How to Apply and Pursue the URI Landscape Architecture Major:

URI’s Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (B.L.A.) Major is competitive. Accreditation standards regarding faculty/staff and facilities limit the number of students accepted into the major to 20 per year. While enrolled in the program, students will be reviewed twice during their course of studies: First for admission into the lower-division design sequence and second for acceptance into the upper-division design sequence.

1. Admission into Lower-Division Design Sequence in Sophomore Year

Freshmen students accepted to URI take prerequisite course requirements during the first year. Admittance into the B.L.A. Major is more formally conducted as students enter the sophomore year. Admission into the lower-division design sequence courses in Sophomore year (LAR 243 and LAR 244) requires department approval. Approximately 75 percent of the openings are filled by students who enter URI as incoming freshmen, earn 24 credits with a minimum 2.50 or higher GPA and with no grades in LAR courses below a C. The remaining openings are filled by matriculated students wishing to transfer into landscape architecture from other URI majors and elsewhere. All students are required to apply to the program by March 1st of their freshman year and to submit a letter of intent, written by the applicant, which will address their reasons for entering the program, transcript of grades, and drawing samples, if available. Applications and transcripts are evaluated in March each year for acceptance into the lower-division (LAR 243) design sequence in fall semester. Decisions on those applicants completing prerequisites during summer session will be made as soon as grades are received.

2. Acceptance into Upper-Division Design Sequence in Junior Year

Acceptance into the upper-division design sequence courses in Junior year (LAR 343
and LAR 344) is based on submission and review of a portfolio of lower-division work and a current academic transcript. A maximum of 20 students per year are accepted into the upper division of B.L.A. Major.

Eligible applicants for upper division are students enrolled in LAR 244 course, returning applicants, and students wishing to transfer directly into the upper division from other accredited landscape architecture programs. Only students who have completed comparable lower-division courses will be allowed to compete for these upper-division positions. Such transfer applicants must first be accepted into the University of Rhode Island by the Office of Admission and have their application package submitted to the Landscape Architecture Program Director before the last week in February preceding the fall semester in which they wish to enroll.

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