Education

Last modified: 29. June 2022

Educational Profile

The Faculty of Landscape Architecture was established at the University of Horticulture and Food Industry in 1992, with the mission of providing university level graduate and postgraduate (PhD) studies in landscape architecture.

The history of education in landscape architecture goes back to 1907, when Béla Rerrich started to teach the subject „Garden Art and Garden Design” at the predecessor of the University. The first Department under the same name was established in 1939. The education of special landscape architecture curriculum for the degree “Landscape and Garden Architect” was started in 1962.

The term of study has been 10 semesters at university level for 40 years. The three years long Ph.D. program was started in 1992. Graduate students in the university education system started the training with a two years long basic education, followed by a three years long specialisation. The choice of specialties covered the main fields of landscape architecture profession: garden and open space design; landscape protection and reclamation, landscape/regional planning, Conservation of historic gardens. In the past 10 years the Faculty was able to admit 100 students to the landscape architecture training program each year, although there were 8-10 times more applications.

The faculty is the only place for landscape architecture training in Hungary.

The training has always followed the trends of the European development of our profession. The curricula have been modernized several times, and we have introduced a new training structure and new courses. Besides Landscape Architecture a graduate program was accredited in Urban Planning and the education of urban planning and design was started in 2003. The training has been based on the European credit system since the academic year 1996-97.

The school - as outlined in the Mission Statement - intends to train landscape architects, certified engineers, and specialized postgraduate engineers, and also masters (DLA) and doctors (PhD) in the field of landscape architecture, under modern conditions. In order to perform these tasks at an appropriate level and to harmonise the education with the European (Bologna) system, a multi-level education system was started by the accreditation and introduction of graduate program: Landscape Management and Construction (BSc) in 2006. The accreditation of the second level, the postgraduate M.Sc level has been finished, and the Faculty will start the M.Sc. education in 2009. The other educational field, the program of urban planning and design was also reformed. The new M.Sc. in urban planning will be started in 2010.

The multi-disciplinary courses are designed to meet the varied needs of the modern landscape architecture profession. Our degree programs combine a wide range of competencies, the creative understanding of aesthetics and social sciences with the knowledge of ecological and technical sciences. Besides the theoretical foundamental  and a number of practical tools. Programs ensure that students are prepared to work in these multidisciplinary professions by offering the knowledge of landscape theory, combined with the technical and scientific understanding required by these demanding careers.