Chairperson
| Abunnasr, Yaser (Director of Nature Conservation Center, NCC) |
| Professors | Talhouk, Salma; Zurayk, Rami |
| Associate Professors | Abunnasr, Yaser; Dreksler, Beata |
| Assistant Professor | Al-Akl, Nayla (Dean of Student Affairs) |
| Adjunct Associate Professor | Trovato, Maria Gabriella |
| Lecturer | Bacha, Karim |
| Senior Instructor | Fabian, Monika |
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture
The mission of the program is to graduate lifelong learners and critical thinkers who adopt a holistic view of the landscape, and who are equipped with interdisciplinary, scientific, and creative skills to start as entry-level landscape architects and to become, with experience, successful professionals serving their communities.
This is a four-year professional program which leads to a bachelor of landscape architecture (BLA) and a diploma of Ingenieur Agricole. The program integrates sciences and the arts as a foundation to design, plan and manage landscapes in natural and urban settings.
The BLA program received accreditation from the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB) in September 2021 for a period of six years, making it the first BLA program worldwide to be accredited by LAAB outside the USA. LAAB is the academic arm of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
Graduation Requirements
The degree requirements in landscape architecture (BLA) consist of the following:
- Complete a minimum of 144 term credit hours (out of which 108 credit hours of mandatory core courses).
- 27 credits hours of general education courses (total GE requirement of 36 credit hours includes 9 credits satisfied within the landscape architecture core program).
- 9 credit hours of elective courses in FAFS.
- 3 credit hours of a core course in Community Engaged Learning (LDEM 263).
- Achieve an overall minimum grade average of C+ GPA 2.3.
- Be approved for graduation by the faculty.
To meet the general education requirements of AUB, BLA students must complete 27 credits of elective courses as following:
- 6 credit hours in Understanding Communication (English), including ENGL 203 and ENGL 204
- 3 credit hours in Understanding Communication (Arabic)
- 3 credit hours of an approved elective in Cultures and Histories
- 3 credit hours of an approved elective in Human Values
- 6 credit hours of approved electives in Societies and Individuals, including LDEM 262
- 3 credit hours of an approved elective in Quantitative Reasoning
- 3 credit hours of an approved elective in Understanding the World.
- Additional Thematic requirements:
One of the GE courses above has to cover the theme of History of Ideas (CHLA designation), and one course has to cover the theme of Social Inequalities.
Classification and Promotion
For clear promotion from year I to year II, students must complete a minimum of 35 credits. For promotion from year II to year III,students must complete a minimum of 74 credits. For promotion from year III to year IV, students must complete a minimum of 110 credits. All such credits should be from courses specified in the regular program.
Curriculum for the Degree of Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and Diploma of Ingénieur Agricole
Year I
|
Fall Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 202 | Studio I: Landscape Design Fundamentals | 4 |
| LDEM 200 | Landscape Technical Drawing | 4 |
| LDEM 214 | Landscape and Geomorphology | 3 |
| LDEM 207 | Landscape Architecture History I (Cultures and Histories) | 3 |
| ENGL 203 | Understanding Communication - English | 3 |
| |
Total 17 |
|
Spring Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 216 | Studio II: Landscape Garden Design | 4 |
| LDEM 201 | Landscape Descriptive Drawing | 4 |
| LDEM 217 | Soils in the Landscape (Understanding the World) | 3 |
| LDEM 291 | Surveying and Base Plan Development | 3 |
| LDEM 211 | Landscape Horticulture | 3 |
| |
Total 17 |
|
Summer Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 252 | Computer Aided Design | 3 |
| 1 General Education Requirement - Cultures and Histories Elective | 3 |
| |
Total 6 |
Year II
|
Fall Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 222 | Studio III: Landscape Planting Design | 4 |
| LDEM 210 | Botany and Plant Ecology for Landscape Architects | 3 |
| LDEM 248 | Site Engineering: Construction Material | 3 |
| LDEM 219 | Plant Material I | 2 |
| 1 General Education Requirement - Understanding the World Elective | 3 |
| |
Total 15 |
|
Spring Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 204 | Studio IV: Cultural Landscape Design | 6 |
| LDEM 208 | Landscape Architecture History II (Cultures and Histories) | 3 |
| LDEM 247 | Site Engineering: Earthworks, Roads, and Drainage | 4 |
LDEM 263 | Landscape Appreciation and Site Analysis (Community- Engaged Learning course) | 3 |
| LDEM 221 | Plant Material II | 1 |
| |
Total 17 |
|
Summer Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 249 | Site Engineering: Design Implementation | 3 |
| LDEM 231 | Sustainable Water Management Techniques | 3 |
| FAFS Elective | 3 |
| |
Total 9 |
Year III
|
Fall Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 246 | Studio V: Natural Landscape Design | 6 |
| LDEM 251 | Geographic Information System (GIS) | 3 |
| LDEM 218 | Landscape Ecology | 3 |
| 1 General Education Requirement - Societies and Individuals Elective | 3 |
| |
Total 15 |
|
Spring Term |
Credits |
LDEM 228
| Studio VI: Urban Landscape Design | 6 |
| LDEM 265 | Landscape Management | 3 |
| 1 General Education Requirement - Quantitative Reasoning Elective | Any course from the GE list, except; MATH 203 (only students coming from Humanities school background can take it); EDUC 271, EPHD 203, and NURS 203 | 3 |
| LDEM 290 | Professional Practice | 3 |
| |
Total 15 |
|
Summer Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 292 | Internship (Practicum) | 2 |
| |
Total 2 |
Year IV
|
Fall Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 241 | Studio VII: Landscape Capstone Project I | 4 |
| LDEM 260 | Contemporary Issues in Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| ENGL 204 | Understanding Communication - English | 3 |
| FAFS Elective | 3 |
| 1 General Education Requirement - Societies and Individuals Elective | 3 |
| |
Total 16 |
|
Spring Term |
Credits |
| LDEM 242 | Studio VIII: Landscape Capstone Project II | 6 |
| ARAB | Understanding Communication - Arabic | 3 |
| FAFS Elective | 3 |
| 1 General Education Requirement - Human Values Elective (Ethics course) | 3 |
| |
Total 15 |
Course Descriptions
Core Courses
The following design courses are part of the program requirements. There is a grade average requirement for LDEM 202, LDEM 216, LDEM 222, LDEM 204, LDEM 246, LDEM 228, LDEM 241 and LDEM 242. Students should maintain a combined average GPA of 2.3 in any two consecutive design studios within any given year during their BLA course of study. Failure to achieve this will result in the students having to repeat the design studio in which they received the lowest grade.
In addition to the above GPA 2.3 rule, students will be allowed to register LDEM 241 and LDEM 242 (Final Year Capstone Project I and II) only if they have successfully met studio passing requirements and passed all core courses prior to the final year.