This blog is mostly for myself … importantly
though it is also for anybody thinking about embarking upon a Landscape
Architecture conversion course…
I
began writing this blog for lots of reasons; to help give my own mind some
space to process my thoughts, beliefs and wants over the next three years and
beyond and because I was incredibly confused and worried about what I was doing
with my life when I decided to drop out of a Masters at Kingston and become a
Landscape Architect instead. This blog is mostly for myself and any friends,
family or readers that may in interested in what I have to say. Importantly
though it is also for anybody thinking about embarking upon a Landscape
Architecture conversion course.
This
part of the blog will aim to give as much information as possible regarding the
process of becoming a Landscape Architect through a conversion course. Below, I
have summed up a few key elements. Check back for updates as I actually
undertake the course and blog about my experiences.
If
there is anything else anyone would like to know, please leave a comment or
email me and I will answer as best I can.
For
why I want to be a Landscape Architect please see my earlier post (I want to be a Landscape Architect...).
THE COURSES
Starting
September 2012 I will begin a two year course – MALAD Masters of Landscape
Architecture and Design at Leeds Metropolitan University. It is a specially
designed two year course for students needing to first complete a conversion
course before being able to start a Masters in Landscape Architecture.
There
are a few other universities that offer a conversion course followed by the
masters. See iwanttobealandscapearchitect.com for more
details.
It
is important to really look in detail at the courses offered; different
universities offer slightly different teaching approaches. There will be different
emphases on art and aesthetics, rural planning, urban planning, research
methodologies and media used - all depending on the institution. So if
you are from a more scientific background rather than an artistic one, a course
that relies heavily on its relationship with its sister departments in science
or agriculture may suit you more.
For
me however, the decision had to be made in terms of not only “what course is
right for me?” but also “where can I live and be happy for at least 2 years?”
THE FEES AND MONEY
I
am very lucky. Having saved up to do my first masters I already had some money
behind me. Then I was fortunate enough to find a full time job and my (ever
giving ever loving) parents have let me live << rent free >> at
home for the past year. Even so, I will be applying for a Career Development
Loan in order to fund my studies so I can complete them full time. This may not
be an option for everyone. You can take out the CDL and do part of your course
part time (I believe you don’t have to start paying the loan back for 3 years).
Depending on where you go, where you are from or who you work for, other
funding opportunities may be available to you. Explore different institution’s
webpages and the iwanttobealandscapearchitect website for more information.
Bare
in mind that as well as course fee’s you will have to budget for:
• Rent
THE PREP
I
have had roughly just under a year to “prepare” for the beginning of my
conversion course. Working full time however and life as it is, means that
things often get in the way…
In
January I did a 10 week Mature Portfolio Preparation Course at an art school. I
had actually already applied to Leeds Met by this point. My portfolio included
some previous A Level art work, art and photography that I had dabbled in
whilst at university and some more work that I had created - with the gusto of
someone who has discovered a new passion - shortly before submitting my
application. The course was great; it allowed me to get “back in touch” with my
creative side, receive constructive criticism and encouragement from tutors,
and also, vitally, to see that other people where also in the same position as
me (life changing career “oh god what am I doing?”/not confident about artistic
skills). I would not suggest that an art course is a necessity, nor do you need
to go a particularly expensive/intensive course It is however a good idea to do
as much sketching and drawing as possible.
I
have also dabbled a bit in AutoCAD and Google Sketch Up. I will not lie this
has been incredibly frustrating and apparently in most universities you don’t
get taught how to use these. Thus, I would highly recommend you practice at
these as much as possible; I have an overwhelming feeling that these programs
will not be my strong point…
Also
ask whatever university or college you are applying to about preliminary
courses. I start a Drawing Course and a CAD induction day the week before term
starts.
EXCURSIONS AND SITE VISITS
Landscape
Architecture is of course all about the great out doors. I would encourage you
to embrace this and visit as many places of interest as you can. This doesn’t
have to be Stonehenge or a Martha Schwartz piece de resistance. If you
live in a city or town, there are plenty of panoramas for you to see and what
you sketch doesn’t always have to be pretty or positive.
For
me, most things interlink and overlap and that is what makes life interesting.
The interdisciplinary nature of a subject like Landscape Architecture is what
makes it so engaging and important to modern life. Go to as many different
exhibitions as you can, walk a lot, sketch what you like, what you don’t like,
take photos, visit country houses if you can, visit parks and town centres when
you can. Anything else you can think of. It will all add to your work.
READING
There
are so many books. So many. Read anything and everything. Email course
directors for an in depth bibliography once you are accepted on to a course.
See here for some basic bibliographies.
University course pages may also have good bibliographies, so look around.
Personally,
I would recommend Geoffery and Susan Gellicoe’s The Landscape of Man –
great for an overview of Landscape Architecture history. Theory in Landscape
Architecture: A Reader edited by Simon Swaffield is an excellent book also.
For something more up to date and political I cannot recommend highly enough
the polemical Ground Control by Anna Minton, which brilliantly charts
the rise the privitisation of public space in Britain.
Also
don’t forget to subscribe to the Landscape Institute for regular updates
of contemporary dialogue and what’s what in regards to the profession. The
magazine subscription is a bargain for £25 a year (non student).
“DISCLAIMER”
This
is not meant to be patronising in any way – of course, I haven’t even started
the course yet – rather it is intended as a ‘To Do’ list. And to give you
ideas. When I was in need of information I simply wish that I had looked at
some of the student blogs/it had all been there in short form like a checklist.
For instance I completely mis-budgeted in terms of materials, (as I had no idea
how much or what I’d have to buy), actually spending double what I had put
aside (chickpeas and pasta for a month then).
