Side-By-Side Comparison of Programs

After spending several hours researching various landscape architecture programs across the United States, I have come to find that many of the cities listed in my original blog post are no longer relevant if I do decide to pursue a masters degree in this field. I have created a table for easy comparison of these schools and the cities in which they reside. Because landscape architecture is still a relatively recent field, masters programs are somewhat scarce. This table takes a look at seven prospective schools, outlining pertinent information in an organized manner for at-a-glance comparison.

Detailed Climatological Data

Denver, CO

Seattle, WA

Eugene, OR

East Lansing, MI

Ann Arbor, MI

Providence, RI

Davis, CA

Kalamazoo, MI

Creating the Framework for my Project

Continuing to explore the focus of my blog, I'd like to lay out the framework around which my blog will be constructed. Since there are numerous tasks I hope to accomplish, I must be organized in my approach. Primarily, as stated in the previous post, I hope to explore the urban environment of various cities across the United States as they relate to environmental discourse (my field of study). I will expand upon my overall impression of the city by also exploring their educational offerings as they relate to my intended career. Using this information, I will be able to narrow down my constantly-changing, ever-expanding list of prospective cities. This deliberate and methodological selection will help me focus on just a few of my most personally favorable cities, allowing me to go into detail regarding a range of pertinent information.

• Environmental programs and recognition
• Campus recognition/achievements
• Campus programs
• Potential integration to WMU
• City recognition/achievements
• City programs
• Potential integration to Kalamazoo
• Other various personally important aspects
• Outdoor recreation
• Linear parks
• Local opportunities for hiking
• A relevant job market
• Table of statistics for at-a-glance comparison
• City population
• Campus enrollment
• Program enrollment
• Weather related information
• Average annual temperatures
• Cloudy vs. sunny vs. rainy days

While this outline remains a work in progress, it does summarize a basic intent. For more information regarding the factors to consider when choosing a new city or school, I found two pretty helpful links:

1. http://www.december.com/simple/live/choosecity.html
2. http://diplomaguide.com/articles/8_Factors_to_Consider_When_Choosing_a_College.html

I feel one of the most interesting aspects of this blog will be the research of various city's responses to our period of environmental uncertainty. Many cities and campuses have established programs to offset their environmental harm. I hope to uncover some interesting programs and explore if they have the potential to be integrated locally.

Looking Ahead

As I venture into the last leg of my undergraduate collegiate experience, I am faced with a plethora of questions. We're all familiar with times of transition. They can be as scary as they are exciting; as stressful as they are rewarding. Regardless of your perspective, one thing is certain: you're going to have to make decisions. Big decisions. Decisions that could very well alter your future entirely. As intimidating as that sounds, you can really never truly know if you'd be better off having made an alternate choice. You can, however, increase your chances of a positive outcome by making an informed decision. This is the very intention of my blog. As I look ahead, I have endless options. Where to live, a specific field of study, whether to head straight to grad school or whether to pursue an interim internship... and the list goes on. Through this blog, I hope to collect my thoughts and interests to better assist me in deciding three primary things:

1. What city is most conducive to my lifestyle and interests.
2. Whether I should head straight to grad school, or pursue an internship.
3. What school/internship has the best program suitable for my intended field.

 To help me make these decisions, I will be researching various cities, schools and internships as they relate to my primary career-oriented interests:

• My primary major - Environmental Studies
• My secondary/reinforcing major - Earth Sciences
• My 2 year study of Architecture and Design at the University of Michigan with intended specialization in the field of Landscape Architecture

Taking these focuses into consideration, I will begin by studying a few cities that have always intrigued me, with more to be added as my exploration becomes more in-depth. 

• Boulder, CO
• Portland, OR
• Seattle, WA
• Denver, CO
• Berkeley, CA
• Chicago, IL
• San Francisco, CA

Though this list is not conclusive, it will begin to form a solid foundation for comparison. I hope to also receive input and feedback from others who have any applicable knowledge or suggestions. I look forward to scrutinizing these cities for their environmental offerings in hopes of putting myself on a track that will positively influence my future.