About CAPLA
Building a changing world through exceptional teaching, research and service.
At the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, we are solving the grand challenges of the built environment.
With the Sonoran Desert as our laboratory—in courses offered on campus and online—students learn to plan, develop, design and build innovative places that endure.
CAPLA is comprised of the School of Architecture and School of Landscape Architecture and Planning, which together offer undergraduate degrees in architecture, design arts and practices, landscape architecture and sustainable built environments; master's degrees in architecture, landscape architecture, real estate development and urban planning; and graduate certificates in heritage conservation and real estate development. Additionally, the Drachman Institute fosters interdisciplinary research on the built environment while enhancing the student experience and supporting communities.
Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.
Vision & Strategic Plan
Launched in January 2019, the CAPLA Strategic Plan is comprised of values, aspirations, objectives and initiatives designed to guide the college's direction under Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand. Our Vision: Building a Changing World.
View the CAPLA Vision & Strategic Plan »Our Facilities
CAPLA's facilities are state-of-the-art, featuring bright, spacious studio space, powerful computer facilities, a world-class Materials Lab and the incredible Underwood Family Sonoran Landscape Laboratory.
View Our Facilities »Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
CAPLA is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion at all levels of the college. In realization of the CAPLA Strategic Plan and in response to advocacy by students, alumni, faculty and staff, we commit to measures to advance EDI and are tracking our progress here.
View Our Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives & Resources »
2021 CAPLA Annual Report: Wonder Makes Us Build a Changing World
This Annual Report provides the opportunity to step back for a moment to consider what we have prioritized; what our students, faculty and staff have accomplished in spite of difficult circumstances; where we find ourselves from a sustainability perspective; how we connect with the broader community; and what we are most proud of over the last year:
Meet the Dean
Nancy Pollock-Ellwand, who joined CAPLA as dean and professor of landscape architecture in 2017, has a broad background in design with degrees in landscape architecture, architecture and planning.
Meet Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand »CAPLA Leadership
In addition to Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand, CAPLA leadership includes the members of her operations team—school directors, associate and assistant deans and other directors—and the leadership of the CAPLA Council of Faculty Members and Staff Advisory Council.
Meet CAPLA Leadership »CAPLA Futures Council
The CAPLA Futures Council is a multi-perspective advisory body to the CAPLA dean. It is through the lens of this group of luminaries from the academy, practice, industry and government that we seek a regular and productive exchange to identify the grand challenges of the built environment.
Meet the CAPLA Futures Council »CAPLA by the Numbers
CAPLA is a dynamic community of diverse students, faculty, staff and alumni with a passion for building a changing world. Learn more about CAPLA by viewing some of our latest numbers—from our rankings to our programs to our community.
