UNM'S MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM ACCREDITED

September 2, 2003

UNM'S MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM ACCREDITED

This spring, the Landscape Architecture Accrediting Board (LAAB) reviewed the UNM School of Architecture and Planning's master of landscape architecture program. The board recently announced that the program is granted formal accreditation for a full six-year term.

Director Alf Simon, landscape architecture program, said, "We are absolutely delighted to have received a full six-year accreditation as we enter the fourth year of the landscape architecture program. This clearly establishes our national position as a program of quality, and will have a very large impact on our ability to enhance our recruitment efforts. The faculty, staff and students in the program are to be congratulated."

UNM joins a select group -- approximately 30 institutions -- offering an accredited professional landscape architecture degree program at the graduate level. Even as a relative newcomer on the academic landscape, more than 40 graduate students will be enrolled in landscape architecture in the fall 2003 semester.

"Given the critical needs of this profession and New Mexico, the landscape architecture program plays a pivotal role in enriching and broadening interests of both the architecture and planning programs - bringing a common educational focus to the school in the planning, design and sustainability of our built and natural environment," said Roger Schluntz, dean, UNM School of Architecture and Planning.

Schluntz added, "I'm tremendously pleased that UNM received the maximum term of accreditation with our initial application. The confidence in our program conveyed by this LAAB action is quite extraordinary. I think our faculty, staff and graduate students should be very proud of their accomplishment and recognition."

The Commission on Higher Education approved this new professional degree program only four years ago, said Schluntz. He added, "This achievement is probably unprecedented."

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