Top Design and Architecture Universities 2017

The world's top architecture and design universities stated by the QS World University are compiled using four sources. The first two of these are QS's global surveys of academics and employers, which are used to assess institutions' international reputation in each subject. The second two indicators assess research impact, based on research citations per paper and h-index in the relevant subject. These are sourced from Elsevier's Scopus database, the world's most comprehensive research citations database.

Aspiring architects, interior designers and artists should pack up their paintbrushes and “compasses” and head to the US or the UK according to this year's rankings. American dominance isn't enough to unseat, among the art and design universities, the UK University Royal College of Art from first place though, where it remains for the second year running.

If designing the next skyscraper sounds like your dream job, it's hard to look past the Architecture course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which has retained top spot in QS World University subject rankings. In fact, nine of the top ten architecture universities remain the same from last year's ranking, with the University of Hong Kong (HKU) the only new entrant.

Even if the city of Milan in Italy is climbing the ranking among the best cities to visit in the world, Politecnico di Milano lost some positions form last year of top Design and Architecture Universities ranking. Due to the increasing interest of the city of Milan we are sure it will enanche its ranking in the near future.

Top 15 Architecture Universities 2017

1 – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Boston, USA

The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. The Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. MIT is dedicated to providing its students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community. We seek to develop in each member of the MIT community the ability and passion to work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the betterment of humankind.

2 – UCL (University College London) London, UK

UCL is one of the world's top multidisciplinary universities, with an international reputation for the quality of its research and teaching. A world-leader in research, with outstanding results in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, UCL is home to centres of teaching excellence in subjects from interior architecture to languages, law to engineering, and history to astrophysics. Interdisciplinary study is encouraged and a belief that all areas of study can inform and enrich each other is woven into our programmes. We have had 29 Nobel laureates so far, with at least one every decade since the establishment of the prizes in 1901.

3 – TU Delft University of Technology Delft, Netherlands

Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands is a modern university with a rich tradition. Its eight faculties and over 40 English-language Master programmes are at the forefront of technological development, contributing to scientific advancement in the interests of society. Ranked among the top universities of technology in the world, TU Delft's excellent research and education standards are backed by outstanding facilities and research institutes.

4 – University of California, Berkeley (UCB) Berkeley, USA

The University of California, Berkeley is one of the world's leading academic institutions. Widely known as “Cal,” the campus is renowned for the size and quality of its libraries and laboratories, the scope of its research and publications, and the distinction of its faculty and students. National rankings consistently place Berkeley's undergraduate and graduate programs among the very best in a variety of disciplines. Our high-acclaimed faculty currently includes: 7 Nobel Laureates, 225 members of the Academy of Arts & Sciences, 131 members of the National Academy of Science, 87 members of the National Academy of Engineering, a Poet Laureate Emeritus of the United States, and 141 Guggenheim Fellows, more than any other university in the country.

5 – ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland

Consistently ranked the top university in continental Europe, ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is a leading player in research and education in Switzerland and worldwide. ETH Zurich's 16 departments offer Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programs in engineering and natural sciences. The language of instruction in the Bachelor programs is German, whereas English is the common languge on the graduate level. All degree programs provide a solid scientific foundation combined with outstanding all-round skills, equipping ETH graduates with the abilities and flexibility needed for a career in industry, business or the public sector, as entrepreneur or scientist.

6 – Manchester School of Architecture Manchester, UK

Located half a mile from the city centre, Manchester School of Architecture (MSA) is an innovative collaboration between Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) and The University of Manchester (UoM), uniting two schools of architecture with over 100 years of educational experience to create one of the largest architecture schools in the UK. Architectural research at the MSA is intrinsically interdisciplinary and broadly conceived, encompassing areas as diverse as urban design, urban development, ecological and landscape design and the conservation and management of historic environments.

7 – Harvard University Boston, USA

Harvard College was established in 1636 by vote of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony, and was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard of Charlestown. Harvard is America's oldest institution of higher learning, founded 140 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The University has grown from nine students with a single master to an enrollment of more than 18,000 degree candidates, including undergraduates and students in 10 principal academic units. An additional 13,000 students are enrolled in one or more courses in the Harvard Extension School.

