Merging fields such as site planning, ecology, horticulture, landscape design, fine art and industrial design, landscape architecture concerns itself with the creation and long-term planning of outdoor spaces. This is true for both public urban areas as well as large commercial properties and private estates.

Requirements for the PhD program often involve the student having already obtained a Master’s degree. Additionally, a thesis or dissertation primarily consisting of original academic research must be submitted. In some countries, this work may even need to be defended in front of a panel.