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January 2008
Master of Arts in Environmental Design:
An Interdepartmental Graduate Program in
Environmental Design
Admissions Information and Handbook
Academic Year 2007-2008
This handbook is intended to be used in conjunction with the official sources of information on graduate study published by Michigan State University's Graduate School (see links below) and is therefore, not a comprehensive document.
Graduate Students Rights and
Responsibilities (GSRR) pdf
Guidelines for Graduate
Student Advising and Mentoring Relationships pdf
Guidelines for Integrity in
Research and Creative Activities pdf
Please note that Michigan State University is
an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution.
Table of Contents
Program Overview
Program Overview The College of Agriculture and
Natural Resources in cooperation with the Departments of Horticulture and
Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies and the College of
Social Science together with The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
in cooperation with the School of Planning, Design, and Construction and its
Landscape Architecture Program and Interior Design Program participate in the
master's degree in Environmental Design. The College of Social Science is the primary administrative
unit. The
purpose of this master's degree is to train prospective or practicing
professionals to address the complex interdisciplinary nature of environmental
design. Students will develop a highly
individualized plan of study with a focus in a relevant design area such as
golf course architecture, landscape reclamation, visual quality modeling,
landscape restoration, interiorscapes, wellness/therapeutic garden design,
landscape development systems, plant management systems, adaptive reuse
facilities for tourism and recreation, park safety design and development, park
and tourism development, and design with ecological systems. The
Master of Arts Degree in Environmental Design addresses four areas of
professional development. These
include: 1. acquisition
of in-depth knowledge in the area of environmental design theory; 2. development
of problem-solving skills within an interdisciplinary professional context; 3. development
of technological expertise and knowledge base in a selected area of
environmental design; and 4. advanced
ability in graphic, written, and oral communication skills. The
program is planned to provide an alternative to traditional professional
degrees by addressing the needs of students with undergraduate design
backgrounds who wish to work in an interdisciplinary setting while pursuing an
area of individual interest.
Program Components/Plan Options Applicants must carefully consider choosing a
Plan A or Plan B option for their course of study. The purpose of the Plan A thesis is to
facilitate student endeavors related to environmental design science,
conducting a research investigation, and publishing results. Plan A also prepares the student for pursuing
a PhD. For Plan A, students must complete a minimum of 6 and a
maximum of 9 credits of Master's Thesis Research (899) in one of the following
departments/programs: Horticulture; Interior Design; or Community, Agriculture,
Recreation, and Resource Studies; or in the Landscape Architecture
Program. They must also prepare a
written thesis; prepare, present, and complete a final presentation open to the
public; and pass an oral examination administered by the graduate committee
(student's advisor and the two other members from the Environmental Design
faculty). The graduate committee
gives guidance during the thesis and presides over the oral examination. The purpose of a Plan B practicum is to allow
the student to explore, through planning and design, the creation and practical
application of precedents, normative theories, processes, technology,
ordinances, philosophies, and related ideas. Such studies facilitate specialization in a planning and
design topic and prepare the student with a professional area of expertise. For Plan B, students must complete
a minimum of 6 credits and a maximum of 9 credits of Master's Practicum (898)
in one of the following departments/program: Horticulture; Interior Design; or
Community, Agriculture, Recreation, and Resource Studies; or in the Landscape
Architecture Program. They must also complete a final report and pass an oral
examination (in the form of a presentation open to the public with a question
and answer period) administered by the student's graduate committee. A Plan of Study approval form, with signatures from all
committee members must be submitted to the Coordinator of the Environmental
Design degree program. Plan of study courses related to the student's area of
design interest, are chosen in consultation with and approval by the student's
academic advisor. The program of
study might include courses related to statistical methods and research
techniques. In addition, the
program of study might include technology classes such as in GIS (geographic
information science/systems), GPS (global positioning systems), and remote
sensing. Other program of study
courses might include courses concerning topics addressing the student's area
of specialization and interest.
