Environmental Design
Environmental design includes the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and planning design, as well as research pertaining to these fields. The bachelor in environmental design curriculum is a design studio-based education, which requires the completion of design-based studio experiences every semester, along with a number of complementary courses, general electives, and environmental-design electives. At any time students may declare an emphasis in architectural design, landscape architecture design, urban and planning design, or design studies; they must declare an emphasis during their third-level studio. All graduates from the undergraduate program earn a bachelor in environmental design degree with an emphasis in architectural design, landscape architecture design, urban and planning design, or design studies.
In the core, bachelor in environmental design students take a sequence of courses, which emphasize the knowledge, methods, and practices, common to the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and planning design. As the established design professions are increasingly collaborating on complex design issues related to the designed environment, the mix of core courses reflects these trends.
The program requires that students complete courses in a clear series of prerequisites, but includes flexible opportunity for general studies and elective courses. Students must meet the prerequisites of any course before enrolling in subsequent courses.
The Design Emphases
Students may declare an emphasis at any time upon enrollment, but must declare an emphasis before enrolling in any third-level design studio. In addition, students must meet the required prerequisites for each level. Students will declare an emphasis in architectural design, landscape architectural design, urban and planning design, or design studies.
The BEnvd degree and its emphases is a preprofessional program of study intended to prepare students for entry into graduate study, though many bachelor's in environmental design students find employment in careers allied to the professions without undertaking graduate study. Depending upon the particular requirements of graduate professional programs at other institutions, the BEnvd degree may lead to advanced standing, which can shorten the duration of graduate studies. After completing the BEnvd degree, a professional master's degree will be required for professional licensure in architecture or landscape architecture.
Environmental Design Curriculum: Thematic Structure
The undergraduate Program in Environmental Design encourages interdisciplinary study and collaborative work on real-world programs. It also encourages a breadth of knowledge, including knowledge in the liberal arts and in other general studies, which prepare students to be critical thinkers and communicators.
The first year of the core introduces students to fundamental design ideas and practices, to the concepts of analysis and problem solving, to human factors, to ecology, to design history and theory, and to the relationship between environmental design and ethics. The following three semesters challenge students with design problems at a different scales within the built environment: at the scales of urban building, landscape, and design. Each of these design challenges underscores the interdependency of scales upon one another and the complex connectedness which characterizes the built environment.
The final three semesters of the curriculum offer students the opportunity to emphasize architecture, landscape architecture, or planning and urban design. Students wishing to pursue academic work that crosses disciplines can pursue design studies. During the final two years of study, students may earn opportunities to engage in service learning in the community or in design-build, they may study abroad, or they may have opportunities for more individualized research.
Course codes for this program are ARCH and ENVD.
Bachelor's Degree Program(s)
Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Design
General Degree Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours subject to the maximum outlined in this catalog, meet all specified major core requirements, and maintain a GPA of 2.00 or better.
Students must complete one course from each of the following general education requirements area. Courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better.
- Writing: WRTG 1150 or ARSC 1150
- Humanities: one class from the following arts and sciences core areas: human diversity, literature and the arts, or ideals and values
- Social Science: one class from the following arts and sciences core areas: historical context, United States context, or contemporary societies
- Math: one class from the emphasis area: architecture: MATH 1150 or 1300; planning: MATH 2510 or SOCY 2061; landscape architecture: MATH 1150, 1300, 2510; or SOCY 2061
- Natural Science: one class from the emphasis area: architecture: PHYS 2010; planning and urban design or landscape architecture: CHEM 1111, EBIO 1030 and 1050 or EBIO 1210 and 1230, PHYS 2010
Environmental Design Curriculum and Course Sequence
Year One
- Semester I. The first semester of the core introduces students to the broad range of issues and forces that interact to affect the shape and form of the designed environment, including human factors and land ethics.
- Semester II. The second semester introduces critical design theories and practices which can effect change at different scales and levels of complexity. Areas of study extend to ecology, as well as to the history and theory of the built environment.
Years Two and Three
- Semesters III to IV. The three-semester sequence focuses on issues surrounding sustainability in the built environment. In studios, faculty from the disciplines of architecture, landscape, and planning use an interdisciplinary approach to understanding design and the designed environment addressing complex global issues, especially emphasizing sustainability and community engagement.
