UVA Darden Expands in Washington, D.C., Area to Meet Surging Demand

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business is growing its presence in the Washington, D.C., metro area in response to surging demand for degree offerings and executive skill-building among working professionals.

To broaden its offerings and accommodate continuing enrollment growth, UVA Darden announced plans to expand to the 29^th floor of its DC Metro base in the Rosslyn district of Arlington to increase capacity for its globally recognized MBA and MSBA degree tracks and professional development provided through its Executive Education & Lifelong Learning division.

UVA Darden DC Metro currently occupies the 30^th and 31^st floors of the facility at 1100 Wilson Boulevard, and has priority access to the indoor/outdoor 32^nd rooftop suite, with expansive views of national monuments. The space includes tiered and flat classrooms, meeting rooms, an executive boardroom, flexible office space, and space for banquets and events including third parties. The expansion to the 29^th floor brings the total square footage to almost 45,000, and includes the opening of a third, tiered classroom on the 31st floor. These additions reflect Darden’s commitment to meeting rising demand for flexible, high-impact business education in the D.C. region.

“Washington DC and NOVA is one of most important business and policy making regions in the world, and is in our backyard. The expansion of UVA Darden DC Metro is a direct response to the incredible momentum we’ve seen in our working professional programs,” said Dean Scott Beardsley. “By investing in space, technology and faculty engagement, we’re empowering more business leaders in the Washington area to access our world-class MBA and graduate business education.”

Made possible by the generous philanthropy of the Sands Family of nearby Sands Capital, the Grounds are perched atop the 31-story building, offering 360-degree views of the D.C. skyline, Potomac River and Northern Virginia. Darden established its first offerings from Rosslyn in 2016 and opened its own space in 2017 in response to demand for its programs.

UVA, meanwhile, is also expanding its overall presence and operations in the market. The University earlier this year officially opened its UVA Northern Virginia Fairfax campus, from which UVA will offer advanced degrees from multiple schools.

Innovative MBA and MSBA Programs Drive Growth in the Capital Region

Since establishing its Washington, D.C.-area base, Darden has introduced several market-driven degree programs tailored to working professionals:

• A redesigned Executive MBA (EMBA), with a Global Executive MBA option, based in the D.C. metro area since 2016.
• The launch of a Part-Time MBA in 2022, offering maximum flexibility without compromising academic rigor. The first cohort of Part-Time MBA students will graduate in May 2025.
• The introduction of the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) in 2018, a historic joint degree with UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce — the first of its kind at the University.

All three programs received broad faculty support and reflect Darden’s commitment to educational excellence and innovation.

Explosive Growth: Zero to 500+ Students in Under a Decade

Enrollment in Darden’s Washington, D.C.-based programs has grown to more than 500 degree-seeking students in the 2024-25 academic year, who also have academic residencies at the flagship campus in Charlottesville.

“The expanded Grounds will support this growth and enhance the student experience with more classroom space,” said Vice Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne, who leads the programs for working professionals. “Thanks to a lot of excellent work led by Sherri Watson and her DC Initiatives team, we’re also providing additional collaborative environments for students, faculty and staff.”

Executive Education Develops Leaders in Federal, Military and Corporate Sectors

In addition to degree programs, EELL delivers award-winning custom solutions and open-enrollment programs to leaders across the region — including the U.S. federal government, military and Fortune 500 companies.

A new offering for May is AI Essentials for Government Leaders — an open program that will equip public sector professionals with practical, responsible AI skills.

Rooted in purpose, ethics, stakeholder thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset — and delivered by Darden’s renowned faculty — the Darden experience is high-energy, immersive and transformative, and develops leaders who drive performance and improve society. Darden’s career outcomes are outperforming peers. Recently Darden has been ranked the No. 1 public MBA program in the country by multiple sources.

About UVA Darden DC Metro

Located in Rosslyn, just minutes from downtown D.C., UVA Darden DC Metro serves as a strategic base for working professionals. The location connects learners with top faculty, Darden and UVA’s powerful alumni network (over 2,000 Darden in the DC metro area), and real-time access to one of the world’s most influential economic and political centers.