Interdisciplinary seminar classes are strongly recommended. Directed independent study, readings,
and term papers related to highly specialized topics are also suitable. Degree Requirements All
students will take a core of three courses in environmental design (theory,
seminar, and studio), in addition to either Plan A (thesis option) or Plan B
(practicum option). Students will
elect relevant courses in fields which pertain to their design area of
interest. Admission Admission
to the Master of Arts in Environmental Design at Michigan State University is
competitive; only a limited number of applicants may be admitted each
year. The deadline for applicants
wishing to apply for financial aid offered through Environmental Design must be
received by 15 March 2008. All
other applications are reviewed when they are completed. Completed applications are sent to
Environmental Design faculty for review.
In order for the applicant to be accepted, an Environmental Design
faculty member has to accept the applicant as an advisee. It is strongly recommended that
applicants contact Design faculty members to select a general topic of study
acceptable to the faculty member acting as an advisor (see list of
Environmental Design faculty at the end of this document). To
be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in Environmental Design, the
applicant must have: 1. completed
a bachelor's degree in a design related field such as horticulture, parks and
recreation, interior design, landscape architecture, or architecture. 2. a
cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 in design and technology
courses. 3. satisfactory
scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE) as judged by the
environmental design faculty (600 or better in both verbal and quantitative are
suggested--applicants with GRE scores below 600 but above 400 may be accepted
on a provisional basis). No
substantive area GRE examinations are required. 4. acceptance
as an advisee by a participating Environmental Eesign faculty member. Application Application Form: Complete the MSU 2007-2008 Application for
Graduate Study online. Please complete the statement of purpose,
in your online application. Transcripts: Order one (1) official transcript from all
universities previously attended and have it sent to: Supervisor: Environmental
Design Masters Program, Landscape Architecture, MSU, E. Lansing, MI 48824-1221. Recommendation Letters: Have three recommendations completed on your behalf. Give referees envelopes addressed to:
Supervisor: Environmental Design Masters Program, Landscape Architecture, MSU,
E. Lansing, MI 48824-1221.
GRE: The GRE exam results are required for all
applicants. Tests must be ordered
through the appropriate testing services.
Please have all scores sent to: Supervisor: Environmental Design Masters
Program, Landscape Architecture, MSU, E. Lansing, MI 48824-1221. TOEFL: All international students must take the TOEFL
exam. Tests must be ordered
through the appropriate testing services.
Please have all scores sent to: Supervisor: Environmental Design Masters
Program, Landscape Architecture, MSU, E. Lansing, MI 48824-1221. Resume/Portfolio:
A resume or portfolio may be required. Please contact the individual Environmental Design faculty
member you are considering as an advisor to confirm the need to send a
portfolio. Send portfolios to:
Supervisor: Environmental Design Masters Program, Landscape Architecture, MSU,
E. Lansing, MI 48824-1221. All
portfolios will be returned upon completion of review by Environmental Design
faculty. Financial Aid Form: Submission of this form will result in
the applicant to be considered for research and teaching fellowships. Requirement for the Master of Arts Degree in
Environmental Design Students in the Master of Arts in Environmental Design must
complete a total of 33 credits for the degree under either Plan A (thesis) or
Plan B (practicum). A minimum of
17 of those credits must be at the 800-level or above, distributed as follows: Credits 1. All
of the following core courses (9 credits): LA
816 Environmental Design Theory
(fall semester) 3 LA
817 Environmental Design Studio
(spring semester) 3 LA
883 Environmental Design Seminar
(fall semester) 3 The final draft of
the thesis must be submitted to each committee member well ahead of the last
day of classes of the semester in which the student plans to graduate. An unbound copy of the thesis (with all
corrections made) must be given to the Graduate School, plus a bound copy to each committee member, and a bound copy for the Barr Planning and Design Library. The Plan A thesis
must be formatted according to the standards established in the Formatting Guide
published by the MSU Graduate School (available at
http://www.msu.edu/user/gradschl/format.htmlan). In addition, the student must comply with all
university requirements for thesis submittal and graduation.
The Plan B practicum must be submitted
to each committee member well ahead of the last day of classes of the semester
in which the student plans to graduate.