Years Three and Four
- Semesters VI to VIII. Students must declare an emphasis in their third semester. During these semesters, students pursue more specialized study within their emphasis. Students may also have opportunities for praxis (applied practice), service learning within the community, research, or study abroad. The program recognizes several certificate programs, within the program and across the campus, which can substitute for praxis and for other requirements (see Certificates below).
Required Courses and Semester Credit Hours
First Year: Core Classes
Fall Semester
- ENVD 1004 Introduction to Environmental Design Theory—3
- ENVD 1052 Design and Communication 1—3
- ENVD 2001 Social Factors and Design—3
- Writing requirement—3
- Humanities (see list of options above)—3
Spring Semester
- ENVD 1102 Design and Communication 2—3
- ENVD 1104 Introduction to Environmental Design Methods—3
- ENVD 2003 Ecology and Design—3
- Natural science requirement (see list of options above) (Note 1)—3-5
- Social science (see list of options above)—3
Second Year: Core Classes
Fall Semester
- ENVD 2120 Environmental Design Studio 1—6
- ENVD 3115 Introduction to Building Materials and Systems—3
- ARCH 3114 History of Architecture 1—3
- Math requirement (see list of options above) (Note 2)—3-5
Spring Semester
- ENVD 2130 Intermediate Design Studio 2—6
- ENVD 3003 Site Planning—3
- ENVD 3004 History of Landscape Architecture—3
- Non-ENVD elective (Note 3)—3
Third Year: Core Classes
Fall Semester
- ENVD 3100 Environmental Design Studio 3—6
- ENVD 3122 Research Issues and Methods in Planning and Design—3
- ENVD 3124 Issues in Planning History—3
- Non-ENVD elective—3
Spring Semester
- ENVD 3300 Selected ENVD Design Studio or Practicum or study abroad—6
- ENVD 3300 ENVD Seminar, approved certificate courses, study abroad, or design studies—3
- ENVD or open electives—3
- Non-ENVD elective—3
Course Notes
1. These are linked core courses that are corequisites and are designed to be taken together.
2. Students intending to enroll in the architecture emphasis are strongly encouraged to take a physics class.
3. Students intending to enroll in the architecture emphasis are strongly encouraged to take a pre-calculus math class.
4. Students intending to enroll in the architecture emphasis are strongly encouraged to take a total of 45 credits of general study.
Fourth Year: Architecture Emphasis
Architecture emphasis students develop design solutions encompassing conventional design-build, digital fabrication, cultural, urban and global context, areas of structures, construction, and environmental systems, and how they are integrated into built structures.
Fall Semester
- ENVD 4100 Architecture Studio 1—6
- ENVD elective or AREN 3050 Environmental Systems for Buildings 1—3
- ENVD elective or AREN 4035 Architectural Structures 1—3
- Elective—3
Spring Semester
- ENVD 4300 Architecture Studio 2—6
- ENVD elective or AREN 3060 Environmental Systems for Buildings 2—3
- ENVD elective or AREN 4045 Architectural Structures 2—3
- Elective—3
Fourth Year: Planning Emphasis
Planning emphasis students will focus on problems of sustainability in urban environments and the integration of urban design with other planning practices to address sustainability issues.
Fall Semester
- ENVD 4100 Advanced Planning Seminar—3
- ENVD 4023 Environmental Impact Assessment—3
- ENVD 3152 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)—3
- ENVD 4361 Healthy and Vital Communities—3
- Non-ENVD elective—3
Spring Semester
- ENVD 4420 Planning Capstone—3
- ENVD 4794 Planning/Urban History—3
- ENVD 4311 Housing Policies and Planning—3
- ENVD elective—3
- Non-ENVD elective—3
Fourth Year: Landscape Emphasis
Landscape emphasis students develop design solutions in all scales that work in concert with natural systems and reflect both the art and science of design.
Fall Semester
- ENVD 4340 Landscape Architecture Studio 1—6
- ENVD 4100 Landscape Architectural History—3
- ENVD 4100 Landform Manipulations—3
- Elective—3
Spring Semester
- ENVD 4440 Landscape Architecture Studio 2—6
- ENVD 4100 Materials and Methods—3
- ENVD4100 Plants and Design—3
- Elective—3
Fourth Year: Design Studies Emphasis
The design studies sequence provides students the opportunity to build interdisciplinary, flexible, and specialized courses of study. Faculty advisor and academic advisor must approve courses.