This blog is mostly for myself … importantly
though it is also for anybody thinking about embarking upon a Landscape
Architecture conversion course…
I
began writing this blog for lots of reasons; to help give my own mind some
space to process my thoughts, beliefs and wants over the next three years and
beyond and because I was incredibly confused and worried about what I was doing
with my life when I decided to drop out of a Masters at Kingston and become a
Landscape Architect instead. This blog is mostly for myself and any friends,
family or readers that may in interested in what I have to say. Importantly
though it is also for anybody thinking about embarking upon a Landscape
Architecture conversion course.
This
part of the blog will aim to give as much information as possible regarding the
process of becoming a Landscape Architect through a conversion course. Below, I
have summed up a few key elements. Check back for updates as I actually
undertake the course and blog about my experiences.
If
there is anything else anyone would like to know, please leave a comment or
email me and I will answer as best I can.
For
why I want to be a Landscape Architect please see my earlier post (I want to be a Landscape Architect...).
THE COURSES
Starting
September 2012 I will begin a two year course – MALAD Masters of Landscape
Architecture and Design at Leeds Metropolitan University. It is a specially
designed two year course for students needing to first complete a conversion
course before being able to start a Masters in Landscape Architecture.
There
are a few other universities that offer a conversion course followed by the
masters. See iwanttobealandscapearchitect.com for more
details.
It
is important to really look in detail at the courses offered; different
universities offer slightly different teaching approaches. There will be different
emphases on art and aesthetics, rural planning, urban planning, research
methodologies and media used - all depending on the institution. So if
you are from a more scientific background rather than an artistic one, a course
that relies heavily on its relationship with its sister departments in science
or agriculture may suit you more.
For
me however, the decision had to be made in terms of not only “what course is
right for me?” but also “where can I live and be happy for at least 2 years?”
THE FEES AND MONEY
I
am very lucky. Having saved up to do my first masters I already had some money
behind me. Then I was fortunate enough to find a full time job and my (ever
giving ever loving) parents have let me live << rent free >> at
home for the past year. Even so, I will be applying for a Career Development
Loan in order to fund my studies so I can complete them full time. This may not
be an option for everyone. You can take out the CDL and do part of your course
part time (I believe you don’t have to start paying the loan back for 3 years).
Depending on where you go, where you are from or who you work for, other
funding opportunities may be available to you. Explore different institution’s
webpages and the iwanttobealandscapearchitect website for more information.
Bare
in mind that as well as course fee’s you will have to budget for:
• Rent
• Living allowances
• Bills
• Study Trips
• Materials, possibly a
camera, computer and software
• And any other costs you
may have
THE PREP
I
have had roughly just under a year to “prepare” for the beginning of my
conversion course. Working full time however and life as it is, means that
things often get in the way…
In
January I did a 10 week Mature Portfolio Preparation Course at an art school. I
had actually already applied to Leeds Met by this point. My portfolio included
some previous A Level art work, art and photography that I had dabbled in
whilst at university and some more work that I had created - with the gusto of
someone who has discovered a new passion - shortly before submitting my
application. The course was great; it allowed me to get “back in touch” with my
creative side, receive constructive criticism and encouragement from tutors,
and also, vitally, to see that other people where also in the same position as
me (life changing career “oh god what am I doing?”/not confident about artistic
skills). I would not suggest that an art course is a necessity, nor do you need
to go a particularly expensive/intensive course It is however a good idea to do
as much sketching and drawing as possible.
I
have also dabbled a bit in AutoCAD and Google Sketch Up. I will not lie this
has been incredibly frustrating and apparently in most universities you don’t
get taught how to use these. Thus, I would highly recommend you practice at
these as much as possible; I have an overwhelming feeling that these programs
will not be my strong point…
Also
ask whatever university or college you are applying to about preliminary
courses. I start a Drawing Course and a CAD induction day the week before term
starts.
EXCURSIONS AND SITE VISITS
Landscape
Architecture is of course all about the great out doors. I would encourage you
to embrace this and visit as many places of interest as you can. This doesn’t
have to be Stonehenge or a Martha Schwartz piece de resistance. If you
live in a city or town, there are plenty of panoramas for you to see and what
you sketch doesn’t always have to be pretty or positive.
For
me, most things interlink and overlap and that is what makes life interesting.
The interdisciplinary nature of a subject like Landscape Architecture is what
makes it so engaging and important to modern life. Go to as many different
exhibitions as you can, walk a lot, sketch what you like, what you don’t like,
take photos, visit country houses if you can, visit parks and town centres when
you can. Anything else you can think of. It will all add to your work.
READING
There
are so many books. So many. Read anything and everything. Email course
directors for an in depth bibliography once you are accepted on to a course.
See here for some basic bibliographies.
University course pages may also have good bibliographies, so look around.
Personally,
I would recommend Geoffery and Susan Gellicoe’s The Landscape of Man –
great for an overview of Landscape Architecture history. Theory in Landscape
Architecture: A Reader edited by Simon Swaffield is an excellent book also.
For something more up to date and political I cannot recommend highly enough
the polemical Ground Control by Anna Minton, which brilliantly charts
the rise the privitisation of public space in Britain.
Also
don’t forget to subscribe to the Landscape Institute for regular updates
of contemporary dialogue and what’s what in regards to the profession. The
magazine subscription is a bargain for £25 a year (non student).
“DISCLAIMER”
This
is not meant to be patronising in any way – of course, I haven’t even started
the course yet – rather it is intended as a ‘To Do’ list. And to give you
ideas. When I was in need of information I simply wish that I had looked at
some of the student blogs/it had all been there in short form like a checklist.
For instance I completely mis-budgeted in terms of materials, (as I had no idea
how much or what I’d have to buy), actually spending double what I had put
aside (chickpeas and pasta for a month then).
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