The School
The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis is a leader in architecture, art, and design education. We are advancing our fields through innovative research and creative practice, excellence in teaching, a world-class university art museum, and a deep commitment to addressing the social and environmental challenges of our time. Through the work of our students, faculty, and alumni, we are striving to create a more just, sustainable, humane, and beautiful world.
The School encompasses four academic units—the College of Architecture, Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design, College of Art, and Graduate School of Art—and the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, each of which has its own unique history. We offer 15 unique degree programs for both graduate and undergraduate students, supplemented by a number of creative research centers, including Island Press and the Office for Socially Engaged Practice. We have an enrollment of over 800 students and draw on the expertise of over 70 full-time faculty and over 50 visiting and part-time faculty who expand our connections to contemporary global practice.
Message From the Dean
Carmon Colangelo, the Ralph J. Nagel Dean, reflects on the current opportunities and challenges facing architects, artists, and designers, and how our School is working to address them.
History of the School
The Sam Fox School as we currently know it evolved over several years. Read more about the history of the School and major milestones.
Leadership
Ralph J. Nagel Dean, Sam Fox School; E. Desmond Lee Professor for Collaboration in the Arts
William T. Kemper Director and Chief Curator, Kemper Art Museum
Director, College & Graduate School of Art; Jane Reuter Hitzeman and Herbert F. Hitzeman, Jr. Professor of Art
Director, College of Architecture and Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design; Sam and Marilyn Fox Professor
News
Featured news
Weiss, a professor of art at WashU’s Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, is discussing “Metamorphosis (Sound Sculpture),” a new commission for St. Louis’ Laumeier Sculpture Park.
Featured news
Aggie Toppins, associate professor and chair of undergraduate design, will release her first book, “Thinking Through Graphic Design History: Challenging the Canon,” in January 2025.
Featured news
The St. Louis Reparations Commission released its final report last month, outlining St. Louis’ deep history of slavery and systemic discrimination and the continued impact on Black residents.
Featured news
WashU researchers use haptic technology to deliver real-time performance feedback
Visit Sam Fox School
Life at Sam Fox School
Students in the MFA Illustration & Visual Culture program have studios in Weil Hall.
Life at Sam Fox School
Givens Hall is home to some of the undergraduate architecture studio spaces.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The Sam Fox School strives to increase the diversity of our community, nurture an inclusive learning and work environment, and promote a culture and ethos that values diversity, inclusion, and equitable success. We consider it an essential mission and responsibility of the School to engage critical societal issues in St. Louis.
Support Sam Fox School
Our community of architects, artists, and designers—including alumni, parents, and friends around the globe—is what makes the Sam Fox School so dynamic. You are the foundation for our continued success, and your generous support today will make a difference to every one of our students and faculty.
Career Development
The Sam Fox School is dedicated to assisting students and alumni in developing the necessary skills for a lifetime of successful career management.
Student Outcomes
The Sam Fox School regularly collects and reports data on student outcomes, including completion rates and career trajectories.