WHAT IS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT ?
M. Arch. in Landscape Architecture: Course Highlights
Some of the major highlights of the course are tabulated below.
| Course Level | Post Graduate |
| Duration | Two Years |
| Examination Type | Semester System |
| Basic Eligibility Criteria | A Bachelor’s degree in B. Arch. with 55% aggregate. |
| Admission Process | Counseling after taking an Entrance Exam. |
| Major Entrance Test | GATE, CEED, TANCET, AMU M. Arch. Entrance Exam, CEPT, Anna University Entrance Exam, VNIT M. Arch. Entrance Exam, etc. |
| Job Profiles | Landscape Designer, Landscape Project Manager, Landscape Consultant, Lecturer, Senior Landscape Architecture, Landscape Architecture Supervisor, etc. |
| Major Recruiting Areas/Sectors | Hydro Project Companies, Construction Industries, Local Planning Bodies, Golf Complexes, Educational Institutes, etc. |
| Average Initial Salary | INR 2 Lac to 8 Lac |
| Total Course Fee | INR 50k to 2 Lac |
M. Arch. in Landscape Architecture: What is it about?
The program in landscape architecture is designed to provide eligible candidates a wide range of knowledge and techniques used to add aesthetic value to open spaces and find the best way to use such spaces. The course focuses on the concepts related to pure nature, nature-man relationships and manmade environment.
Candidates interested in learning more about the field can also opt for pursuing higher research degree courses in the field and contribute to the Research and Development (R&D).
During the course, candidates are equipped with an in-depth knowledge about landscape architecture, garden design, ecology, landscape planning, wasteland management, industrial, residential & institutional spaces, and how they can be designed and managed while keeping in mind about environmental conservation. The program educates candidates about services of landscape architecture in architectural design, real estate development, site planning, town or urban planning, parks and recreation, and in historic preservation.
One of the major objectives of the course is to produce architects, who are fully capable of operating in the modern world of architecture and urbanization and are also interested in pursuing further higher studies in the discipline. The course’ syllabus integrates practical and theoretical components of the study.
M. Arch. in Landscape Architecture: Top Institutes
In India, there are a large number of colleges offering a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture, but some of them are considered to be good for the pursuance of the course. Names of some such colleges are listed below, along with their corresponding location and fee charged by each annually.
| COLLEGE NAME | CITY | ANNUAL FEE |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) | Roorkee | INR 50,000 |
| National Institute of Technology (NIT) | Thiruchirapalli | INR 2,00,000 |
| School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) | New Delhi | INR 55,000 |
| Jadavpur University | Kolkata | INR 4,800 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) | New Delhi | INR 40,250 |
| Sir JJ College of Architecture (SJJCA) | Mumbai | INR 10,000 |
| Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University | Ahmadabad | INR 2,60,000 |
| Manipal University (MU) | Manipal | INR 1,19,000 |
| Anna University (AU) | Chennai | INR 42,900 |
| Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) | Mumbai | INR 8,00,000 |
| M. S. Ramaiah College of Technology (MSRCT) | Bangalore | INR 64,390 |
| Lovely Professional University (LPU) | Jalandhar | INR 99,000 |
| Sharda University (SU) | Greater Noida | INR 1,41,000 |
| National Institute of Technology (NIT) | Hamirpur | INR 96,025 |
| Amity University (AU) | Gurgaon | INR 1,45,000 |
| SRM University | Chennai | INR 1,05,000 |
| Balwant Sheth School of Architecture (BSCA) | Mumbai | INR 12,01,000 |
| Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Architecture (BVCA) | Pune | INR 55,000 |
| Institute of Design Environment and Architecture (IDEA) | Nashik | INR 83,000 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University (JNAFAU) | Hyderabad | INR 65,000 |
Eligibility for M. Arch. in Landscape Architecture
All the aspiring candidates interested in pursuing a career in Landscape Architecture are required to first fulfill all the below mentioned criteria, in order to be eligible to apply for the course.
A minimum aggregate score of 50% for general and 45% in the case of SC/ST candidates is required at the level of graduation, which should be completed from a recognized university or a deemed university.
Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree in B. Arch. (Bachelor of Architecture) or any equivalent course in a relevant discipline.
Students waiting for their final year’s examinations result can also apply for the course on a provisional basis. But permanent admission to such candidates will be given only after they fulfill all the mentioned eligibility criteria.
Although it is advisable to candidates to have a minimum one year work experience, before applying for the course, as many reputed institutes admits students with professional experience only.
