Study Landscape Architecture at CU Denver
A Message from the Chair of Landscape Architecture
Welcome to Landscape Architecture in the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado Denver!
We are excited to have you study landscape architecture with us! It is a dynamic and multifaceted field encompassing design, planning, environmental, and social considerations. Our Master of Landscape Architecture program will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in this exciting field and make the positive difference in the world you seek to make. We are a joyful and close-knit community of co-learners and can’t wait to meet you.
I invite you to contact me, our advisor, CAP admissions, and our faculty to learn more about our program.
Listen to Our Podcast
In October 2025, the Department of Landscape Architecture launched the "Something Else About Landscape Architecture" podcast. Landscape architecture is so much more than designing outdoor spaces. At its core, it's a discipline that blends art, ecology, design, and social understanding. It goes beyond gardens and parks, branching out to include projects that involve restoring ecosystems, designing for resiliency and longevity, planning spaces that are accessible and equitable, and adapting spaces in response to climate change. Tune in as we dig into something else, something less obvious, something you might not know about landscape architecture.
Landscape Architecture Studios | Spring 2025
MLA Contacts
Jody Beck PhD
Professor and Chair of the Landscape Architecture Department
- Administration and Instruction Services (CAP)
- Landscape Architecture Department (CAP)
Primary Phone:303-315-2409
Office Hours: By appointment
Mailing Address:
- CU Denver
CU Denver Building
1250 14th Street
Denver, CO 80202
About
Jody Beck's teaching and research are organized around the intersection of politics and landscapes. His research spans the history of ideas to utopian proposals for reconstructing society based on the fact that landscapes are the foundational political medium. Beck has written two books, John Nolen and the Metropolitan Landscape and Landscape and Utopia, which approach this topic in different ways.
Beck is also interested in the role of food production and agriculture in landscape form and the design of cities and has written several articles and one book chapter on this topic. He is currently supporting a number of different community food initiatives with his research and creative work activities and has a $150,000 grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board to study the use of reclaimed water in food production in the arid west.
Beck is also the director of the University Technical Assistance Program, building on the good work and solid foundation laid in that program by Chris Koziol, Lois Brink, and others. This program has over 20 active projects across the state offering predesign services to local government units and hires approximately 20 CAP students each year.
His favorite teaching activities are studios that engage actual clients, ranging from community groups to non-profit organizations to municipalities.
Beck is Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture where he directly engages with students, the profession, and communities. He strongly believes in interdisciplinary work and hopes to be able to foster more collaboration across departments in the areas of curriculum as well as in research and creative work.
Before pursuing a design and then an academic career, I grew up on a cattle ranch in rural Montana. He pursued his work across the spectrum from urban to rural areas.
Research & Creative Projects
Routledge Handbook of Landscape and Food
John Nolen and the Metropolitan Landscape
Areas of Expertise
My central interest is in the political nature of landscapes. The vast majority of my work focuses on landscapes as they relate to food, agriculture, and/or utopian thought.
Education, Licensure & Certifications
DEGREES HELD
- Doctor of Philosophy, Architecture, University of Pennsylvania (2009)
- Master of Science in Architecture, University of Pennsylvania (2007)
- Bachelor of.Architecture, Rice University (1995)
- Bachelor of Arts, Architecture, Rice University (1993)
Awards
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
2023, College of Architecture and Planning Research and Creative Works Award
2022, College of Architecture and Planning Service and Leadership Award
2017, Food Studies International Award of Excellence
2015, College of Architecture and Planning Excellence in Teaching
2010, Merit Award for art.landscape.performance.life, Ellerslie Garden Show, Christchurch, New Zealand
2006, Special Initiatives Volunteer Award, Community Design Collaborative Philadelphia
RECENT GRANTS
$150,000 of funding from the Colorado Water Conservation Board for a three-year study to test the impacts of using reclaimed water on soil and produce in an in-ground mixed vegetable production methodology in partnership with the Colorado School of Mines and Denver Water.
Meet Current MLA Students
Dan Schumacher
Dan earned his Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Columbia University before joining us at CU Denver and is currently pursuing a dual Master of Landscape Architecture and Master of Urban Design . "...During my studies and work in architecture, I realized I was interested in the movement of people outside of the building and how landscape architecture is designed to create a symphony of activity within urban settings. I have since realized my connection to architecture remains strong and so I enjoy mingling my landscape architecture coursework with urban design classes to thoroughly explore the relationship that exists between landscape, architecture, and urban planning."
Rachel Thody
Rachel earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Western Washington University in addition to completing biology and chemistry prerequisites at Whatcom Community College, and now her sights are set on a career in natural sciences through landscape architecture. "“My number one reason for pursuing landscape architecture is to help facilitate a better relationship between people and the environment and work as a liaison for the plant." Rachel also has a passion for mountain biking. “I’m totally motivated by mountain biking since it's my favorite hobby for the dopamine and for being out experiencing really cool landscapes. You can't help but be a die-hard conservationist when your playground is in jeopardy of unchecked development and climate change.”
Lexi Bernstein
Lexi earned her bachelor's degree in art from the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University in Saint Joseph, Minnesota and her Master of Fine Arts and Humanities from the University of Dundee in Dundee, Scotland. "Lexi said that as she pursued professional positions, she quickly realized what she what her interests truly were. “I realized the pieces I was drawn to creating utilized green walls and roofs, landform manipulation, and generally included building spaces for community.” This realization led her to the MLA degree program. I was always motivated to make pieces that were accessible, public, and usually large scale.”