Specialisations Landscape Architecture and Planning

Specialisations - MSc Landscape Architecture and Planning

Within the MSc programme Landscape Architecture and Planning you choose between the specialisations Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning. The specialisations meet each other in several common courses, but each specialisation also contains its own specific courses within the programme. Each specialisation has its own specific admission requirements due to the different nature of the specialisations.

Landscape Architecture

Your primary focus as a Wageningen landscape architect is the design and construction of metropolitan landscapes situated in estuaries and delta’s worldwide. You aim to create sustainable designs based on thorough ecological and behavioural research.

Landscape architecture is a design-based discipline that combines elements from the natural, technical and social sciences to shape landscapes in innovative and creative ways. At Wageningen University, we use the definition of landscape architecture developed by the European Council of Landscape Architecture Schools (ECLAS): ‘Landscape architecture, as a field of professional activity and an academic discipline, is concerned with the shaping of landscapes at various scales. It involves landscape planning, design and management to create, enhance, maintain, and protect places so as to be functional, aesthetically pleasing, meaningful and sustainable, and appropriate to diverse human needs and goals.’

In your studies, you focus on how and where research methods and design methods meet. You learn two main approaches: research-based design, and research through design. The courses trigger you to reflect on landscape architecture practices, to participate in academic debate across different disciplines, and to excel in your design skills.

The Chair Group Landscape Architecture (LAR) is closely involved in the courses and the thesis projects. You can find more information about this group and the research they conduct on the chair group website.  

Go to chair group Landscape Architecture

Spatial Planning

As a spatial planner you formulate scenarios for future landscape transformations and evaluate the effectiveness of those scenarios for many different stakeholders. You study planning processes and organise the theoretical and practical knowledge needed for spatial interventions. The focus is on reflecting on planning processes against the background of the environmental, social, cultural, economic and political needs of society. You will develop scenarios for transforming landscapes and evaluate the effectiveness of your scenarios in relation to objectives such as sustainability, enhancing or preserving ecological services, and intergenerational justice. You are aware that your transformations take place in an ever-changing society, with different ambitions, conflicts and interests.

The specialisation courses increase your knowledge of different planning theories and methodologies. You are stimulated to reflect on spatial planning practices, to participate in academic debate across disciplines and to improve your research skills.

The Chair Group Land Use Planning (LUP) is closely involved in the courses and the thesis projects. You can find more information about this group and the research they conduct on the chair group website.