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LSU Landscape Architecture Undergraduate Program Ranked #1 in Nation

lsu design intelligence rankingsThe undergraduate and graduate programs at the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture (RRSLA) have once again received top rankings from DesignIntelligence magazine. The November/December 2014 issue of “America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools” ranked the undergraduate program as number one in the nation and the graduate program as number five in the nation for the year 2015.

The LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture undergraduate and graduate programs have been consistently ranked within the top five in the nation for more than a decade, and 2015 marks the fifth time the undergraduate program has held the number one position since 2007.

design intelligence 2015 rankingsDesignIntelligence also publishes the rankings of the top five undergraduate and graduate schools by region, and LSU is ranked as the number one landscape architecture school in the South for both its graduate and undergraduate programs.

A total of 1,426 professional practice organizations participated in the research and were queried on the question, “In your firm’s hiring experience in the past five years, which of the following schools are best preparing students for success in today’s profession?” Firms are queried about additional issues, as well, such as how programs rate in teaching various skills. Hiring firms ranked the LSU landscape architecture program second (after Harvard University) in communication skills and cross-disciplinary teamwork; third in design skills, computer applications, and sustainable design practices and principles; and fifth in research and theory.

In addition to the undergraduate and graduate school rankings by professionals, deans and chairs from 97 academic programs participated in surveys, and the responses of 63 education leaders were tallied. LSU was ranked as the number one most-admired undergraduate landscape architecture program for its “long tradition and continued commitment to design education and research.”

“It is always gratifying to see our national ranking in the DesignIntelligence survey and the rankings of other design schools. While I was concerned about our situation this year due to the transition in leadership, our loyal alumni have once again voiced their support and satisfaction with their professional education. We are grateful and look forward to the future as we search for a new director to carry on our tradition and forge new directions for the future,” said Van Cox, professor emeritus, alumnus, and interim director of the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture.

Surveys for “America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools” are conducted annually by DesignIntelligence on behalf of the Design Futures Council. The research ranks undergraduate and graduate programs from the perspective of leading practitioners. Survey participants are professionals in architecture, industrial design, interior design, and landscape architecture, drawn from the Greenway Group database of leading firms throughout the United States. America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools, 2015” is available for purchase online. Visit di.net for more information.

About LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture

The Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture has established an international reputation as one of America’s leading and consistently top-ranked programs. Part of the LSU College of Art & Design, the school offers Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture programs. For more than 60 years, the program has produced landscape architects who practice all over the world and participate in the full spectrum of the discipline. For more information, visit landscape.lsu.edu.