Deciding where to go to college is a big decision – one that you want to pay off. For those interested in a career in architecture or the design disciplines, the School of Architecture provides its students with the tools and thought processes that employers want, and they have the rankings to prove it.
Recently, The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture (UTSOA) was ranked the No. 1 “Most Hired From” architecture program in its size group by the company DesignIntelligence.
Among the other programs within the School of Architecture reviewed by DesignIntelligence, Interior Design was ranked third among the “Most Hired From” programs in its size group, and the Landscape Architecture program was ranked fourth.
With the most cited and influential program ranking in architecture education, DesignIntelligence is a trusted resource for prospective students and professionals across the design disciplines. Each year for the past two decades, DesignIntelligence has conducted a survey of America’s top architecture schools, ranking undergraduate and graduate programs from the perspectives of practitioners who hire and supervise graduates of architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design programs. Rankings are compiled for the “Most Admired” undergraduate and graduate programs, the “Most Hired From” undergraduate and graduate programs, and how recent graduates are performing in 12 key focus areas such as design theory and practice, design technology, and communication skills.
According to Dean Michelle Addington, the School of Architecture’s prestigious national ranking is an indication of the quality of instruction, the experience of its faculty and the school’s commitment to helping students achieve career and personal success.
“Not only do our programs have a strong conceptual foundation, our curriculum features a strategic balance of depth and breadth, and our faculty are committed to student successes,” she said. “At UTSOA we strive to connect what our students learn here to what’s happening in the world around them, which helps build their capacity to make meaningful contributions to the professions and society at large.”
Within UTSOA’s classroom and design studios, this is accomplished by incorporating true interdisciplinarity to the schools’ curriculum, engaging students in research and large-scale experiential projects, and offering them the opportunity to travel and explore their relationship to the built environment in various ways.
Outside the classroom, the School of Architecture provides its students with additional resources and tools for success. UTSOA’s Career Services office provides guidance through one-on-one meetings and group workshops scheduled throughout the semester, and it connects students to the professional community through networking events, panels, career fairs and employer presentations. The Professional Residency Program (PRP) also offers opportunities for students to enhance their education through work experience in the profession. For more than 25 years, PRP has placed UTSOA students with more than 300 prestigious firms in 30 countries, providing students with opportunities to explore aspects of the practice of architecture not typically experienced in the classroom in order to develop real-world skills and their professional profiles upon graduation.
“We are thrilled to be among the most respected and hired-from programs in the United States, and this recognition is very well-deserved,” Addington said. “As the School of Architecture looks to and plans for the future, we will continue to expand and enrich our programs, curricula and classrooms to help our students become dynamic leaders and agents of change.”
