"I wanted to go to graduate school so I would be qualified to teach landscape architecture at the college level. Since I had an undergraduate landscape architecture degree and six years of professional experience, I enrolled in the Natural Resources and Environment’s two-year academic plan in Landscape Architecture rather than the three-year plan, which is designed for students with no previous background in the field."

“I particularly liked the two-year plan’s flexible structure, which enabled me to tailor my coursework to support my research interest in cultural landscapes without duplicating material I’d already learned in college and on the job. Michigan’s strong research focus also influenced my decision, because I lacked experience in this area and wanted to develop my own research capabilities."

“Although I hadn’t planned to pursue a Ph.D. at Michigan, I reconsidered after learning that a doctoral degree is now the preferred qualification for hiring at university landscape-architecture programs and opens the door to more jobs. Furthermore, Michigan’s doctoral program in Landscape Architecture is the oldest and by far the most well established of any nationwide. A Michigan Ph.D. is viewed very favorably by landscape-architecture academics. Fortunately, I was able to apply many master’s credits toward my Ph.D., which put me a year ahead in my doctoral studies."

“The highlight of my master’s experience was writing my thesis about the influence of immigrants on cultural landscapes in Midwestern cities. My advisor, Professor Larissa Larsen, guided me through the process, and a course on research methods gave me the skills and intellectual framework to conduct and understand research. I gained hands-on experience with Geographic Information Systems while assisting Professor Larsen in her own research project, which centered on coordinating the locations of food-bank resources and needy clients. Other faculty members enriched my experience as well, and I will continue to seek them out as resources as I develop my doctoral dissertation."

“Any student considering the two-year plan and Ph.D. in Landscape Architecture is well-advised to have a clear idea of the research he or she wants to pursue in order to maximize the educational process.”