Application Process

hunt hall courtyart

Application Process 

NOTE: When students apply to UC Davis for the Landscape Architecture program, they are accepted as PRE-Landscape Architecture (Pre-LDA) majors. The below application process is only for CURRENT students at UC Davis who meet the criteria listed below:   

Preparing to Apply:

Transfer students typically apply to the LDA major during the Winter Quarter of their first year at UC Davis, whereas High School Admits typically apply during the Winter Quarter of their second year. Students applying after switching from other UC Davis majors should consult with the program undergraduate advisors to map out their academic plans.

Application Requirements:

For 2025, the LDA major is limited to a cohort of 32 students; admission is based upon the following criteria:

  1. Major GPA at time of application, including Winter Quarter (50% of scoring)
  2. Statement of Purpose, 500 word max (25%)
  3. 5 Work Samples (25%)
  4. Optional Statement on Extenuating Circumstances, 200 words max (may be used to adjust ranking)
  5. Completion of prerequisites 

1. Major GPA (50%)

This GPA is based on coursework within the LA+ED program. This typically includes LDA 1, 2, 21, 30, and 70, and may also include LDA 3 and 119 if already completed, or other LDA courses if you are reapplying. Transfer students will have their GPA calculated from UC Davis LDA courses only. Major GPA will be calculated by LA+ED advising staff over Spring Break; students do not need to calculate their own GPA.

2. Statement of Purpose (25%)

Students shall submit an essay, up to 500 words, detailing their personal interests and professional goals in landscape architecture. Current students are encouraged to request assistance with their essays from the Student Academic Success Center: http://success.ucdavis.edu.

For the statement, students should answer one or more of the following questions:

  • What personal experiences inspired you to study landscape architecture?
  • What qualities and skills would help you succeed as a LDA student?
  • What do you most want to learn from the LDA program?
  • Do you have any professional aspirations or topics you hope to pursue after you graduate?

3. Work Samples (25%)

Students shall submit 5 samples of their work that demonstrate mastery of the skills associated with our preparatory courses. Students should not prepare a formal portfolio; rather, they should submit images of key projects. This could include a drawing, a model, or other assignments that were submitted for their classes. Samples are intended to be singular images; however, boards that contain multiple images are acceptable, as are excerpts from class assignments (for example, the LDA 2 transect project). All samples may be submitted as image files or as PDFs and each sample is limited to 5Mb in size. When submitting, students will be asked to provide a one-sentence description for each; if you are submitting group work, clearly state what you contributed to the work.

4. OPTIONAL - Statement on Extenuating Circumstances

Students may share any challenges or circumstances that have impacted their academic performance or GPA. Limit this statement to no more than 200 words. The LDA Admissions Committee will consider these statements when reviewing the ranking of students closest to the cutoff and may decide to adjust the ranking after discussion. Please note that this statement is optional.

5. Completion of Prerequisites

LDA 1, 2, 21, 30 and 70 (or accepted equivalents) must be completed at time of application. Additionally, LDA 3, 50 and 60 must be completed before the end of the Spring Quarter after conditional acceptance.

 

Application Process

LDA Applications will be submitted using an online Google Form that will be posted on this website and shared with eligible students at the end of January, 2025. Applications will be accepted from February 1 through February 28, 2025.

The online application asks students to confirm their intent to enroll in the LDA major and prompts them to submit statements and work samples. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of LA+ED faculty members, and scores will be calculated according to the criteria listed above (Major GPA, Statement of Purpose, Work Samples, Optional Statement of Extenuating Circumstances).

Students will be notified of their conditional acceptance into the LDA major during the latter half of Spring Break. All students may enroll in LDA 3 and LDA 50 during the normal registration period, but only accepted students will be enrolled in LDA 60 for the Spring Quarter; all accepted and waitlisted students will be given a seat in LDA 60.

Acceptance to the LDA major is conditional, pending successful completion of LDA 50 and 60 (and LDA 3 for some transfer students). Students must complete these courses, including resolving any incompletes, prior to the start of the Fall Quarter, or their seats in the major may be forfeited.