A bound copy of the practicum (with all corrections made) each committee
member and the Barr Planning and Design Library. The size and format for the document is somewhat flexible
and is approved by the student's graduate committee. The document should accommodate drawings, plans, and related
documents. A CD of images may also
accompany the document to give full-sized detail to graphic presentations,
digital movies, and other communicative material. In addition, the student must comply with all university
requirements regarding Plan B submittals. Certification for Graduation The
student must apply to graduate by completing an Application for Graduation
(available at http://www.esp.msu.edu/ro/gradapp/asp). Check this web site for specific application deadlines. When the Registrar's Office receives
the student's application, a Degree Certification form is forwarded to the
Program's Graduate Supervisor. The
Environmental Design supervisor will review the Plan of Study in the student's
file to determine if the student can be certified for graduation. The Environmental Design coordinator
then formally approves or denies the certification. Thesis Advisor List The importance of
selecting a thesis advisor is described in the previous section, as an advisor
must approve and accept the applicant in order to be admitted. The current list
of advisors and their areas of interest are noted below. Potential applicants
are strongly encouraged to contact individual faculty members. Please note,
that if the student's advisor leaves that university or is unable to continue
advising graduate students, the student must search for a new faculty advisor. If
a different faculty advisor in the Environmental Design program accepts the
student, the student can continue their existing plan of study. However, if a
new faculty advisor can not be found, the student will be advised to complete
their degree under the supervision of an advisor appointed by the Environmental Design Director. Active Environmental Design
Faculty April Allen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Dr. Sissi P. Bruch., PhD. R.L.A, Assistant Professor Dr. Jon Bryan
Burley, ASLA, Associate Professor Dr. Pat Crawford,
ASLA, Assistant Professor Patricia L.
Machemer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Duane Mezga,
Professor Paul E. Nieratko
II, Specialist, Instructor Gaylan A.
Rasmussen, MLA , Professor Warren J. Rauhe, ASLA, Associate Professor golf course architecture. Dr. Robert E.
Schutzki, Associate Professor Dr. Joanne M.
Westphal, ASLA, Professor Guidance/Graduate Committees A student's
graduate committee (for both Plan A and Plan B options is composed of the
student's advisor and two other members of the Environmental Design
Faculty. The graduate committee
gives guidance during the practicum experience or research investigations and
determines the results of the oral examination. It is strongly urged that a student compose a
committee by the end of the first semester of classes, so that the committee
might give advice concerning course work. In forming the committee, the student is
encouraged to meet with the student's advisor and develop a list of potential
committee members. Then the student should make an appointment to visit with
the potential committee members. The process involves the consensus of both the
student and potential committee members. The composition of the graduate committee
will be submitted to the director of the Environmental Design degree program
academic for approval. To ensure uniform standards across the Environmental
Design Program, the the director of the Environmental Design degree program may
add one appropriate member to the graduate committee. The composition of a graduate committee (the
non-advisor members) can change providing a member is willing to step down and
a new member can be found. This should be accomplished in consultation with the
student's advisor. Thesis/Dissertation Defense And Final Oral
Examination The final master's presentation and
evaluation is the culmination of a student's graduate education and training
and reflects not only on the accomplishments of the graduate student but also
on the quality of the graduate program. An approved thesis that is accepted by
the graduate school and the Plan B practicum becomes a single-author publication
and contributes to the body of knowledge within Environmental Design. The student presentation concerning the
results of the thesis or practicum is a seminar that is open to the academic
and public community. At the end of the presentation, an open question and
answer period will follow. Upon completion of the presentation and
question and answer period, all visitors will be asked to leave, and the
student's committee may ask further questions. Then the student will be asked
to leave the room, as the committee confers. Upon the arrival of the decision,
the student will be asked to return to the room and the committee will discuss
their decisions/conditions/results. To ensure fairness in the examination
procedure and maintenance of academic standards, the dean of the College of
Social Science and the dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural
Resources, and the director of the Environmental Design master degree program
may appoint an outside member to the examining committee. The outside member of
the committee will read and critique the thesis/practicum, will participate in
the oral part of the exam, and will submit a report to the dean of the college
and/or the director of the Environmental Design master program. Upon completion of the thesis/practicum the
student may wish to attempt to develop a manuscript, poster, abstract for
publication. The student may wish to invite the student's advisor and committee
members as co-authors. To include a committee member, the student must obtain
the committee member's permission to be a co-author. In addition, the co-author
may have conditions such as they have an opportunity to review the submittal
and even contribute to the submittal. The student has the right to determine
co-authorship and the order of the authors. Usually the student's name should
be the first author, then the committee member most involved in the particular
aspect of the research or investigation, followed by the remaining co-authors.