8 – University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK

The University of Cambridge is rich in history – its famous Colleges and University buildings attract visitors from all over the world. But the University's museums and collections also hold many treasures which give an exciting insight into some of the scholarly activities, both past and present, of the University's academics and students. The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world and one of the largest in the United Kingdom. Its reputation for outstanding academic achievement is known world-wide and reflects the intellectual achievement of its students, as well as the world-class original research carried out by the staff of the University and the Colleges.

9 – National University of Singapore (NUS) Singapore

A leading global university centred in Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore's flagship university, which offers a global approach to education and research with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. Its 17 schools across three campus locations in Singapore – Kent Ridge, Bukit Timah and Outram – provide a broad-based curriculum underscored by multi-disciplinary courses and cross-faculty enrichment. NUS' transformative education includes programmes such as student exchange, entrepreneurial internships at NUS Overseas Colleges, and double degree and joint degree programmes with some of the world's top universities, offering students opportunities and challenges to realise their potential.

10 – The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, HK

The University of Hong Kong is the territory's oldest university, and with a history that stretches back nearly 100 years, it has grown with and helped shape the city from which it takes its name. Today, HKU, as it is fondly called, is a dynamic, comprehensive, university of world-class standing. With ten Faculties and numerous research centres, its reputation as a centre of intellectual excellence is recognised around the world. It continues to build on its strengths with innovative research and teaching, producing well-rounded graduates with outstanding leadership qualities.

11 – Tsinghua University Beijing, China

The campus of Tsinghua University is situated on the former imperial gardens of the Qing Dynasty and surrounded by a number of historical sites in north-west Beijing. As one of China?s most renowned universities, Tsinghua is an important school for fostering talent and scientific research. Tsinghua University was established in 1911, originally under the name of Tsinghua Xuetang. The university section was founded in 1925 and undergraduate students were then enrolled. The name National Tsinghua University was adopted in 1928. It has developed into a comprehensive research university at a breathtaking pace.

12 – Columbia University New York, USA

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world

13 – University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Los Angeles, USA

UCLA's primary purpose as a public research university is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. To fulfill this mission, UCLA is committed to academic freedom in its fullest terms: We value open access to information, free and lively debate conducted with mutual respect for individuals, and freedom from intolerance. In all of our pursuits, we strive at once for excellence and diversity, recognizing that openness and inclusion produce true quality. These values underlie our three institutional responsibilities.

14 – Politecnico di Milano Milan, Italy

In Italy the term “Politecnico” means a state university consisting only of study programmes in Engineering, Architecture and Design.With 40,000 students, Politecnico di Milano is Italy's largest institution for Engineering, Architecture and Industrial Design and it is ranked as one of the most outstanding European universities in its fields. In many disciplines it is regarded as a leading research institution worldwide. The university has seven campuses located in Milan and in other nearby Italian cities. It is organised in 12 Departments, devoted to research and in 4 Schools, devoted to education.

15 – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong, HK

Since their beginnings in 1937, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has evolved alongside economic and social development in Hong Kong and the world. They have done more than change with the times. They have nurtured many bright minds who have contributed to the advancement of society. The innovative model combines professional knowledge with service-learning and real-world experience. Global connections open the minds and broaden the perspectives of future generations. Most importantly, they will never stop inspiring the people who will shape tomorrow. At PolyU, they proudly say that their promise has always been and will always be “Opening Minds • Shaping the Future”.

Top 15 Art & Design Universities 2017

1 – Royal College of Art London, UK

The world's most influential postgraduate art and design school is an UK University: The Royal College of Art (RCA). It leads in the field of postgraduate art and design study and research. The college is rightly proud of its graduates' achievements. Alumni from the Royal College of Art form part of an international network of creative individuals who have shaped and continue to shape culture – from the landscape of cities to the furniture and appliances in many homes, and from the fashion industry and the film industry to the work in galleries and the automotive industry.

2 – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Boston, USA

The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. The Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is dedicated to providing its students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community. We seek to develop in each member of the MIT community the ability and passion to work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the betterment of humankind.