Appeals to the admissions process are not accepted. However, the admissions committee may establish a short waiting list for students in the order of their rank in the application process. Waitlisted students may be allowed to take LDA 60, but are only granted a seat in the LDA major if other accepted students forfeit their seats. Being on the waitlist in no way guarantees admission to the major.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How can I improve my chances for admission?
  • Because GPA in LDA courses is the biggest factor in the admissions decision, we encourage students to prioritize doing well in their LDA courses. Usually, students who succeed do the following:
    - Attend class, including discussion sections;
    - Read the syllabi and take note of the course learning objectives and goals;
    - Talk to their instructors, TAs, and/or mentors when they run into challenges or worry about their performance;
    - Seek additional resources to help address any challenges to your performance within a class
  •  What if I’m a Transfer Student and I received credit for equivalent classes elsewhere? How does that work with my GPA being calculated?
  • We only consider GPA for LDA classes taken at UC Davis. If you have equivalencies for some LDA classes, their GPAs won’t be included in the calculation, but those courses still give you work samples that can demonstrate that you have the skills normally evaluated in our LDA preparatory courses.
  • How can I check my Major GPA?
  • There are detailed steps on the Application, but you can also find this on OASIS. Select the tab that says “GPA Charts and Tools,” then select “GPA Per Subject,” and sort through to find your LDA courses. If you have questions about this process, please reach out to the advising office.
  • Can I use AI tools such as ChatGPT to write my statements?
  • There are many useful applications for AI, but DO NOT use it to write these statements. The admissions committee is interested in your personal history and in specific examples of your skills and interests as they apply to the LDA program and the profession. Generic, even if well written, responses will not be given much credit, and any confirmed use of AI in writing the essays may be grounds for not admitting you to the program.
  • Do we have access to Photoshop to prepare our work samples?
  • All studio computers as well as the new lab in Hunt 127 have the full Adobe Suite, but it is not necessary to use those programs for your application. You can simply upload a picture taken with a phone camera. Take some care with the lighting and crop it properly, but you don’t need to spend too much time editing the photo. 
  •  Will we need to print our work samples?
  • No, everything is digital and is submitted online only.
  • For work samples, do we include things from high school or just things from LDA classes?
  • It is highly recommended to submit work samples that are related to the coursework, as that is what it’s really meant for. Work outside of these courses should be clearly applicable to environmental design.
  • What if your work samples are really strong, but your GPA is not as strong?
  • We have provided an optional space for you to describe any challenges that have affected your GPA.
  • Are Applications for SED Majors and Pre-LDA Majors the same?
  • Yes, your current major does not affect the application process or our evaluation.
  • What does it mean to be conditionally accepted?
  • All students who are admitted to the LDA major over Spring Break are conditional. This means that you still have to finish all of the prerequisite courses, with no incompletes, and you must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. If you do not complete the courses or your GPA falls below 3.0, you may be dropped from the major to make room for someone on the waitlist.
  • What if you don’t think you have a good chance of getting in?
  • You are encouraged to apply anyways, if you are interested. If you don’t get in, you can continue taking other LDA courses that are designated for SED majors, and apply again. You are also encouraged to talk to a staff or faculty advisor about your individual situation.
  • What if I don’t make it in?
  • If you are not admitted, you have several good options. First, the admissions committee will create a short waitlist that is based off of the rankings, because sometimes students change their mind and don’t continue in the LDA program. If any seats become available, we will notify waitlisted students prior to the start of the following Fall Quarter. Secondly, you can reapply again next year. This will put your graduation back by a year, but you may use it to take other courses or pursue a minor. Finally, you may pursue a different major. Many UC Davis majors are similar to LDA, including Sustainable Environmental Design (SED), Community and Regional Development (CRD), and Design (DES). If you are set on a career in landscape architecture, you can still find routes to work in the profession (and even become licensed) after graduating or you can also pursue a Masters in Landscape Architecture at a later time.
  • Is there a Master’s Program for Landscape Architecture?
  • No, not at UC Davis. But there is a Master’s Program for Community Development and in Geography. Within that, there is a Graduate Academic Certificate in Landscape Architecture, which means your emphasis will be there, with your Degree in Community Development.

Do you have other questions? If so, please reach out to the advising staff or to the LA+ED Program Director, David de la Peña (dsdelapena@ucdavis.edu).