustainability, climate resilience and advocacy, and sustainable built environments. Key features of the degree include:

  • Strong emphasis on data visualization skills on both large and small scales
  • Strong emphasis on landscapes and the built environment
  • Introduction to the use of sustainable materials and practices in both interior and exterior built environments
  • Pathways to Master's degrees in design and planning
  • Developing skills in visual modeling of environmental amenities, challenges, and solutions
  • Conceptualizing, planning, and implementing design solutions for the built environment
  • Exploring sustainable options in materials and materiality
  • Producing compelling visual/spatial communications for environmental action
  • Opportunities for double majors
36 credits of Core Courses + 7-8 credits of Context Courses + 24 credits of Track Courses will equal a BA/BS of Environmental Design

BA/BS in Environmental Design

The degree starts with a broadly interdisciplinary mix of introductory design courses from a variety of academic fields within the College of Design. As students progress through the program, they choose one of five specified tracks to complete their elective requirements for the degree. Completion of the appropriate track can reduce the total credits required to complete a master's degree, if the student is interested in further professional training or licensure.

Culture

Design is a process of discovery, characterized by questioning, creating, testing, and evaluating. In the Department of Landscape Architecture, the administrative home of the BA/BS in Environmental Design, we strive to create environments that fulfill human needs and potential and are ecologically responsive and socially just.

Our departmental program, in content and spirit, combines professional training and skill building with a liberal education to develop the next generation of designers as sophisticated and effective agents of change. We are especially concerned with mobilizing a generation of designers to address imminent environmental challenges.

Courses for Environmental Design Majors

Required Core Courses

The first set of core courses, totaling 36 credits, introduce design principles across scales (from small to continental), species, and intention (from visual representation to planning). Students also complete a career development course early in their degree (ideally, sophomore year). The cross-disciplinary nature of the courses listed below allows Environmental Design majors to enroll in introductory courses in several degree fields.

Required Core Courses

Number of Credits

Type of Course

Note(s)

ARCH 201 Introduction to Architecture    

4 credits

Required

 

IARC 204 Understanding Contemporary Interiors 

4 credits

Required

 

LA 301 Environmental Design Careers 

2 credits

Required

Targeted for student's second year in the program

LA 260 Understanding Landscapes 

4 credits

Required

 

LA 289 Foundations I

6 credits

Required

 

LA 337 Design for Sustainable World

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 205 Introduction to City Planning

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 321 Inclusive Urbanism

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 445 Green Cities

4 credits

Required

 


Context Courses

In addition to the required courses listed above, students select two courses (totaling 7 or 8 credits) from a list of additional field courses called context courses. This is intended as a final opportunity to widen the scope of design inquiry to include perspectives from additional fields and demonstrate the application of design principles in different career settings. Here, students may take a course in historic preservation to learn sustainability from the lens of the preservation of structures and cultural landscapes, or students might focus on art, visual culture, or sustainable product design. Courses in this section cannot count toward the minimum credits needed to complete a track.

Take two courses from the following:

Context Courses

Number of Credits

Type of Course

Note(s)

AAAP 411  Introduction to Historic Preservation 

3 credits

Required/Select

 

ARCH 430  Architectural Contexts

4 credits

Required/Select

 

ARCH 440  Human Context of Design

4 credits

Required/Select

 

ARH 358 History of Design   

4 credits

Required/Select

 

ARH 150 Introduction to Visual Culture

4 credits

Required/Select

 

ART 233 Drawing I

4 credits

Required/Select

 

PD 101 Introduction to Product Design 

4 credits

Required/Select

 

Total Required Core and Context Credits:

43 credits required  


Environmental Design Program Tracks:  Choose One


Design Technology Track Courses

Number of Credits (Minimum of 24)

Type of Course

Note(s)

LA  451 Introduction Media I  

2 credits

Required

 

LA 452 Introduction Media II  

2 credits

Required

 

LA  453 Introduction Media III  

2 credits

Required

 

LA 423 Drawing the Landscape  

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 434 Urban GIS

4 credits

Elective

 

LA 415 GIS  

4 credits

Elective

 

LA 450 Environmental Data Visualization

4 credits

Elective

 

LA 450 Advanced AutoCAD  

4 credits

Elective

 

LA  459 3D Mapping with LiDAR

2 credits

Elective

 

LA 459 Sensing the Environment   

2 credits

Elective

 

LA 459 Sustainable Sites  

4 credits

Elective

 

ART 233 Drawing I  

4 credits

Elective

 

GEOG 481 GIScience I

4 credits

Elective

Prerequisite for GEOG 482, 485, and 493.

GEOG 482 GIScience II

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 481 is required.

GEOG 485 Remote Sensing I

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 481 is required. Prerequisite for GEOG 486 and 490.

GEOG 486 Remote Sensing II

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 485 is required.

GEOG 490 Drones and Mapping

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 485 is required.

GEOG 493 Advanced Cartography

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 481 is required.

