2 credits
Fall 2026 Lecture Upper Division
The growing need for understanding the role of individuals, communities, and society in shaping the natural environment has led to a greater emphasis on landscape architectural research and the need to provide training in the research methods to support these efforts. It is an exciting time to enter this arena as landscape architects are collaborating with natural and social scientist to achieve better conservation outcomes, promote sustainable behaviors, and increase awareness and understanding of the complex environmental challenges facing our society. Non-Landscape Architecture students may gain enrollment with permission of instructor.
Learning Outcomes1Understand the need for social science research in landscape architecture practice and how this informs design theory development.
2Model conceptually the relationship between social and ecological variables and understand the types of research methods available to explore these relationships.
3Learn how to access demographic information about communities and user groups.
4Develop a basic understanding of analysis tools and techniques, such as the use of GIS applications, Microsoft Excel, and SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) to conduct analysis of quantitative data.
5Understand the common phases of developing theory-driven research and systems design evaluation.
Restrictions
made by Purdue students.