What makes RISD's Landscape Architecture Program unique is its interaction with the College's other art and design disciplines. Students develop a common language that serves as a base for future development and discourse by sharing core courses. This cross-disciplinary framework encourages individual exploration and forms of expression.

At the core of the curriculum is the design studio, the forum for the investigation of aesthetic, ecological, cultural and technological issues. Student are challenged to think critically, work creatively, and develop a self-reliant design process. Integral to the curriculum is the study of drawing, history, theory, ecology, cultural geography, plants and technology. In addition, RISD students can cross-register for courses at Brown University, as well as study abroad or in other departments during the six-week wintersession.