Back to Track List


Landscape Architecture Track Courses

Number of Credits (Minimum of 24)

Type of Course

Notes(s)

LA  289 Foundations II  

6 credits

Required

 

LA 451 Introduction Media I  

2 credits

Required

 

LA 452 Introduction Media II

2 credits

Required

 

LA 453 Introduction Media III     

2 credits

Required

 

LA  439 Introductory Design I: Systems  

6 credits

Elective

 

LA 439  Introductory Design II: Landform

6 credits

Elective

 

LA 439  Introductory Design III: Assemblies 

6 credits

Elective

 

LA       474  History of Landscape Architecture I

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       475  History of Landscape Architecture II

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       440  Land Planning Analysis     

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       423  Drawing the Landscape  

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       326  Fall Plants 

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       328  Spring Plants    

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       415  GIS

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       413  Analyzing Land Systems   

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       410  Sustainable Design Practices & Principles   

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       459  Certifying Sustainability – SITESv2 Ratings      

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       472  Landscape Architecture Theory     

4 credits

Elective

 

ARH   457   Land and Environmental Art   

4 credits

Elective

 

ARH    368  Arts and Visual Cultures of Climate Change   

4 credits

Elective

 

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Urban Sustainability Track Courses

Number of Credits (Minimum of 24)

Type of Course

Notes(s)

PPPM 434 Urban GIS

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 442 Sustainable Urban Development   

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 440 Land Use Policy​​​​

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 370 Global Sustainable Development and Policy

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 408 Workshop: Environmental Impact Assessment  

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 432 Justice and Urban Revitalization

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 438 Topics in Transportation Planning 

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 443 Natural Resources Policy

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 448 Collaboration

4 credits

Elective

 

Law    101  Introduction to American Law     

4 credits

Elective

 

Law    201  Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy 

4 credits

Elective

 

Law    310  Environmental Regulation 

4 credits

Elective

 

ARCH 431  Community Design 

3 credits

Elective

 

ARCH 435  Principles of Urban Design

4 credits

Elective

 

GEOG 481 GIScience I

4 credits

Elective

Prerequisite for GEOG 482, 485, and 493.

GEOG 482 GIScience II

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 481 is required.

GEOG 485 Remote Sensing I

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 481 is required. Prerequisite for GEOG 486 and 490.

GEOG 486 Remote Sensing II

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 485 is required.

GEOG 490 Drones and Mapping

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 485 is required.

GEOG 493 Advanced Cartography

4 credits

Elective

Completion of GEOG 481 is required.

ENVS 455 Sustainability

4 credits

Elective

 

ENVS 467  Sustainable Agriculture

4 credits

Elective

 

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Resilience & Advocacy Track Courses 

Number of Credits (Minimum of 24)

Type of Course

Note(s)

PPPM 101 Advocacy and Social Change

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 201 Introduction to Public Policy ​​​​​​

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 340 Climate Change Policy

4 credits

Required

 

PPPM 443 Natural Resources Policy

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 444 Environmental Policy

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       326 Fall Plants

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       328 Spring Plants 

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       441  Applied Ecology

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       390  Urban Farm

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       429  Civic Agriculture

4 credits

Elective

 

LA       410  Design for Climate Action

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 442 Sustainable Urban Development   

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 440 Land Use Policy

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 370 Global Sustainable Development and Policy

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 408 Workshop: Environmental Impact Assessment   

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 432 Justice and Urban Revitalization    

4 credits

Elective

 

PPPM 410 Community Organizing 

4 credits

Elective

 

IARC   476 History of Interior Architecture III

3 credits

Elective

 

ARH   457  Land and Environmental Art

4 credits

Elective

 

ARH   368  Arts and Visual Cultures of Climate Change  

4 credits

Elective

 

ENVS 345  Environmental Ethics

4 credits

Elective

 

ENVS 435  Environmental Justice  

4 credits

Elective

 

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Sustainable Built Environments Track Courses​​​

Number of Credits (Minimum of 24)

Type of Course

Note(s)

LA       451 Introduction Media I      

2 credits

Required

 

LA       452 Introduction Media II

2 credits

Required

 

LA       453 Introduction Media III

2 credits

Required

 

ARCH 430 Architectural Contexts 

4 credits

Elective

 

ARCH 440 Human Context of Design

4 credits

Elective

 

ARCH 450 Spatial Composition

4 credits

Elective

Requires instructor approval.

ARCH 431 Community Design

3 credits

Elective

 

ARCH 435 Principles of Urban Design

4 credits

Elective

Dual location.

ARCH 437 Theory of Urban Design II

3 credits

Elective

Dual location.

ARCH 407 Sustainable Urbanism   

3 credits

Elective

Dual location.

ARCH 407 Real Estate Development

3 credits

Elective

Dual location and offered alternating years.

ARCH 492 Environmental Control Systems 2  

3 credits

Elective

Requires instructor approval.

ARH    314    History of World Architecture I       

4 credits

Elective

 

ARH    315    History of World Architecture II 

4 credits

Elective


IARC   444    Furniture: Theory & Analysis

3 credits

Elective

 

IARC   447    Color Theory and Application for the Built Env. 

3 credits

Elective

 

IARC   474    History of Interior Architecture I

3 credits

Elective

 

IARC   475    History of Interior Architecture II

3 credits

Elective

 

IARC   476    History of Interior Architecture III    

3 credits

Elective

 

ART    233   Drawing I  

4 credits

Elective

Prerequisite for PD 370.

PD      370   Design Process

4 credits

Elective

Requires completion of ART 233.

PD      350   Objects & Impacts 

4 credits

Elective

Requires completion of PD 370.

PD      340   Design for Use   

4 credits

Elective

Requires completion of PD 350.

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