MSU landscape architecture program gets very high rank

Contact: Robbie Ward

STARKVILLE, Miss.--A national architecture and design publication is ranking Mississippi State's landscape architecture department near the top nationally in two key categories.

DesignIntelligence recently listed the university's landscape architecture academic program second in both skills assessment and a deans' survey of the undergraduate curriculum. The rankings are part of the Georgia-based publication's 10th annual survey titled "America's Best Architecture & Design Schools."

DesignIntelligence [Ed. note: name written as one word] is the bi-monthly report of the Design Futures Council, an interdisciplinary network of design, product and construction leaders. In the survey, leading practitioners in the field rank schools they feel are best preparing students to practice in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and industrial design.

The deans' accolades for MSU cited the department's emphasis on sustainability, comprehensive education and research, said department head Sadik C. Artunc. "This ranking reflects the present-day qualifications and accomplishments of the programs better than the rankings of firms and practitioners," he added.

The skills assessment section specifically praised MSU in the category of "construction methods and materials." The program moved up three points in the category from last year's survey inclusion at No. 5, Artunc said.

Located in MSU's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the department offers two undergraduate programs: a bachelor of science degree in landscape architecture and a bachelor's in landscape contracting and management. A graduate degree in landscape architecture also is offered.

NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more information, contact Professor Artunc at 662-325-7894 or sartunc@lalc.msstate.edu.

For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.