13 March 2008

NUS launches Landscape Architecture Master Programme

Singapore's landscape industry is expected to grow to $153 million by 2014 according to the 2006 Singapore Landscape Industry Survey. About 350 architects will be needed in the next 10 years to support this growth. To meet this demand, NUS Department of Architecture has launched a Master degree in Landscape Architecture, the first professional degree of its kind in Singapore.

The two-year Programme will provide training in areas such as architectural design, site planning, environmental restoration and historic preservation. The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) is also offering 24 scholarships worth some $800,000 for the new Programme. They will be given out over the next three years under a new Landscape Industry Scholarship Programme — a partnership between the WDA and landscape sector employers. It will include course fees and a monthly stipend.

Said Senior Lecturer Dr Ong Boon Lay, Department of Architecture: "With our history and commitment to building a garden city, this professional programme provides an opportunity for the consolidation of our experience and knowledge in urban landscaping."

The Programme is the first Master degree to be supported and endorsed by the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA). Students will be required to work in the landscape industry for two years after the completion of the programme.

Applications for the programme and scholarships close on 20 March and classes will start in August. Interested applicants can call WDA at 6883 5885 to find out more about the scholarship.