Adelaide University
Master of Landscape Architecture
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24
- Course Type: Master's
Design outdoor spaces and built environments that harmonise with nature, enrich communities and promote sustainability.
Course overview
With Adelaide University's Master of Landscape Architecture, you can design landscape architecture projects that honour community health and wellbeing, while championing diversity and sustainability.
You’ll grow your understanding of ecology and create planting plans for liveable spaces that work in harmony with the natural environment. Explore how landscape architecture connects people, culture and the economy to nature and the environment. Learn key skills such as site planning, analysing landscapes and working with topography and grading.
You’ll examine issues and opportunities in both urban and regional contexts with an emphasis on understanding and respecting Aboriginal knowledge, culture and connection to land. Develop expertise in advanced digital and graphic tools as you use industry-standard technologies such as GIS and 3D CAD.
You’ll graduate ready to make a real difference in the field.
Key features
- Bring your designs to life in the University's supervised fabrication and prototyping workshop, experimenting with space and materials using analogue and digital technologies.
- Learn to use surveying equipment, AR and VR facilities and industry-specific software, including remote sensing (Lidar) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
- Access historical architectural records in the internationally recognised architecture museum.
- Learn about planting, design and horticulture for arid regions in the university's unique Waite Arboretum. It has over 2,500 specimens representing more than 800 species in 200 genera, all growing under natural annual rainfall of 624mm.
- Get career-ready through industry-engaged courses, internships and project management fundamentals.
- Begin the journey to qualification as a Registered Landscape Architect (RLA).
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
What you will study
Students must complete 96 units comprising:
- 78 units for all core courses.
- 6 units for all work-integrated learning.
- 12 units for electives.
Unless otherwise indicated, each course is worth six units.
Core courses
Complete 78 units for all of the following:
- Landscape Architecture Creative Cultures Studio (12 units)
- Designed Ecologies
- Landscape Architecture Nature by Design Studio (12 units)
- Landform Modelling
- Landscape Architecture Urbanism Studio (12 units)
- Landscape Architecture Technologies
- Landscape Research
- Landscape Architecture Capstone Studio (18 units)
Discipline courses
Complete six units for all of the following:
- Case Studies in Landscape Architecture
Entry requirements
Admission criteria
To be eligible, an applicant must have achieved at least one of the following minimum entry requirements and demonstrate they fulfil any prerequisite and essential criteria for admission. In cases where there are more eligible applicants than available places, admission will be competitive with ranks based on the entry criteria.
- A completed bachelor's (AQF level 7) or bachelor's honours (AQF level 8) degree or equivalent from a recognised higher education institution; OR
- A completed nested or related graduate certificate (AQF level 8) or higher or equivalent from a recognised higher education institution.
Additional requirements
A design portfolio must be submitted. The portfolio should include the applicant's own creative works from previous degrees, professional and/or personal background, showing design skills, knowledge and familiarity with a range of design tools and media. In addition to final outcomes, it should comprise evidence of the design process, development and drawing documentation. The portfolio may include material developed with others if clearly referenced and the applicant's contribution explained.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Adelaide University is committed to recognising the contribution of students’ prior learning towards their program requirements.
Credit may be granted for formal, informal and non-formal learning, with guidance on eligibility provided to prospective students in a clear, transparent and publicly available credit framework.
Credit determinations will be:
- Evidence-based, equitable and transparent.
- Academically sound.
- Applied consistently, fairly and subject to review.
Credit will be granted for prior learning that is relevant and equivalent to the learning required for the courses for which credit is sought.
Credit will only be granted if it:
- Maintains the credibility and integrity of the program for which credit is sought.
- Does not contravene the conditions of the program’s professional accreditation.
- Does not disadvantage the student’s ability to achieve the expected course or program learning outcomes.
For more information, contact the university or visit its website.
Outcomes
- You’ll combine advanced theoretical landscape architecture knowledge with hands-on, real-world problem-solving.
- You’ll learn how to work within the profession, collaborating with people from different fields such as local communities, authorities, stakeholders and other design and built environment professionals.
- You’ll become career-ready as you examine practices and project management in architecture and landscape architecture professions through real-world case studies.
- You’ll consider every angle from ethics, contracts, law, finance and business to risk and professional liability.
- Generate and investigate design concepts embedded in place, Country, culture and ecology.
- Design and document earthworks and landscape structures, exploring different ways to represent healthy and inclusive future cities and communities visually.
- Conduct environmental analyses to understand the full complexity of ecosystems and encourage the restoration of nature and habitats.
- Communicate your concepts and vision through site plans, 2D or 3D artistic representations, models, reports and technical drawings.
- Discuss and debate your designs with others in the studio to get immediate feedback and spark new ideas to refine your projects.
- You’ll also develop research skills by choosing and investigating a research question that’s deeply relevant to you.
Fees and CSP
Estimated student contribution amount per 1.0 EFTSL (48 units) in 2026: $9,537 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
Commonwealth-supported students are charged a portion of the cost of their higher education through a student contribution. Where the duration of the program is less than one year, the total cost of the program is displayed.
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)
A Commonwealth Supported Place is a higher education place where the Australian Government subsidises your fees so that you only pay a portion through a student contribution amount.
The amount of student contribution you’ll pay depends on:
- Number of courses you are enrolled in.
- Unit value of courses.
- Funding cluster your courses fall under.
A HECS-HELP loan allows students to borrow from the Australian Government to cover some or all of their student contribution. To be eligible for HECS-HELP, you must be studying in a Commonwealth Supported Place.