UGA College of Environment and Design

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United States
Athens, GA
UGA College of Environment and Design

We offer degree programs in Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation, and Urban Planning & Design. https://t.uga.edu/6Sj

The Ph.D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmVC7LHseOU

Landscape Architecture has been taught at UGA since 1928, and has offered a graduate program since 1954. The undergraduate program has been accredited by the American Society of Landscape Architects since 1952 (https://t.uga.edu/6Sm), as has the graduate program since 1954 (https://t.uga.edu/6Sh). The landscape architecture programs frequently hold nati

onal rankings, usually within the top 5 programs in the United States, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Historic Preservation graduate program within the College is also very highly regarded on a national level through the National Trust, and offers only one of two programs in the United States for a joint Juris Doctorate. The curriculum is recognized in Georgia as the first of it’s kind, with courses being offered since 1973, and its graduate program officially forming in 1982. https://t.uga.edu/6Si

The Urban Planning & Design graduate program accepted its first students in the fall of 2009. It is a professional graduate program with an emphasis on a studio-based integrative planning process grounded in environmental and ecological principles. in Environmental Design and Planning, the newest program in the College, is an advanced doctoral degree, which will prepare students to propose and conduct research to support the design, planning, and management of the natural, cultural, and built environment though the integration of research methods and theories, innovative technologies, design and problem solving and research-driven solutions. https://t.uga.edu/6Sk

Most unique to the College is the Environmental Ethics Certificate Program, which was the first of its kind to be established in the United States in 1983. https://t.uga.edu/6Sl

There are certificates offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, often in compliment and with value enhancement to other degrees. The faculty for the Certificate are all volunteer in capacity, and include a wealth of disciplines across UGA from such areas as botany, biology, forestry, ecology, soil science and marine science, as well as landscape architecture, business, sociology, law, journalism, the arts and other non-science areas and private industry. Three minors are now available in the College of Environment and Design: https://t.uga.edu/6Sn

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
LANDSCAPE STUDIES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION

05/21/2026

Graduate Spotlight! This spring, recent graduate Kade Godwin, BLA '26, participated in his third National Collegiate Landscape Competition at Michigan State University. This year, at the competition's 50th anniversary, Godwin placed 24th overall out of 726 students, and brought home 2nd place in Interior Landscape Design. Godwin also competed in 2024 in Utah, and 2025 in Colorado.

"There are several Landscape Architecture-specific events that I would absolutely recommend to CED students to showcase their skills," said Godwin. "I’d also highly encourage CED students to compete in as many other competitive events as possible, as it will only bolster the knowledge and skills that can be taken into the design field."

Congratulations Kade!

05/18/2026

The College of Environment and Design is pleased to share that two faculty members have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Awards for the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year. Sonia Hirt, Dean and Hughes Professor in Landscape Architecture and Planning, has received a U.S. Scholar Award to Bulgaria. Katherine Melcher, Castro Professor, has received a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award in design to Brazil.

Join us in congratulating them on this accomplishment, and read more about their awards at https://loom.ly/E92OFSk

05/15/2026

Ring the Bell! You're a CED alum!

Class of 2026, we had the best time celebrating you at CED Convocation last week. While we will miss you dearly, we know you will continue to do great things.

View the full convocation photo gallery at https://loom.ly/quM2PmU.

05/14/2026

We are pleased to share that following a nationwide search, the University of Georgia has appointed Dr. Jules Bruck as the next dean of the College of Environment and Design, effective July 1.

Bruck, a national leader in landscape architecture and a pioneer in nature based coastal resilience, currently serves as the director of the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning at the University of Florida. Before her tenure at the University of Florida, Bruck was the founding director of the landscape architecture program at the University of Delaware.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Bruck to the CED, and read more at https://loom.ly/udkgTE0.

05/13/2026

Another Critique Week in the books!

Last week, students, faculty, alumni and industry professionals gathered for a two-day critique of final studio work from the semester. This spring, projects ranged from constructed seating elements and "Shark Tank" style presentations to portfolio reviews and senior capstones.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this semester's Critique Week, and special thanks to our sponsors, Carter Engineering, Batson-Cook Construction and Parrish Construction Group, for making this event a success. The full photo gallery can be viewed at https://loom.ly/xUSrkow.

05/12/2026

✨It's here!✨

The 2026 edition of Georgia Landscape Magazine, the CED's premier student-published magazine, is out now! Written, curated and produced entirely by students, this year's magazine highlights an eclectic collection of articles, ranging from beneficial insects and Australian ecolodges to the influence of commercial landscapes.

Read online at https://loom.ly/NN6TRhM.

05/06/2026

🚨Reminder🚨
Get your set of Bulldog Blocks: Hairy Dawg edition when you make a gift of $70 or more!
Give by May 8 👉 https://loom.ly/QigUgrY

05/01/2026

This semester, the College of Environment and Design has mourned the untimely passing of beloved professor and friend Dr. Stephen Ramos. As we prepare to honor his life and legacy this weekend, we are pleased to announce the Stephen John Ramos Graduate Scholarship in Urban Planning.

This scholarship will support graduate students pursuing urban planning — students who share Stephen’s passion for understanding cities, infrastructure and communities and who seek to make a meaningful difference through thoughtful planning and design. The Stephen John Ramos Graduate Scholarship in Urban Planning will ensure that his passion for learning, teaching and public engagement continues to inspire future generations of planners. Each recipient of this scholarship will carry forward Stephen’s belief that planning is ultimately about people — the communities we serve and the futures we build together.

We invite you to honor Stephen’s memory by contributing to this scholarship fund at https://loom.ly/fZiKs1Y.

Celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Stephen John Ramos by helping establish a graduate scholarship in urban planning that will support future planners for generations to come.

04/29/2026

For College of Environment and Design alumna Holly Wiedemann, a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture, combined with an openness to opportunities, was the launch pad for a successful career in development, urban planning and historic preservation.

Read more about our Spring 2026 Convocation Speaker, Holly Wiedemann, at https://loom.ly/wCFOWpw.

04/28/2026

Our Spring 2026 Critique Week is next week, and our students are hard at work in the studio preparing! First-year Master of Landscape Architecture students in Dr. Jane Bian's Site Applications Studio are wrapping up their planting-focused landscape improvement projects on selected UGA campus sites.

Across the semester, they developed practical strategies that connect microclimate, stormwater management, foodscapes, soundscapes, streetscapes and health to real site conditions. Reviewers at this critique presentation will see clear concepts and iterative site plans, along with thoughtful plant combinations that balance aesthetics, seasonality, and ecological benefits while supporting comfortable, high-performing campus spaces.

See the full Critique Week schedule at https://loom.ly/xypmyBg.

04/27/2026

Celebrating undergraduate research! Last week, BLA student Benton Kleiber presented his undergraduate research at the 2026 CURO Symposium.

Kleiber's research, "Post-Industrial Expansion: Advocating for Small-Town Brownfield Redevelopment" was conducted under Professor Alfie Vick and was influenced by Kleiber's summer study abroad in Florence, Italy. His time in Florence demonstrated the importance of the built environment in shaping the culture of a community, and simultaneously, contrasted with the built environment of urban sprawl and prevalence of brownfields– sites that are prevented from reuse or development due to a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant– in nearby Atlanta.

In his research, Kleiber set out to find a way to build a framework for more frequent brownfield revitalization projects in small towns across the state.

UGA Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities

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285 S Jackson Street
Athens, GA
30602

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http://linktr.ee/ugaced

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