This year, DesignIntelligence conducted evaluations across twelve focus areas. Virginia Tech’s undergraduate architecture program placed in the top 10 across all twelve categories, earning top 5 recognition in eight, including: Construction materials and methods; Engineering fundamentals; Healthy built environments; Transdisciplinary collaboration across A/E/C; Project management; Interdisciplinary studies; Project planning and management; and Sustainable built environments / adaptive design / resilient design. As for the graduate architecture program, it is ranked in the top 10 for several focus areas. As summarized by Architectural Record, “Of particular note are the broad appeal of Cornell, Sci-Arc, and Virginia Tech… preparing the best of the best to enter the profession and to help transform it for the good of all.”

Architectural Record Article

The undergraduate Interior Design program is ranked 8th nationally. Graduates of both the undergraduate and graduate programs were ranked as the 8th most hired by firms. The undergraduate program placed #1 in the Engineering fundamentals focus area. It placed #2 in several areas including Design technology, Construction materials & methods, Healthy built environments, and Interdisciplinary studies. The remainder of the focus areas held rankings in the top 5 for the undergraduate program. The graduate program made the top 10 for Design technology, Engineering fundamentals, Interdisciplinary studies, and Transdisciplinary collaboration (A/E/C).

This year’s list of the “25 Most Admired Educators” in Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture also includes Interior Design Chair Lisa Tucker.

The Landscape Architecture undergraduate program is ranked 15th and the graduate program is 17th in the nation. Graduates from these programs were ranked as 7th most hired by firms. These programs were ranked in the top ten in focus areas including Practice management, Engineering fundamentals, and Transdisciplinary Collaboration (A/E/C).

The 2018-19 DesignIntelligence rankings are based on survey responses from 6,119 hiring professionals from U.S. firms and organizations employing architecture, design, and landscape architecture professionals. In addition to the school rankings by professionals, 359 deans, chairs, and department heads from academic programs in architecture, interior design and landscape architecture participated in this year’s surveys. Also 5,451 architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design students completed satisfaction surveys about their education.