Fall Semester
- ENVD 4100 Design Thinking—3
- ENVD elective—6-9
- Elective—3-6
Spring Semester
- ENVD 4420 Design Studies Capstone—3
- ENVD elective—6-9
- Elective—3-6
Environmental Design Minor
A minor in environmental design provides an approach to identifying and solving complex problems within the context of the built environment. It provides a foundation in theory, history, and methodology employed in fields such as architecture, planning, landscape architecture, and related design disciplines. The environmental design minor has three possible tracks, one in design, one in theory, and one in planning. These three tracks reflect the breadth of topics and methods covered in the environmental design curriculum and meet a variety of interests of students seeking the minor.
Design Track
The design track develops students’ basic skills and knowledge about designing in the built environment. It provides practice that enables students to work with professional architects and planners or to go to graduate school in the professional design fields.
Required
- ENVD 1052 Design and Communication 1
- ENVD 1102 Design and Communication 2
History and Theory Classes: Choose two:
- ENVD 3114 History and Theory of ENVD: Buildings; ENVD 3134 History and Theory of ENVD: Precincts; ENVD 3144 History and Theory of ENVD: Systems
- ENVD 2120 Environmental Design Studio 1
Studio Class Option. Choose one:
- ENVD 2130 Environmental Design Studio: Landscape Design,
- ENVD 3100 Environmental Design Studio: Urban Design or AREN only—ARCH 4010 Architectural Appreciation and Design
Environmental Design History and Theory Track
The theory track develops students’ basic skills in design and an understanding of theories of design through history and in contemporary society. It provides a foundation for students interested in a broad range of fields, including computational design, urban and community development, resource management, and technology.
Required
- ENVD 1052: Design and Communication 1
- ENVD 1102: Design and Communication 2
- ENVD 1104: Intro Environmental Design Methods
History and Theory Classes. Choose two:
- ENVD 3114 History and Theory of ENVD: Buildings; ENVD 3134 History and Theory of ENVD: Precincts; ENVD 3144 History and Theory of ENVD: Systems
- History theory elective: any one class from
- ENVD 4364 History and Historiography of ENVD
- ENVD 4764 Theory and Criticism in ENVD
Planning Track
The planning track develops students’ basic skills and knowledge about urban and environmental planning. Students gain an understanding of land use, fundamentals of successful communities, and the sustainable interaction of systems. This track enables students to work with professional planners and better understand planning as it applies to their own major field. It also prepares students for graduate study in planning.
Required
- ENVD 3144 History and Theory of ENVD: Systems
- ENVD 3300 Planning Studio Praxis (see ENVD 4100 below) or 4000-level planning studio
Three of the following courses:
- ENVD 4100 Praxis coupled class (required if taking praxis)
- ENVD 3152 Geographic Information Systems
- ENVD 4023 Environmental Impact Assessment
- ENVD 4311 Housing Policy and Planning
- ENVD 4794 History of Urban Design and Planning
- Any special topics class in ENVD 4361 Social Factors in Design or ENVD 4363 Physical Factors in ENVD
Dual Degree Programs
Dual Degrees
In addition to the BEnvd degree, students may pursue a dual degree at CU-Boulder. Past students have received the BEnvd degree concurrently with undergraduate degrees in business, engineering, and various programs offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. Typically, specific course requirements do not change in either program of a double degree; and additional hours (varying by college) may be required. All undergraduate students must complete the general education requirements and the requirements for their specific emphasis within the Program in Environmental Design in addition to the other requirements. Students considering a double-degree program are encouraged to speak with advisors in both units to determine requirements and procedures for application.
Certificate Program
Certificates and Minors
Students are encouraged to explore the opportunity of adding a certificate or minor to their studies. The following are a few certificates that the program supports towards its Praxis semester. Students interested in the certificate options below or in any alternative certificate or minor offered at CU, for the Praxis semester, or in addition to their primary study, should contact their academic advisor to have a plan set in place prior to their junior year.
- INVST Community Studies (www.colorado.edu/communitystudies)
- Western American Studies (www.centerwest.org/academics/certificate)
- Minor in Technology, Arts and Media (tam.colorado.edu/mtam.php)
- Certificate in Digital Media (CDM) (tam.colorado.edu/cdm.php)
- Sustainable Practices (sustainable.colorado.edu)
