Why earn an environmental design degree?

Choosing a major often starts with a simple question: What kind of impact do I want to make? If you care about sustainability, community planning or the way outdoor spaces influence daily life, earning an environmental design degree gives you a meaningful way to shape the world around you. It’s a field where you can learn to plan and design outdoor public and private spaces, including parks and trails, streetscapes and all urban and rural landscapes.

Environmental design blends creativity, analysis and real-world problem solving. It pushes you to consider how the environment functions, how local areas grow and how thoughtful planning can improve quality of life. As cities and communities respond to increasing environmental challenges and rapid urban development, graduates with expertise in sustainable land-use are in high demand.

Learn more about environmental design and landscape architecture, what you can do with an environmental design degree and University of Idaho’s environmental design and landscape architecture programs.

What is environmental design?

Environmental design is the study of how people interact with the natural and built environment, from the smallest spaces to the largest cities. It’s a multidisciplinary field that draws from landscape architecture, ecology, design, technology and the social sciences, centered on creating sustainable, functional and beautiful spaces that serve people and the planet.

In an environmental design program, you’ll learn to think broadly and collaborate across areas of study. Courses typically cover natural systems, human behavior, plant and soil science, land-use planning, sustainability and design principles. You’ll apply this knowledge in hands-on ways, exploring how to:

• Analyze ecological patterns and systems
• Develop sustainable design proposals
• Create site plans, 3D models and digital renderings
• Collaborate with community partners
• Understand the history of landscapes and built environments
• Work with both manual and digital design tools

Environmental design also provides a strong foundation for several design-related professions, including:

• Landscape architecture: The planning and design of outdoor public and private spaces.
• Architecture: The design of buildings and structures.
• Interior design: The design of interior environments.
• Urban planning: The planning and design of cities and communities.

What kind of environmental design degree can you get?

Different institutions offer different paths to earning an environmental design degree. Most students start with a bachelor’s degree that introduces the core ideas of the field and then decide whether to continue into a professional graduate program, especially if they want to become licensed landscape architects. Understanding how these degree types are structured can help you decide which option aligns with your goals.

Bachelor’s degrees

Many colleges offer a Bachelor of Science in environmental design (B.S.E.D.) or a similarly titled undergraduate major. Raffaella Sini, landscape architecture program director at U of I, shares that these programs “provide special understanding of design methods, theories, technologies, social issues and management to prepare students for a variety of careers in the design, planning and management of the built environment.”

At University of Idaho, the B.S.E.D. in environmental design serves as the first step toward becoming a landscape architect. It’s a pre-professional degree that prepares you for advanced study while still offering direct entry into many other design-related roles.

Master’s degrees

If you want to become a licensed landscape architect, you’ll typically need a master's degree, most often the Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.). This professional degree qualifies you to sit for the landscape architecture licensing exam.

At U of I, the B.S.E.D. leads seamlessly into our accredited M.L.A. program. However, you don’t need an environmental design bachelor’s degree to enter the M.L.A. program. Students from a wide range of academic backgrounds can apply and complete additional coursework if needed. This flexibility makes the M.L.A. degree accessible whether you’re continuing in the field or switching into it.

What can you do with an environmental design degree?

An environmental design degree opens the door to a wide range of careers focused on planning, designing and improving outdoor spaces. You can find these roles across public agencies, private design firms, nonprofit organizations and community-based institutions.

Below are some of the most common places you could work after earning an environmental design degree.

Professional landscape architecture firms

Becoming a licensed landscape architect allows you to take the lead on professional design projects, which is why many students earn a master’s degree in landscape architecture and complete the licensure process.

So, what does a landscape architect do? Landscape architects plan and design outdoor environments of all scales. They study site conditions, develop design concepts, create technical drawings and collaborate with engineers and other planners on projects like:

• Parks and plazas
• Campus landscapes
• Community gathering spaces
• Green infrastructure
• Ecological and river restoration
• Residential and commercial sites
• Regional master plans

Parks, recreation and public land agencies

If you’re interested in conservation or preserving public lands, you can apply your environmental design degree within agencies such as:

• National Park Service
• U.S. Forest Service
• Bureau of Land Management
• State and local parks and recreation departments

These positions often involve trail planning, ecological restoration, visitor experience design, land stewardship and long-term resource management.

City or regional planning departments

Environmental design graduates frequently support urban design efforts within city, county or regional governments. In these settings, you might work on:

• City and regional planning
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Transportation and mobility planning
• Zoning and environmental review
• Community engagement
• Environmental NGOs and land trusts

Museums, zoos and interpretive centers

Organizations like museums and zoos depend on designers who can create environments that guide visitors through educational and immersive experiences. Job responsibilities include:

• Exhibit planning
• Site design
• Conservation storytelling
• Visitor experience design

Four reasons why an environmental design degree is valuable

From diverse career options to community impact, here are four reasons an environmental design degree may be the right path for you.

1. Gain applicable skills across design, planning and sustainability

Because environmental design bridges art, science, architecture and technology, you’ll develop a toolkit of the following skills that sets you apart in the design world:

• Ecological literacy: Understand natural systems and how design affects them.
• Design thinking: Approach problems with creativity and clarity.
• Technical drafting and rendering: Use both digital and manual tools.
• GIS and mapping: Analyze land, climate and environmental data.
• Sustainability planning: Integrate green infrastructure and ecological design.
• Project communication: Present ideas visually and verbally.
• Community engagement: Learn how to design for and with local residents.

2. Meet the growing demand for environmental design professionals

New environmental challenges and pressures have created a rising need for experts who can plan, analyze and design outdoor environments responsibly. According to Sini, “The speed of urban growth has increased in recent years, eroding natural and rural habitats. As such, an environmental design degree offers a concrete possibility for prospective students to be employed immediately after graduation and make a real difference in these rapidly changing man-made and natural environments.”

3. Pursue multiple career paths

The flexibility of an environmental design degree enables you to pursue work that matches your interests, from sustainability to community planning, national park service, landscape architecture and more. This versatility makes the degree a strong choice because it prepares you for careers in multiple fields and allows you to explore different professional opportunities.

4. Make a real impact in your community and around the world

Whether you’re designing a local park, restoring a riverbank, improving local landscapes or supporting sustainable land-use decisions, your environmental design efforts have long-lasting effects on people and ecosystems. You’re contributing to changes that make places healthier, more resilient and more enjoyable for those who live, work and learn there.

Why earn your environmental design degree at University of Idaho?

University of Idaho offers two degrees in environmental design: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design and Master of Landscape Architecture. Together, these programs create one of the strongest environmental design pathways in the region — and the only accredited landscape architecture graduate program in Idaho.

Here’s what makes our environmental design and landscape architecture programs unique:

• A seamless transition from B.S.E.D. to M.L.A.: The curriculum is intentionally designed so you can move from undergraduate study into professional licensure as a landscape architect.
• Hands-on learning in small class sizes: You’ll participate in design studios that partner with local communities and organizations, giving you experience with real sites, clients and environmental challenges.
• Technical training that matches industry expectations: Build skills across modeling, graphics, rendering and spatial analysis, which are tools essential for today’s design and planning fields.
• Faculty with deep expertise and strong regional ties: Learn from accomplished professionals who understand the landscapes and communities of the Pacific Northwest.
• A mission-driven approach to design: The program emphasizes real-world problem solving, sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Shape your future in environmental design

A degree in environmental design prepares you to address real environmental and community challenges with skill and creativity. At University of Idaho, you’ll learn from expert faculty, get hands-on experience, collaborate with local communities and build a strong path toward professional opportunities. Request more information or begin your application to get started.