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Studies & Degrees in Landscaping and Environment

Landscaping and environment covers the planning, design, building and care of outdoor spaces: parks, gardens, campuses, streets, riverbanks and rural land. At university level the subject is called landscape architecture; at vocational level it is landscaping, gardening and horticulture. The International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) defines landscape architects as professionals who plan, design and manage natural and built environments, applying aesthetic and scientific principles.

What students learn

The subject joins design with natural science. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), courses typically include landscape design and construction, landscape ecology and site design, together with the history of landscape architecture, plant and soil science, and professional practice. The design studio is a key part of any curriculum. Students also learn to:

  • Prepare site plans, specifications and cost estimates
  • Draw plans with computer-aided design software
  • Choose plants and landscaping materials
  • Analyse environmental reports on land conditions such as drainage
  • Restore degraded landscapes and manage parks and gardens

Qualifications and levels

Vocational training. In Spain, vocational training (FP) offers two qualifications of 2,000 hours each. The intermediate-level Técnico en Jardinería y Floristería trains students to install, maintain and restore gardens and lawns and to produce plants. The higher-level Técnico Superior en Paisajismo y Medio Rural covers the design of garden areas, nursery management, topography and the supervision of landscaping work. In the United States, community and technical colleges teach similar programmes; several are listed on SpainExchange, and each college can say which certificate or associate degree it awards.

Bachelor's degree. Spanish bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits. The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) teaches a Grado en Paisajismo of four academic years and 240 ECTS credits, given jointly by its school of agri-food and biosystems engineering (EEABB) and its school of architecture in Barcelona (ETSAB). In the United States there are two undergraduate degrees, the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and the Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA), which usually take four to five years, according to the BLS. The University of Florida, for example, describes its BLA as a four-year professional degree.

Master's degree. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. UPC's Máster universitario en Paisajismo (MBLandArch) has 120 ECTS credits over two academic years, taught on campus in the afternoon; UPC gives an approximate price of €2,324, or €5,400 for students who are not EU residents. In the United States, the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) typically takes three years for graduates of another field. At the University of Washington, the MLA I track lasts three years and the MLA II track, for applicants with a previous design degree, two years.

Accreditation and licence. All U.S. states require landscape architects to be licensed, and candidates usually need a degree from an accredited school, supervised experience and a pass in the licensing exam, the BLS states. The MLA of the University of Washington and the BLA and MLA of the University of Florida are accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB). Rules differ in other countries, so ask the school what professional recognition its qualification has where you plan to work.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 17 schools for landscaping and environment. Ten are in the United States, two in Spain, and one each in Japan, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy and Germany. The U.S. schools include universities such as the University of Washington (Seattle), the University of Florida (Gainesville) and the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), and community and technical colleges such as Bergen Community College and Kirkwood Community College. In Spain the list has the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona and the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona. Other schools are The University of Tokyo and the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg.

Programmes are taught in the language of the country. Plants, climate and planning law are local, so much of what is learned applies best in the region where it was studied. This matters when choosing between, for example, a Mediterranean and a North American programme.

Careers

Landscape architects design parks and the outdoor spaces of campuses, recreational facilities, businesses and private homes. In the United States they held about 23,500 jobs in 2025: half in architectural, engineering and related services, 20 percent in landscaping services and 17 percent self-employed. The BLS projects employment to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035.

Vocational graduates work on the ground. In Spain, the higher-level FP qualification leads to jobs such as supervisor of the installation of parks and gardens, or supervisor of their maintenance, conservation and restoration. In the United States, grounds maintenance workers held about 1.3 million jobs in 2025.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between landscaping and landscape architecture?

Landscape architecture is the university-level profession that plans and designs outdoor spaces. Landscaping and gardening are the vocational trades that build and maintain them. In Spain the first is studied as a bachelor's or master's degree and the second through vocational training (FP).

How long does it take to study landscape architecture?

A bachelor's degree takes four years in Spain (240 ECTS credits) and four to five years in the United States. A master's degree takes two years at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and two or three years at the University of Washington, depending on previous studies.

Do I need a licence to work as a landscape architect?

In the United States, yes: all states require a licence. Elsewhere the rules differ by country, so check with the professional body of the country where you want to work.

Can I study landscaping without going to university?

Yes. In Spain, vocational training offers the Técnico en Jardinería y Floristería and the Técnico Superior en Paisajismo y Medio Rural, each of 2,000 hours.