School of Landscape Architecture & Planning
Sustainable development, design and planning.
The School of Landscape Architecture and Planning at the University of Arizona supports a culture of innovation in teaching, research, creative work and community engagement.
We advance professional practice in landscape architecture, heritage conservation, real estate development, sustainability and urban planning and prepare students to be leaders in their fields. With Tucson and the unique Sonoran Desert as our learning laboratory, we encourage creative thinking and collaborative learning across our programs through interdisciplinary coursework and real-world projects.
Our graduates integrate scientific knowledge with resourceful innovation to achieve outcomes that demonstrate best practices for the development of healthful, livable and meaningful places.
Director's Welcome
Lauri Macmillan Johnson, School of Landscape Architecture and Planning Director and Professor of Landscape Architecture
Our Academic Programs
The professional, four-year BLA prepares students to become successful, licensed landscape architects through a robust, studio-based curriculum.
The four-year BS SBE, offered both in-person and fully online, prepares students with the skills to make our communities, buildings and landscapes more resilient.
Coming Fall 2025, the Bachelor of Science in Real Estate (BSRE) at the University of Arizona is a four-year professional degree program that prepares you for a thriving real estate career.
Minors in Landscape Architecture, Real Estate Development and Sustainable Built Environments
We offer three undergraduate minors: Minor in Landscape Architecture (19 or 20 units), Minor in Real Estate Development (18 units) and Minor in Sustainable Built Environments (18 units, available on campus or online).
The LAAB-accredited, STEM-designated MLA is a three-year program that prepares students for the practice of landscape architecture and engages them in applied scholarship with an emphasis on sustainable strategies.
The MRED, offered in-person (18 months) and online (as little as 12 months), focuses on sustainable real estate development analysis, finance and practice.
The two-year, PAB-accredited MS Urban Planning prepares students to address the challenges that face society and the environment through sustainable urban and regional planning.
Graduate Certificates
The School of Landscape Architecture and Planning offers four graduate certificates: Heritage Conservation (online) and Real Estate Analysis, Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Practice (on campus and online).
Underwood Family Sonoran Landscape Laboratory
The Underwood Family Sonoran Landscape Laboratory is a high-performance landscape, plaza and outdoor classroom exemplifying the sustainable strategies of water harvesting, climate regulation, air and water cleansing, recycling, wildlife habitat and human health and wellbeing. The former 1.2-acre parking lot is now a thriving Arizona habitat that shades the southern exposure of the CAPLA East Building.
Student Work, Awards & Profiles
Our students create a wide variety of outstanding work in their time at CAPLA. View individual galleries and narratives of work by BLA, BS Sustainable Built Environments, MLA, MRED and MS Urban Planning students.
Our students regularly win a variety of awards, both those offered through the school as well as esteemed regional, national and international awards. Learn more about our award-winning students and their projects.
School of Landscape Architecture and Planning students come from a rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences. View profiles of a few of our BLA, BS Sustainable Built Environments, MLA, MRED and MS Urban Planning students.
I am so blessed to have extremely knowledgeable professors and insightful peers who share their wisdom with me. The individuals of the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning are the matrix in which community thrives, and I am grateful for the relationships and knowledge I have gained here.
Emma Nakpairat '23 BLA
School News & Headlines
Faculty Research & Practice
The award-winning faculty of the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning are leaders in their fields, with expertise in a broad range of topics, from landscape performance to green infrastructure, water use design and policy to climate mitigation and much more.
Faculty within the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning conduct a wide array of transformative research related to design and our built environments. From heat mitigation to heritage conservation to social and environmental justice and much more, learn more about our research.
Many School of Landscape Architecture and Planning faculty are award-winning designers and practitioners here in the Sonoran Desert and around the world. Learn more about their work in galleries, narratives, stories and more.
School of Landscape Architecture and Planning Faculty Profiles
The faculty of the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning comprise a dynamic community, bringing their expertise to the built environment from across the country and around the world. In these detailed profiles, you'll learn about their teaching, research, service and much more.
Materials Lab
CAPLA's state-of-the-art Materials Labs comprise 9,000 square feet dedicated to model-building and fabrication using metals, wood, concrete, ceramics, glass and plastics. Equipment includes CNC tools, robotics, lasers, 3D printers and woodworking tools for digital and analog fabrication.
Additional Information
School of Landscape Architecture and Planning Courses
We offer a broad range of undergraduate and graduate courses in heritage conservation, landscape architecture, real estate development, sustainable built environments, urban planning and more.
Accreditation Status & Professional Registration
The Master of Landscape Architecture is accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accrediting Board and the Master of Science in Urban Planning is accredited by Planning Accrediting Board. Learn more about accreditation and professional registration.
Our Alumni
Alumni of the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning in the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture comprise a dynamic community, working in sustainable development, planning and design as well as affiliated careers and industries.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at CAPLA
CAPLA's equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives are designed to create a welcoming environment, promote diverse perspectives, and ensure equitable opportunities for all members of the college community.
Contact Us
For additional information about the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning and our programs, please contact contact us.
Connect with the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning
Header image by Mario Nuño-Whelan '20 MLA.