MA Garden Design

This course provides professional garden design education for graduates with a bachelor’s degree with honours, other than landscape architecture/garden design who wish to become professional garden designers. If you have a degree in geography, biology, horticulture, environmental science, arts, interior architecture or architecture, you are suitable to apply to this programme. In addition, we have successful graduates who came from diverse backgrounds and varied careers, such as teachers, managers, theatre set designers, artists, scientists and many more.

1st year: Conversion course

In order to apply to this course, you should select ’Master of Landscape Architecture Programme’, as the first year is shared by conversion landscape architecture and garden design students. The curriculum is based on the necessary set of skills and knowledge that both groups share and learn together in a variety of modules ranging from planting design and ecological principles, design studios and construction. In this year you will learn spatial design principles in our design studios while also working in our campus-wide outdoor studios and glass houses.

Creative design studio culture

Conversion students share the design studio with other landscape and garden design students. Our design studio culture is part of the teaching and learning experience where students have the opportunity to experience a professional design working environment and teamwork within a dynamic and creative environment.

2nd year progression

In your 2nd year you will be automatically enrolled to MA Garden Design programme after successful completion of the conversion year where you will continue with your studies in the MA Garden Design programme as explained below.

1 year MA Garden Design Programme

This course is the progression year (2nd year) for conversion students who wish to become garden designers.

In addition, it is suitable for students with a BSc/BA Hons Landscape Architecture or Garden Design degree, and is designed to increase the student’s professional skills in the theoretical and practical aspects of the garden design discipline, with an emphasis on promoting gardens and landscapes that are designed with the principles of sustainability, ecological and social health and well-being, and historic and cultural interpretation, conservation and management.

International and interdisciplinary

The course benefits from the British cultural tradition of garden making, appreciation and horticulture, though an international and historic perspective is taken. Regular visits to gardens and parks and international study tours are an important part of our garden design course where you will experience plants and planting design types in situ. The garden design programme is enriched by critiques from professional garden designers and landscape architects, as well as invited juries and on-site experts. Particular emphasis is given to the interdisciplinary approach in teaching, learning and research combining design, arts and land-based studies. Regular workshops and talks with artists as well as experts from horticulture and conservation will be part of your curriculum.

Theory and practice combined

The MA in Garden Design allows students to take the next steps in developing the theories and practice of garden design by providing perspectives and applications that are more advanced than undergraduate studies.

Practice oriented with real-life projects

MA Garden Design is concerned with creating new gardens and designed landscapes and as well as sustaining and restoring existing ones. Sustainability and the climate emergency are at the forefront in our curriculum development. Studio projects are selected through collaborative work with the industry.

You will write a research dissertation in your selected area of garden design in order to complete the MA Garden Design programme. Our practice-led research scheme enables students to collaborate with a garden design or landscape architecture practice throughout the dissertation process.

Professional degree

On completion of the 2-year programme you will be ready for employment within the professional world of garden and landscape design with a specialism in an area of your choice, achieved through your final dissertation research and application.