By Amy Weaver
Special to the
Opelika Observer
Three Auburn University programs and three faculty members have been recognized in DesignIntelligence magazine’s annual survey of “America’s Top-Ranked Architecture & Design Schools.”
As Most Admired Schools, the undergraduate programs in interior design and architecture were ranked ninth and 13th in the nation, respectively. The graduate program in landscape architecture is 20th. Interior Design is in the College of Human Sciences, and architecture and landscape architecture are in the College of Architecture, Design and Construction.
The magazine’s rankings are based on surveys of leading practitioners in the fields of architecture and design. More than 6,100 professionals were surveyed this year.
Auburn University is the only university in the country to have three faculty members named to DesignIntelligence’s list of Most Admired Educators, a category that recognizes excellence in architecture and design education and education administration.
Assistant Professor Melanie Duffey and Lecturers Anna Ruth Gatlin and Kelly Martin are all faculty members in interior design at Auburn.
DesignIntelligence staff consider educators and administrators from the disciplines of architecture, interior design and landscape architecture with input from thousands of design professionals, academic department heads and students.
“Melanie, Anna Ruth and Kelly are inspirational mentors to our students and their colleagues. Their innovative approaches to teaching and learning are enabling Auburn graduates to transcend — and transform — the design industry. I’m thrilled our exceptional faculty members received this well-deserved recognition,” said Auburn University President Steven Leath. “Our students receive exceptional career preparation that equips them to lead in growing professions after graduation. These rankings are a reflection of the tremendous value of an Auburn degree.”
The magazine also ranked schools based on 12 focus areas. The undergraduate interior design program at Auburn was included in all 12 top 10 lists: fourth in transdisciplinary collaboration across architecture, engineering and construction; fifth in project planning and management and sustainable built environments/adaptive design/resilient design; sixth in practice management, research and healthy built environments; seventh in design technologies and engineering fundamentals; eighth in construction materials and methods and interdisciplinary studies; and ninth in communication and presentation skills and design theory and practice.
Interior Design’s graduate program was included in the top 10 lists for practice management and research.
The undergraduate architecture program placed in seven of the 12 focus areas: fourth in construction materials and methods; sixth in sustainable built environments/adaptive design/resilient design; seventh in healthy built environments and interdisciplinary studies; eighth in project planning and management and practice management; and ninth in transdisciplinary collaboration across architecture, engineering and construction.
The graduate landscape architecture program landed eighth on the list for practice management.