Upon publication, the student should supply the co-authors with a copy of the
document. If the thesis/practicum was funded, or
involved community organizations, or individuals, the published product should
acknowledge their contribution. For examples of past theses and practicums,
the student can visit Barr Planning and Design Library. Departmental Policies: Academic Performance Graduate students have a right to periodic
evaluation of their academic progress, performance, and professional potential
(GSRR 2.4.8). The graduate/guidance committee will meet with the graduate
student at least once a year (fall is recommended) to review the graduate
student's progress concerning his or her research or creative activity as well
as plans for work in the coming year (GSRR 2.4.8). A letter/written report on
the results of this review will be signed by the members of the guidance
committee and by the graduate student. This report will be filed with the
director of the Environmental Design master's program and will be placed in the
graduate student's file, together with any response that the graduate student
may attach to the report of the guidance committee. Acceptable academic standing is considered to
be a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Satisfactory progress towards completion of the
degree is highly flexible; however, each student should be aware of the
University time limits for completion of the degree. In addition, the student
must carefully plan and coordinate the completion of their degree in
consultation with their major advisor and complete their degree while their major
professor is still a faculty member at Michigan State University. Students in poor academic standing, students
nearing the end of their time limit, and students who must finish their degree
before a change in status of a major professor will receive written notice from
the Director of the Environmental Design master's degree program informing them
of their status/standing. Each student will have a file on record
containing submitted application materials, grade reports, plan of study
materials, and copies of official letters from the program and faculty. ): Students have the right to challenge the accuracy of academic files. This challenge, correction, or inaccuracy is addressed by the student writing a letter that is placed in his/her file. If the student is an employee of the
university, a separate employee file will be maintained by the employing
office/program/department. Students are allowed to examine their file by
making an appointment to visit with the Director of the Environmental Design
master program. Departmental Policies: Integrity And Safety In
Research And Creative Activities Integrity in research and creative activities
is based on sound disciplinary practices as well as on a commitment to basic
values such as fairness, equity, honesty, and respect. During a student's
graduate educational experience, valuing professional integrity and high
standards of ethical behavior through interaction with members of their
academic unit and their faculty advisor and by emulating exemplary behavior is
expected. Faculty advisors and graduate students are
strongly encouraged to examine Guidelines for Integrity in Research and
Creative Activities (http://grad.msu.edu/staff/mentoreport.pdf).
Incoming students will be informed at the
beginning of their first semester at MSU about standards of professional
integrity appropriate for the discipline, the MSU policy related to the use of
humans and vertebrate animals for research, and about the Office of Radiation
Chemical and Biological Safety (ORCBS) regulations and policies related to
laboratory safety and security including issues related to the handling of
transgenic plants and pathogenic organisms.
University regulations require that all investigators (faculty
and/or graduate students) who will conduct research that
involves human subjects or materials of human origin must
submit an application to UCRIHS (see below). Approval of
the research protocol must be in place before the
investigator begins data collection.
These regulations are of specific concern to graduate
students because "research" includes the preparation of
Master's Theses (and Doctoral Dissertations). By
regulation, UCRIHS may not approve data gathered without
its prior review and approval of the project.
Examples of research involving human subjects include:
interviews, telephone or mail surveys, behavioral or
educational testing, observation of individual or group
behavior, collection of blood (or other biologic) samples.
UCRIHS regulations require that your Thesis proposal and
methodology be reviewed and approved by the UCRIHS
review committee BEFORE data collection begins.
Procedure to obtain UCHRIS approval.
What Is UCRIHS?
The University Committee on Research Involving Human
Subjects (UCRIHS) is an Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Refer to http://www.humanresearch.msu.edu/ for UCRIHS
specifics. Federal regulations and University policy require
that all research projects involving human subjects and
materials of human origin be reviewed and approved by an
IRB before initiation.
