Landscape architecture programs prepare people to design gardens, parks, and natural settings to add beauty to open spaces or structures. Students learn about soils, plants, geology, and hydrology. They study building codes, land use laws, and conservation techniques.

When you think of New York City, you might picture towering skyscrapers and city block after city block of concrete. As with many urban areas, you might not associate "gorgeous outdoors" with the Big Apple.

But did you know that the city's famous Central Park is the first example of American landscape architecture? Believe it or not, before the late 1850s, Central Park was just 840 acres of swampy rocky terrain. It's hard to imagine New York full of swamps and rocks, isn't it? And for most New Yorkers, it's impossible to imagine their beloved city without Central Park.

The work of landscape architecture aims to bring a combination of beauty and function to open spaces and structures. Not only does Central Park bring grassy hills, lakes, trees, and walking paths to Manhattan; it also provides a place for recreation and relaxation and even for watching concerts and plays.

As a landscape architect, you need to have both creative and technical skills and the ability to solve problems. You might work independently or on a team with other architects. Your projects might include all sorts of spaces such as gardens, golf courses, college campuses, or even cemeteries.

In addition to the problems that your clients may present you, you also need to be aware of the limitations of the environment in which you're working. For this reason, you need to learn about things such as zoning regulations, environmental laws, soil types, and native plants.

Over 100 colleges and universities in the U.S. offer degree programs in landscape architecture. The professional bachelor's degree generally takes four or five years of full-time study after high school. Adding a master's degree typically takes one to two additional years. This master's degree is called a second professional degree in landscape architecture.

Students who have their bachelor's degree in another major usually need about three to four more years for what's called a first professional master's degree in landscape architecture.

There are a handful of programs where you can earn a non-professional master's degree or a doctoral degree in landscape architecture. These are typically programs for people who are already practicing in a related field such as architecture or historic preservation. The doctoral programs are also for people who want to do academic research or teach at the college level. A doctoral degree typically takes about ten years of full-time study after high school.