M. Arch. in Landscape Architecture: Admission Process
Most of the architecture colleges and institutes offering the course provide admission to candidates, based on of their combined performance in the last qualifying examination (B. Arch.) and a relevant entrance test. Shortlisted candidate acquiring the qualifying percentile set for the entrance exams are called for the counseling process.
As a part of counseling, selected students have to appear for two additional rounds of group discussion and personal interview, wherein their general knowledge and aptitude for the course is examined by highly qualified and experienced faculty members. A merit list is then announced by each university announcing the names of the selected deserving candidates.
Listed below are some of the major entrance examinations conducted in the country for admission to the respective course, for which application forms can be filled online.
- GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test Engineering)
- CEED (Common Entrance Examination for Design)
- TANCET (Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test)
- AMU M. Arch. Entrance Exam
- CEPT (Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology) Entrance Exam
- Anna University Entrance Exam
- VNIT M. Arch. Entrance Exam
M. Arch. in Landscape Architecture: Syllabus & Course Description
Classified below is the semester-wise division of the course’s syllabus.
| FIRST SEMESTER | SECOND SEMESTER |
|---|---|
| Natural Sciences | Landscape Technology 2 |
| Landscape Technology 1 | Theory of Landscape Architecture 2 |
| Theory of Landscape Architecture 1 | Landscape Professional Practice |
| Plants and Design | Regional Landscape Planning |
| Landscape Design Studio 1 | Landscape Design Studio 2 |
| Elective 1 | Elective 2 |
| Landscape Materials | Ecology and Ecosystem Analysis Indigenous Plants |
| Landscape Irrigation | Critical Appraisal – Contemporary Landscapes |
| Landscape Lighting | Landscape and Urbanism |
| Landscape Architecture and Allied Arts | Landscape Architecture & Allied Arts |
| THIRD SEMESTER | FOURTH SEMESTER |
| Landscape Conservation | Dissertation |
| Environmental Legislation and Economics | Professional Training |
| Landscape Management | – |
| Research Paper | – |
| Landscape Design Studio 3 | – |
| Elective 3 | – |
| Land Information Systems and Computer Applications | – |
| Natural Resource Management | – |
| Energy Efficient Landscapes | – |
| Landscape Computer Graphics | – |
M. Arch. in Landscape Architecture: Career Prospects
The scope for Landscape Architecture Professionals is great all over the world, due to the rapidly increasing urbanization and landscape being an integral part of home furnishing and decor. Now-a-days, people have started to realize the importance of having professionals to improve the appearance of a place, as a well-designed landscape is a pleasure for the owners and it also enhances and adds to the resale value.
Successful postgraduates of the course can find lucrative career opportunities in areas like Central and State Public Work Departments, Urban Development Corporations, State Housing Boards, Town and Country Planning Organization, Department of Railways, National Institutes of Urban Affairs and Housing, National Building Organization, City Development Authorities and Educational Institutes, where they can earn a monthly salary ranging between INR 25K and 50K, at an initial level, depending upon the talent, caliber and capability of a candidate to put dedicated efforts and creative ideas into the work at hand.
Other than seeking for a job, one can also set up one’s own practice and earn much higher, as it is a promising avenue. But this requires years of experience and expertise and requires contacts and goodwill. Nowadays, landscaping has a great scope as work is available in hotels, resorts, corporate campuses, private residences and public spaces, from offices to industrial buildings.
Some of the popular professional avenues open to such postgraduates are listed below, along with their corresponding salary and job responsibilities associated to each.
 in Landscape Architecture annual salary(1).png)
| JOB PROFILE | JOB DESCRIPTION | SALARY (Tentative) |
|---|---|---|
| Design Architect | An Architectural Designer designs buildings or urban landscapes, restores and conserves old buildings and also develops new ways of using existing buildings. | INR 2.5 Lac to10 Lac |
| Landscape Designer | A Landscape Designer draws, plans, selects plants and installs structures like walkways and water features and also meet clients on-site to discuss the requirements of the space. | INR 3 Lac to 9 Lac |
| Landscape Architect | A Landscape Architect is specialized in designing of outdoor public areas, landmarks, and structures. | INR 2 Lac to 7 Lac |
| Project Manager | A Project Manager has the overall responsibility of the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of a project. | INR 2 Lac to 8 Lac |
| Assistant Professor | An Assistant Professor teaches undergraduate candidates in architecture colleges and motivates them to pursue higher degree courses. | INR 2.5 Lac to 9 Lac |
