Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

European Masters in Landscape Architecture European Masters

Awards: European Masters

Study modes: Full-time

Accreditation

Funding opportunities

This is a two-year, professionally accredited programme offered jointly by five of Europe’s leading landscape architecture institutions:

  • Edinburgh School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture (ESALA), Edinburgh College of Art, The University of Edinburgh
  • Akademie van Bouwkunst, Amsterdam
  • Leibniz Universität, Hannover
  • Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage (ENSP), Versailles
  • Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona (ETSAB)

How will I learn?

The programme offers you a unique disciplinary experience and an opportunity to plot your own, advanced route through landscape architectural education to fit your aspirations, interests and skills.

You will be immersed in very different European cultural and pedagogical environments, greatly enriching your perspective and development as a designer.

The five partners approach the technical, aesthetic and ecological issues of landscape architecture in very different ways, at scales ranging from small urban and rural sites right up to the scale of the region.

Through your learning experience, you will engage with a wide range of landscapes, methods and skills and some of Europe’s most diverse and exciting cities and regions.

Accreditation

The Programme is accredited by the Landscape Institute in the United Kingdom.

The programme is based on the principle of diverse learning experiences, supported and guided by host institutions. You will study for two semesters with The University of Edinburgh and choose two of the partner institutions to study with for one semester each.

Courses

Courses include design studios, seminars, and lectures, which vary with the institution and semester.

Summer workshop

At the mid-point of the programme, all students convene for a summer workshop run by one EMiLA partner on a rotating basis. These workshops are designed to be substantive and fun and to stimulate thinking about the future challenges the landscape architecture profession will face.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
European MastersLandscape Architecture2 YearsFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24

The core vision of EMiLA is to equip graduates with the skills, knowledge and creativity attributes to be at the heart of European and world landscape policy.

Students will work on real and complex problems, to support and enhance their professional future. This will enable graduates to meet the challenges relating to sustainable design for the whole human environment.

Graduates of landscape architecture at the University of Edinburgh have outstanding employability prospects internationally. Our graduates are currently engaged by some of the world’s leading design offices. 

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

An undergraduate honours degree in landscape architecture.

We will also consider your application if you have an undergraduate honours degree in architecture and a portfolio that demonstrates a strong interest in landscape architectural issues.

As part of your application you must indicate the institutions you would prefer to attend during the two semesters away from Edinburgh. Whilst we will take your preferences into consideration, we cannot guarantee that places will be available in your preferred institutions.

You must familiarise yourself with the language requirements of the partner institutions before you apply. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet the language requirements of your preferred institution/s before you begin your studies.

A portfolio of work is required as part of the admissions process. This should be a digital document covering a range of work from your own academic, practice or professional background. The portfolio should demonstrate your skill level and ability to represent your own ideas as they relate to the discipline of landscape architecture.

The portfolio should be around (but is not limited to) 20 pages and should include short explanatory texts.The PDF document should use page sizes and a layout that best demonstrates the qualities of your work. The filesize should be under 60MB.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Tuition fees

It is important for applicants to consider the additional costs of moving and locating to the partner countries during their studies.

At the midpoint of the programme, there is a summer school. Although host institutions endeavour to cover as many costs as possible there is normally a requirement to pay for accommodation, travel and food. The costs of the summer school for students varies from year to year depending on any funding that the host school is able to attract.

Students pay for materials and printing during their studies.

Through your major design studio, it is likely that you will have a field trip that will incur additional costs.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
European MastersLandscape Architecture2 YearsFull-timeTuition fees

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Postgraduate Admissions Office
  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • 57 George Square
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JU

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

You must submit one reference with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Postgraduate Admissions Office
  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • 57 George Square
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JU