Master of Architecture in Landscape Architecture Top Colleges, Syllabus, Scope and Salary

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Master of Architecture in Landscape Architecture is a two year postgraduate program, designed for aspirants interested in learning about the science and art concerned with creating places for people. The course focuses on the tools and methods used to plan the development of a land and designing the outdoor environment, especially designing parks or gardens to harmonize with buildings and roads.

The basic eligibility required for the pursuance of the course, is to have a bachelor’s degree, B. Arch., or any other equivalent qualification completed from a recognized university. Eligible candidates are provided admission on the basis of their accomplishment in the last qualifying exam and a relevant entrance test, such as, GATE, CEED, TANCET, AMU M. Arch. Entrance Exam, CEPT, etc.

In India, average tuition fee charged for the course ranges anywhere between INR 50K and 2 Lac, varying across institutes.

Top Institutes offering this course are:

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
National Institute of Technology (NIT)
School of Planning and Architecture
Sir JJ College of Architecture
CEPT University

After successfully completing the course, one can find various job opportunities in both government and private sectors and in areas like, Hydro Project Companies, Construction Industries, Local Planning Bodies, Golf Complexes, Educational Institutes, etc. where they can earn a monthly salary ranging between INR 2 Lac and 8 Lac, at an initial level, which will gradually increase with candidate’s experience and expertise in the field.

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.

Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) in Landscape Architecture

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