Research is defined as "a systematic investigation, including
research development, testing and evaluation, designed to
develop or contribute to generalized knowledge" (45 CFR
46.102d). The "generalized knowledge" criteria may include
developing publications/papers, theses/dissertations,
making public presentations, etc.
A human subject of research is a) a living individual from
whom an investigator obtains data by interaction or intervention
or b) identifiable private information. (45 CFR
46.102d)
All research involving human subjects and/or data collected
from living human subjects (including preexisting data) is
subject to UCRIHS review.
UCRIHS is a committee (approximately 20 members) of
volunteers consisting of MSU faculty members and community
representatives. MSU faculty members are appointed
by their deans in consultation with their faculty advisory
committee. In addition, there are members unaffiliated with
the University, a representative from the Office of the Vice
President for Student Affairs and Services, a legal representative
and two graduate student representatives. These
members and the non-voting Chairperson are appointed by
the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies.
The review process begins when an investigator submits a
completed application to UCRIHS. Applications forms are
available from the UCRIHS office or by web at:
http://www.humanresearch.msu.edu. UCRIHS assigns the
application an Institutional Review Board (IRB) log number
which is sent to the responsible investigator and major
faculty member for reference in future communication with
UCRIHS. Refer to the name of the Responsible Project
Investigator and the assigned IRB# when corresponding or
submitting documents to UCRIHS.
The number of reviewers assigned to the project is based
on the review category. UCRIHS applications are assigned
to one of three risk levels: full board review,
expedited review, and exempt from full board review.
(Note that most planning theses are normally exempt
from full board review- however, each graduate student
MUST still apply for UCRIHS approval.)
Investigators should indicate on page 13 of the application
which risk level they believe their project falls into.
However, any reviewer or the Chair may reassign any
protocol to another review category if s/he thinks it is
appropriate. Federal regulation defines research activities
that may be categorized as exempt from full board review
or expedited review (see Tables on pp. 7-9). All other
research falls under full board review. Exempt from full
board review protocols are sent to one reviewer; expedited
review protocols are sent to two reviewers; and full
board review protocols are sent to five reviewers.
Once the reviewer(s) is assigned, notification is sent via
email to the reviewer. The reviewer(s) is given 10 days to
review the project. At the end of the ten days, the
reviewer(s) should have either forwarded an approval or, if
the reviewer(s) has concerns, the comment(s), to the
UCRIHS office.
UCRIHS staff will post the comment(s) and alert the
responsible and secondary (if applicable) project investigators
and the study coordinator (if applicable) via email
that a comment(s) has been posted.
The investigator(s) then submits via the online application
a response to the comment(s) and attaches the revised
document(s) (if necessary). Responses to reviewer
comment(s) do not need to come from the Responsible
Investigator; other investigators may submit the responses.
The UCRIHS office alerts the reviewer(s) via email that the
investigator has responded to the reviewer comment(s).
The reviewer(s) has five days to review the investigator's
response. If the reviewer(s) still has questions, an
additional comment(s) is forwarded to the UCRIHS office.
When the reviewer(s) is satisfied that the rights and
welfare of human subjects are adequately protected, s/he
forwards notice of approval to the UCRIHS office.
An approval letter is issued for exempt from full review
and expedited review protocols as soon as the reviewer(s)
has approved. Full board review protocols receive
approval letters after the protocol has been discussed and
approved by vote of the full committee at its monthly
meeting. Investigators may begin gathering data from
human subjects only after receiving a signed approval
letter from the Chair of UCRIHS.
It is important for the student to remember
that violation of copyright laws, fabrication of research materials,
endangering the health, safety, and welfare of students, staff, and faculty,
and not complying with university rules and regulations concerning human
subjects and animals shall be grounds for dismissal. Student Conduct And Conflict Resolution The Director of the
Environmental Design master's program will have an open door policy to discuss
student conduct and conflicts with faculty and graduate students for resolution
in a timely, professional manner.
