PLAD: Planning, Landscape Architecture & Design

Photo by Timothy Hursley

DIVISION OF PLANNING, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN (PLAD)

Toward Sustainable and Equitable Futures.

Communities in Oklahoma and around the globe are facing the complex challenges of raising local quality of life, expanding equitable economic opportunity, protecting the legacy of our natural environment, and creating places where all are included and welcomed. The Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design (PLAD) exists to equip communities with the tools they need to meet these goals.

PLAD brings together OU’s longstanding programs of Environmental Design, Landscape Architecture, Regional and City Planning, and the Urban Design Studio. Together, we’re charting a new path forward to address the pressing issues facing our world. This unique consolidation creates an interdisciplinary platform that enables students to explore, innovate, and implement comprehensive planning, design, and policy solutions. Our focus is on strengthening students’ understanding of the complex interactions within our social and natural ecosystems and preparing them to learn from and work with community members.

Four Programs. For Good.

Our mission is to change lives. We educate and inspire students to work with communities toward socially equitable, environmentally resilient, and economically viable futures. Through our research, we help communities, nonprofits, and policy makers understand the challenges they face as well as how to evaluate possible solutions. We take seriously our commitments to the state of Oklahoma and have a track record of working in partnership with towns and cities across the State to improve local quality of life through applied projects that bring the real world into the classroom.

Integrated Perspectives. United Vision.

Though each discipline has its unique approach and focus, we are all inherently intertwined. Together we are equipping students and communities with the tools and knowledge necessary to address global issues such as climate change, equitable urbanization, and the need for sustainable community development.

Regional + City Planning

– Master of Regional + City Planning

– Accelerated Bachelor’s and Master’s

– PhD in Planning, Design and Construction

Landscape Architecture

– Accelerated Bachelor’s + Master’s | 3 +3 BSED / MLA

– Master of Landscape Architecture

Environmental Design

– Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design

– Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design & Master of Regional + City Planning

– Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design & Landscape Architecture

Urban Design

– Master of Urban Design

Alumni Voices

Regional + City Planning

“The RCPL program I think is uniquely positioned in a way that is very well connected to a lot of like local practitioners and it has a lot of kind of practical experiences, assignments, a lot of things I was doing, like, while I was pursuing my master’s degree, were not just like theoretical things, we’re doing a lot of hands on projects, going to visit some small towns, not so small towns, talking to other planners who are already practicing.”

Anna Siprikova

Senior Programs Manager
Global Designing Cities Initiative

Landscape Architecture

“I think the faculty right now is a really interesting mix that is helping each and every individual student find their way in a really empathetic and supportive environment.”

Brent Wall

Director
LAUD Studio

Environmental Design

“Those classes are amazing. They are amazingly designed so that students can put the hand on activity to solve the world problems in real life situation. And I was proud to get involved in the design of parks, the design of different buildings in Oklahoma. I remember as a team, we designed a park in a small town not far away from from Norman, and I loved the project.”