Fay Jones School Architecture Program Ranks 26th in DesignIntelligence Survey

Artwork courtesy of DesignIntelligence

The results of the 16th annual survey of "America's Best Architecture and Design Schools," are published in the November/December 2015 issue of DesignIntelligence.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design’s professional program in architecture at the University of Arkansas ranked 26th in the nation in the 16th annual survey of “America’s Best Architecture and Design Schools,” a study conducted by the Design Futures Council and published in the November/December 2015 issue of DesignIntelligence. This survey lists the top 35 undergraduate architecture programs for 2016.

In this ranking, the Fay Jones School was the 12th-best architecture program among public, land-grant universities.

“This recognition of the university, the Fay Jones School and the ranking of our professional program in architecture is fundamentally an acknowledgement of the quality of our students and our faculty – and the accomplishments of our alumni in practice,” said Peter MacKeith, dean of Fay Jones School.

The study of “America’s Best Architecture and Design Schools” is conducted annually by DesignIntelligence on behalf of the Design Futures Council. The research ranks undergraduate and graduate programs from the perspective of leading practitioners.

DesignIntelligence also named Jeff Shannon, architecture professor and former dean, among the nation’s “25 Most Admired Educators” for 2016 – the second time he has been noted by the journal as a top educator.

“A respected and forward-thinking educator with a strong connection to the profession, Shannon is dedicated to his student’s current and future success in all aspects of life and has enhanced the visibility of the school,” the journal states.

Shannon, who has taught at the Fay Jones School since 1979, also was named one of the 25 “Most Admired Educators” for 2011

“The school is immensely proud of the recognition accorded to Professor Shannon a second time. I know that he believes this is an honor to be shared with his faculty colleagues and his students,” MacKeith said. “We have every ambition and every intention to continue this trajectory in the rankings, surveys and especially in the quality of the education we provide.”

In the 16 years that DesignIntelligence has published rankings of top design education programs, this marks the third time that the University of Arkansas’ architecture program has made the list.

In addition, the school’s architecture program has received other recognition in past years, such as one of five “hidden gems of architecture education” for 2010 and among “top brands” for 2013: “top for regional respect and admiration” and “best small school design program.”

DesignIntelligence is the Design Futures Council’s bi-monthly report on the fields of architecture, industrial design, interior design and landscape architecture, with content such as research, commentary and best practices.

The top 35 undergraduate architecture programs for 2016, as listed by this recent report in DesignIntelligence, have distinguished themselves over time on the basis of rankings by professional firms, architecture deans and chairs and student evaluations, among other criteria.

The survey, conducted in mid-2015, asked professional design practice leaders across the United States which school programs they considered best at preparing students for professional success, while also addressing additional issues. The survey tapped 1,426 professional practice organizations within the design fields in the United States. In addition, deans and chairs from 109 academic programs and more than 4,400 design students participated in surveys, with that data presented separately from the practitioner rankings.

In the survey of University of Arkansas students, 93 percent of architecture students and 97 percent of interior design students said that they “believe they’ll be well prepared for their profession upon graduation.”

James P. Cramer, editor in chief and founder of DesignIntelligence, spoke highly of the Fay Jones School during a recent interview with Architectural Record about campus facilities and the quality of architecture education. “My first thought is to bring into this conversation the new architecture school at the University of Arkansas, a top-tier undergraduate program,” Cramer said. “The facility is as good as any in the world. It should attract good students and faculty. Combined with their community design center in downtown Fayetteville, they have quite a value proposition. Facilities are strategic. The University of Arkansas has raised the bar.

“My admiration is high for what they have done and for the Marlon Blackwell- designed school — it’s a real asset,” Cramer added. “The dean, Peter MacKeith, has brought in ideas to complement the great facilities. This includes outdoor student commons, inspired gallery, huge model-making shop, and he has placed a grand piano in the middle of the facility. It brings the whole college together including those in interior design and landscape architecture. The new facility enables and enhances successful communications. They are a role model.”

For more information, visit the website for DesignIntelligence.

About the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design: The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas houses professional design programs of architecture, landscape architecture and interior design together with liberal studies programs. All of these programs combine studio design education with innovative teaching in history, theory, technology and urban design. A broad range of course offerings equips graduates with the knowledge and critical agility required to meet the challenges of designing for a changing world. Their training prepares students with critical frameworks for design thinking that also equip them to assume leadership roles in the profession and in their communities. For more information visit fayjones.uark.edu.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.