Woodbury Ranked Among Top 20 Architecture Schools in 2018 DesignIntelligence National Survey

Woodbury University School of Architecture’s undergraduate programs have once again moved up in national rankings for both the architecture and interior architecture programs, according to the 2018 DesignIntelligence Report, the university announced today. 

Woodbury’s Bachelor of Architecture program was rated 18th in the 2018 DesignIntelligence survey of the nation’s Top 25 undergraduate architecture programs, moving up five spots from the 2017 rankings – its third consecutive Top 25 ranking.  With campuses in Los Angeles and San Diego, Woodbury’s hands-on curriculum prioritizes ethics through sustainability, civic engagement and new technologies.  The U.S. is home to more than 140 accredited undergraduate architecture programs.

At the same time, Woodbury’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture was ranked 12th in the nation, moving up three spots from last year’s showing.  The 2017 ratings represented a return to form for Interior Architecture, which had not placed nationally since 2009-2010.  There are more than 190 accredited interior architecture programs in the country.

For more than 15 years, the DesignIntelligence Report has been the definitive school ranking in four key disciplines: architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and industrial design.

The rankings are considered important measures of success for undergraduate and graduate architecture programs.  As part of its 18th edition, the survey queried more than 2,500 hiring professionals from nearly 2,000 professional practices.  As the publication noted, much upward movement occurs when schools effectively communicate their value to professional practices. The 2018 rankings combined survey responses with detailed accounts of the best programs that teach skills in design, communication, sustainability and technology.

“That both our architecture and interior architecture programs have risen in rankings are significant achievements that underscore Woodbury’s commitment to ensuring that our graduates are prepared for professional practice,” said Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter, AIA, Dean of the School of Architecture. “Both placements highlight the value and impact that the School has on student learning, engagement and success.  Our faculty are fully engaged in exploring new ways of educating our students and responding to changes in pedagogy and the profession. Congratulations to our students and alumni, our faculty and staff, in Los Angeles and San Diego.”

“The increased ranking for Interior Architecture reinforces the quality of the department and the strength of its current chair, Christoph Korner,” said Randall Stauffer, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs.  “Having taught in the program for more than 25 years myself, it is evident the curriculum is not only staying current with the needs of the profession, but plays a critical role in advancing the body of knowledge in the design of the interior environment. The program’s ability to teach students that human relationships and interactions in the places they inhabit are the foundation of good interior design. This is seen in the student projects and the faculty research, as well as the interaction that occurs between the two.  I’m confident the program will continue to grow in quality as they explore new and innovative ways of designing the interior environment.”

In 2015, Woodbury’s Architecture program was accepted by the National Council of Architects Registration Boards (NCARB) as one of only 14 schools in the country whose students will now have an opportunity to achieve architectural licensure upon graduation.  Woodbury is one of the only schools of architecture where the IPAL program is available to both undergraduate and graduate students.

About Woodbury University

Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. The university ranks 15th among the nation’s “25 Colleges That Add the Most Value,” according to Money Magazine, was voted “Best Graduate School” in the Los Angeles Daily News 2018 Readers Choice Awards, and is a 2018-19 College of Distinction. Woodbury was a finalist for the General Community Service Award, a part of the 2015 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll recognition program. With campuses in Burbank/Los Angeles and San Diego, the university offers bachelor\\’s degrees from the School of Architecture, School of Business, School of Media, Culture & Design, and College of Liberal Arts, along with a Master of Business Administration, Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Science in Architecture. The San Diego campus offers Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees, as well as a Master of Science in Architecture, Real Estate Development. Visit woodbury.edu for more information.