3 – Parsons School of Design at The New School New York, USA

Parsons School of Design enables students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing society. Students collaborate with peers, industry partners, and communities around the world and in New York City, a global centre of art, design, and business. At Parsons, a diverse community of students develop critical thinking skills and apply them to challenges ranging from environmental degradation to physical accessibility and humanitarian crises. Through a network of interconnected design laboratories, students explore global phenomena at multiple sites and scales of engagement, from on-campus research initiatives to partnerships that effect change in New York and around the world.

4 – Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Providence, USA

Founded in 1877, Rhode Island School of Design (or “RIZ-dee” for the acronym RISD) is one of the oldest and best-known colleges of art and design in the U.S. Each year approximately 2,300 students from around the world pursue a creative, studio-based education at RISD, which offers rigorous bachelor's and master's degree programs in 19 architecture, design, fine arts and art education majors. The college is located in Providence, Rhode Island, which offers its own vibrant art scene and is conveniently located between two other major cultural centers: Boston and New York. From its incorporation on March 22, 1877, Rhode Island School of Design has stood out as a leader in art and design education, attracting extraordinary people who thrive in its creative culture. As one of the first colleges of its kind in the country – founded simultaneously with the RISD Museum of Art – it has always been something of a maverick.

5 – Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY, USA

From the first day of classes in October 1887, Pratt Institute has offered students and faculty members the opportunity to make a tangible difference on a local, national, and international scale. While the Institute's curriculum and scope have evolved in the decades since its founding, its programs remain true to the founder's vision. As one of the world's multicultural epicenters for arts, culture, design, and business, New York City provides Pratt students with an exceptional learning environment that extends beyond the Pratt campuses in Brooklyn and Manhattan. With a 25-acre campus in Brooklyn, a creative hub in the midst of a renaissance, and another in Manhattan, Pratt is a living lab of craft and culture. The Pratt Institute's campus in the historic Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn is adjacent to the emerging Brooklyn Tech Triangle, a nexus for innovation and entrepreneurship. Pratt's programs are consistently ranked among the best in the country, and its faculty and alumni include the most renowned artists, designers, and scholars in their fields. Its interdisciplinary curriculum promotes collaborative and creative strategies for design thinking and provides students with unparalleled training facilities.

6 – University of the Arts London London, UK

University of the Arts London is in the top universities in the world for art and design. They offer an extensive range of courses in art, design, fashion, communication and performing arts. Their graduates go on to work in and shape creative industries worldwide. The University of the Arts London draws together 6 renowned colleges, each with its own world-class reputation: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts. Their state of the art facilities include workshops with letterpress machinery, studio theatres, gallery space as well as libraries and archives for research into hundreds of years of the greatest artists and designers.

7 – Politecnico di Milano Milan, Italy

8 – School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) Chicago, USA

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is one of the most historically significant accredited independent schools of art and design in the nation located in one of the greatest American cities. Their accolades are many, including recognition by Columbia University's National Arts Journalism survey as “the most influential art college in the United States” and our consistent ranking among the top three graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. SAIC is distinct in the way that it provides graduate, post-baccalaureate, and undergraduate students an interdisciplinary curriculum and the necessary freedom to develop as artists, designers, and scholars. At the same time, they strive for a level of rigor, investigation, and cultural relevance that makes SAIC truly special. Students translate the most complex ideas into tangible forms—paintings, sculptures, films, performances, books, installations, inventions, buildings, community projects, and, more often than not, a combination of the above.

9 – California Institute of the Arts Valencia, USA

California Institute of the Arts has set the pace for educating professional artists since 1970. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions. As successive generations of faculty and alumni have helped shape the landscape of contemporary arts, the Institute first envisioned by Walt Disney encompasses a vibrant, eclectic community with global reach, inviting experimentation, independent inquiry, and active collaboration and exchange among artists, artistic disciplines and cultural traditions. Admission to CalArts is competitive and considered mainly on the basis of demonstrated artistic merit, as assessed by the faculty of the individual programs. Other important considerations include educational records, recommendations, and artist's statements by applicants. Based in Valencia, north of Los Angeles, CalArts further extends its commitment to the arts through the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT) in downtown L.A. and the nationally emulated Community Arts Partnership (CAP) youth arts program.

