For Iowa State’s architecture program, this fall marks a new high for admitted students. The program has had steady growth, as it has grown from 135 students in 2025 to over 170 students for the 2026 fall semester.
Rob Whitehead, associate dean for academic programs and student success, explained the reasoning behind the constant growth of admission numbers.
“We have a great program that places people, nationally and internationally, in great firms,” Whitehead said. “People come to us and recognize the reputation of the program. It is a consistent profession that they know will allow them to practice in many different ways and in many different places.”
The program’s reputation is also reflected in national rankings, with Iowa State’s architecture and design programs regularly recognized among the nation’s top undergraduate programs.
Carly Brown, a sophomore studying architecture, explained why she chose Iowa State.
“I have always liked being creative, but I also wanted to study something that involved problem-solving and helping the community,” Brown said. “Iowa State stood out because of its strong architecture program and the amount of studio and hands-on experience you get.”
Whitehead said the students entering the program today are not significantly different from those of five or 10 years ago, but has noticed a growing interest in hands-on aspects of architecture.
“After COVID, we have seen students more interested now in hands-on construction, materials, kind of active learning, collaboration,” Whitehead said. “So that has been a really welcome thing to have that come back.”
Whitehead went on to describe how the College of Design will maintain the quality of architecture education, which will remain personal and hands-on as the program grows.
“In order to make sure that the quality of the architecture education remains consistent, we just need to make sure we offer more studios,” Whitehead said. “We do not want to change that student and teacher ratio. We want the high-impact practice of studio-based education to remain consistent.”
That studio-based approach gives students opportunities to take what they learn in class and apply it through physical projects and experimentation. Brown explained how that process has helped her better understand architectural concepts.
“Hands-on learning is really important because architecture is very visual and physical,” Brown said. “Making models, drawing and working with materials helps me understand ideas in a way that I would not get from just lectures or reading. It lets me experiment and actually see what works and what does not.”