B.Arch Program Takes 24th Spot; BFA in Interior Architecture Ranks #4 in the West

LOS ANGELES (November 19, 2015) – For the first time in its history, the undergraduate architecture program at Woodbury University’s School of Architecture has been ranked among the top 25 nationally, the university announced today.

The B.Arch program was rated 24th in the 2016 DesignIntelligence survey of the nation’s Top 35 undergraduate architecture programs. Woodbury’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture continues to rank among the top programs in the West, in 4th place, just behind Arizona State, the University of Oregon and California College of the Arts, and ahead of such other top-ranked schools as Colorado State and Washington State.

Assessing undergraduate and graduate programs across the country, the DesignIntelligence annual report ranks the Best Architecture Schools in the U.S. As part of its 16th edition, the survey queried nearly 1,500 professional practice organizations. DI asked this of architecture firms: “In your firm’s hiring experience in the past five years, which of the following schools are best preparing students for success in the profession?” The 2016 rankings combined survey responses with detailed accounts of the best programs that teach skills in design, communication, sustainability and technology.

“This is a great tribute to everyone involved with the School of Architecture – faculty, students, parents, alumni, the Advisory Council and the Southern California architecture community as a whole,” said Norman Millar, AIA, Dean of the School. “Woodbury is clearly a destination of choice for students throughout the various disciplines within architecture, including Interior Architecture, which has held fast to its #4 ranking in the West.”

Woodbury University’s School of Architecture is a network of hubs strategically sited within the Southern California megalopolis: Burbank/Los Angeles, San Diego and Hollywood. Together, these sites form a critical infrastructure for architectural investigations. The school’s undergraduate and graduate programs in architecture and interior architecture train students as entrepreneurs, architect citizens, and cultural builders. New to the School of Architecture in Fall 2016 at the Barrio Logan campus in San Diego, will be Master of Interior Architecture (MIA) and Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) programs.

Woodbury’s Architecture program was recently accepted by the National Council of Architects Registration Boards (NCARB) as one of only fourteen schools in the country whose students will now have an opportunity to achieve architectural licensure upon graduation.

Earlier this month, in The Economist’s first-ever survey of American higher education, Woodbury as a whole ranked 34th among 1,275 four-year institutions, placing it in the top 4 percent of college and universities nationwide. Woodbury’s ranking is the fifth highest of any college or university in California.

About Woodbury University
Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. 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 Transdisciplinarity, along with a Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Media for Social Justice, Master of Architecture (MArch), Master of Interior Architecture (MIA), Master of Science in Architecture (MSArch), and Master of Leadership. The San Diego campus offers Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture, Master of Leadership, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees, as well as an MSArch degree with a concentration in Real Estate Development. Woodbury ranks in the top 4 percent nationally in The Economist’s first-ever survey of American colleges. In 2014, the university ranked 15th among the nation’s “25 Colleges That Add the Most Value,” according to Money Magazine, and is a 2014-2015 College of Distinction. Visit woodbury.edu for more information.