10 – Stanford University Stanford, USA

Stanford University enrolls more than 8,000 graduate and professional school students studying in some 65 departments. Stanford offers many opportunities for graduate students to pursue multidisciplinary teaching, learning and research. Students studying design learn how to see and apply basic visual principles across many disciplines, and how design functions as a change agent in contemporary society. Courses address the intersection of contemporary art, design, and engineering in today's social and technological context. Undergraduate Design courses are offered in the Department of Art & Art History as part of our Art Practice curriculum. Stanford's Graduate Design Program is a collaboration between the Departments of Art & Art History and Mechanical Engineering. Since 1958, this innovative, interdisciplinary program has defined the field of human-centered design. Graduates are dynamic thought-leaders, able to solve complex problems across a wide variety of fields.

11 – University of Oxford Oxford, UK

Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and lays claim to nine centuries of continuous existence. As an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research, Oxford attracts students and scholars from across the globe, with almost a quarter of our students from overseas. More than 130 nationalities are represented among a student population of over 18,000. Oxford is a collegiate university, with 39 self-governing colleges related to the University in a type of federal system. There are also seven Permanent Private Halls, founded by different Christian denominations. Thirty colleges and all halls admit students for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Seven other colleges are for graduates only; one has Fellows only, and one specializes in part-time and continuing education. There is no clear date of foundation, but teaching existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly from 1167, when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris.

12 – Yale University New Haven, Connecticut,USA

Since its founding in 1701, Yale has been dedicated to expanding and sharing knowledge, inspiring innovation, and preserving cultural and scientific information for future generations. Yale's reach is both local and international. It partners with its hometown of New Haven, Connecticut to strengthen the city's community and economy. And it engages with people and institutions across the globe in the quest to promote cultural understanding, improve the human condition, delve more deeply into the secrets of the universe, and train the next generation of world leaders. The study of the visual arts at Yale had its beginning with the opening, in 1832, of the Trumbull Gallery, one of the earliest art museums in the Anglo-Saxon world and the first (and long the only one) connected with a college in the USA. Architectural instruction was begun in 1908 and was established as a department in 1916 with Everett Victor Meeks at its head.

13 – Aalto University Espoo, Helsinki, Finland

Aalto University was established as a priority project in the Finnish university renewal. The idea was to create a new innovative university merging science and technology, design and art, and business and economics. Aalto University's mission is to build a better and stronger Finland. Here science and arts meet technology and business. Aalto University is about cross-disciplinary projects and learning in practice. The School of Arts, Design and Architecture was founded in 1871 as Craft School. It has grown into one of the most international schools in Finland. It is the largest in its field in the Nordic countries and one of the most respected in the world.

14 – Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, USA

Carnegie Mellon University has been a birthplace of innovation since its founding in 1900. Carnegie Mellon University will have a transformative impact on society through continual innovation in education, research, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Today, CMU is a global leader bringing groundbreaking ideas to market and creating successful startup businesses. Our award-winning faculty are renowned for working closely with students to solve major scientific, technological and societal challenges. We put a strong emphasis on creating things — from art to robots. CMU has become a model for economic development and has formed partnerships with more than 350 companies. Our students are recruited by some of the world's most innovative companies.

15 – Goldsmiths, University of London London, UK

Creativity has always been the hallmark of Goldsmiths. Academic excellence and imaginative course content combine to make a place where creative minds can thrive and ideas are allowed to grow.
Goldsmiths courses and research activities span the arts, humanities, social sciences, cultural studies, computing, business and management across 20 academic departments. Located in New Cross, South East London, the College has over 8,000 students taking part in undergraduate, postgraduate and return-to-study opportunities in the arts, social sciences, humanities and computing. With alumni including Antony Gormley, Julian Clary, Damien Hirst, Mary Quant, Bridget Riley, Graham Coxon and Malcolm McLaren, Goldsmiths brings creative and unconventional approaches to the subjects offered.