October 10, 2018
APDesign again scores top rankings from DesignIntelligence
Kansas State University's College of Architecture, Planning & Design graduate programs in architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture are once again among the best in the nation, according to annual rankings by DesignIntelligence, the only organization ranking accredited professional programs in architecture, landscape architecture and interior design/architecture.
This year, the graduate program in landscape architecture ranked fourth in the nation overall and first among programs at public institutions. The graduate program in interior architecture ranked seventh nationally and first among programs at public institutions. The graduate program in architecture ranked 20th in the nation and seventh among programs at public institutions.
DesignIntelligence's rankings are based on surveys from 6,119 hiring professionals, 359 deans and department chairs, and 5,451 students in the design disciplines. The primary query of hiring professionals used to conduct the rankings is, "From your hiring experience during the last five years, which programs are best preparing students for a future in the profession?" Deans and department chairs were asked what programs they most admire and students were surveyed on their satisfaction with the educational institution in which they are currently enrolled or graduated from in the past year.
The graduate programs in APDesign also earned high marks or led in the 12 design education focus areas. The graduate architecture program ranked in the top 10 of the 12 focus areas; graduate landscape architecture program ranked in the top three in all 12 focus areas and led in five and the graduate program in interior architecture ranked in the top three in the 12 areas. Information on each of the specific focus areas may be found at di-rankings.com.
In addition, DesignIntelligence has again selected two of the college's faculty members as among the most admired educators in the nation. Tim de Noble, professor and dean for the college and Stephanie Rolley, professor and department head for landscape architecture & regional and community planning, were named to DesignIntelligence's 25 Most Admired Educators for 2018-19. De Noble and Rolley, along with Howard Hahn, associate professor of landscape architecture, were previously honored.
"The college is exceptionally blessed to have two multiyear DesignIntelligence award winners," said Victor Regnier, distinguished professor and associate dean of research at the University of Southern California School of Architecture. "These are based on the outstanding reputations of faculty and the full spectrum of design programs housed in APDesign. To have a dean and department chair receive this award also is clear testament to the high regard APDesign has toward teaching quality and general excellence."
"Once again our programs are in the national spotlight, reflecting the continued excellence of our academic programs, dedication of our faculty, the high bar set by successive cohorts of students and the reputation of our alumni embedded in critical practice," said de Noble. "Perhaps most edifying are the perceived high quality of the more finely grained focus areas, as these align with our traditional strengths and with the uniqueness of our interdisciplinary college."
DesignIntelligence is an independent company focused on the design and construction industry. It publishes DesignIntelligence Quarterly, which includes the results of an industrywide survey of design professionals released in its third-quarter edition annually.