The Conway School is a small, ten-month, fully integrated, multidisciplinary graduate program in sustainable landscape planning and design, granting a Master of Science in Ecological Design.
Students learn from faculty, each other, and guest professionals in a collaborative and rigorous environment, where learning is driven by motivated students working on projects for real clients to solve pressing problems.
We are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
2027-28 Deadlines
- Early Action: November 9, 2026
- Regular Application: January 20, 2027
Learn more about our Academics
Real Projects for Real Clients: The Conway Curriculum
On the path to earning an accredited Master of Science in Ecological Design, Conway students complete a mix of projects, class time, and field work.
Life as a Conway student studying in Northampton
Explore our campus and the vibrant surrounding community, where students are often steps away from many social, cultural, and ecological resources.
What do graduates do after Conway?
What sets our alums apart from others in their fields is a profound appreciation for sustainability and an ability to see and design parts within a larger landscape context.
Who is a Conway Student?
Passionate about sustainable design.
There is no prerequisite field of study to be admitted to Conway. Students come from very diverse backgrounds and encompass a wide age range. What they do have in common is a profound respect for the natural world and the human beings who inhabit it, and are eager to put their personal values into positive action. Our concentrated graduate degree attracts those with backgrounds in the natural sciences or to those who are practicing architects, planners, and engineers who want to design more sensitively with the land.
Able to attend full-time for 10 months.
There are no part-time students at Conway. Those who attend must be able to immerse themselves fully.
Successful in rigorous environments.
Entering Conway students must show capability to work in an accelerated program by documenting maturity and success in both academic and work situations. Conway will occasionally accept a student without a bachelor’s degree, based on their experience and demonstration of skills and key competencies.
Self-directed, motivated, and collaborative.
Conway attracts self-directed learners who learn best in an applied program structured around real projects at a range of scales. Our collaborative and rigorous curriculum requires highly motivated students who are willing to engage in team work.
Comfortable with math, writing, speaking, and drawing.
Applicants should show the ability to perform basic mathematical calculations and to achieve, after instruction, competent design expression through drawings and presentations. Since the program involves a great deal of public speaking, applicants must possess good writing skills are be fluent in English.