Graduate students that believe they have been aggrieved
have the right to appeal decisions made by faculty and
faculty administrators. The first step to resolve the
situation is to try and resolve the issue with the individual
faculty member involved. If this approach is
unsuccessful, the student must follow the administrative
hierarchy outlined below, as needed:
ED Director
Past indications demonstrate that most issues can be
resolved at the student/faculty level.
The Office of the Ombudsman is available to advise
students regarding conflicts. Refer to: University Resources Breslin Student Events Center Ticket Office:
517-432-5000 MSU Help Line (A service to answer or refer
inquiries concerning academic or other University policies and procedures):
517-353-4MSU Spartan Bookstore, International Center
517-355-3450 MSU Computer Store, Ground Floor Computer
Center 517-432-0700 English Language Center 517-353-0800 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Faculty,
Staff, and Graduate Student Association www.msu.edu/~glfsa Office of International Students and Scholars
517-353-1720 Office of Racial and Ethnic Student Affairs,
338 Student Services 517-353-7745 Main MSU Library Information Desk
517-353-8700 Registrar's Office 517-355-3300 Resource Center for Persons with
Disabilities, 120 Bessey Hall 517-353-9642; TTY: 517-355-1293 Student Affairs & Services, 153 Student
Services Building 355-2264 Women's Resource Center, 332 Union Building
517-353-1635 The Writing Center (grammar usage hotline)
517-432-3610 Learning Resource Center 517-355-2363 Environmental Design Master's Program Barr Planning and Design Library Return to Environmental Design
Home Page 5 May 2005
NCIDQ Certificate No. 013314
Interior Design
School of Planning, Design and Construction,
101 Human Ecology Building,
MSU
E. Lansing, MI 48824-1030
517/355-6973
FAX 517/432-8108
allenapr@msu.edu
history of interiors, historic preservation, sustainability, creativity and
visualization.
Landscape Architecture
MSU
East Lansing, MI 48824
517/432-8085
FAX 517/353-0006
sissi@msu.edu
urban design and planning, environmental justice, sustainable design.
Landscape Architecture
MSU
E. Lansing, MI 48824
517/353-7880
FAX 517/353-0006
burleyj@msu.edu
landscape reclamation, restoration, habitat design, landscape planning, spatial
modeling, design theory, visual quality, landscape science, and research
methods.
Landscape Architecture
MSU
East Lansing, MI 48824
517/353-7880
FAX 517/353-0006
crawf203@msu.edu
participatory design, , park planning and design, design pedagogy, universal
design.
Landscape Architecture Program and Urban Planning Program
101 Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
517/353-7880
FAX 517/353-0006
machemer@msu.edu
landscape planning and management, land cover change, growth management,
participatory design.
Landscape Architecture
MSU
E. Lansing, MI 48824
517/353-7880
FAX 517/353-0006
mezga@msu.edu
landscape memorials, design communication, urban design.
Landscape Architecture
MSU
E. Lansing, MI 48824
527/353-7880
FAX 517/353-0006
nieratko@msu.edu
golf course architecture, urban design, open space systems planning.
Park Recreation and Tourism Resources
131 Natural Resources Building
MSU
East Lansing, Michigan 48824
517/353-5190 x-108
FAX 517-432-3597
rasmusse@msu.edu
Small and large scale recreation design, community assessment, golf course
architecture, graphic communications.
Landscape Architecture
MSU
E. Lansing, MI 48824
517/353-7880
FAX 517/353-0006
rauhe@msu.edu
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Horticulture
A218 Plant and Soil Science Building
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E. Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-5487
schutzki@msu.edu
environmental horticulture, planting design, landscape specifications, landscape
contracting.
Landscape Architecture
MSU
E. Lansing, MI 48824
517/353-7880
FAX 517/353-0006
westphal@msu.edu
wellness gardens, theraputic environments, rural landscape preservation,
recreation planning and design.
Director of the School of Planning, Design &
Construction
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
www.msu.edu/unit/ombud/
Graduate Students Rights
and Responsibilities (GSRR)
Guidelines for Graduate
Student Advising and Mentoring Relationships
Guidelines for Integrity in
Research and Creative Activities
101 UPLA Building
Phone: 517-353-7880
E-mail: burleyj@msu.edu
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Revised 12 August 2005
Revised 10 January 2008