Graduate education at UT earned high marks in the new U.S. News and World Report rankings, with programs in business, law, engineering, information sciences, nursing, and education listed among the best in the nation.
Three of UT’s overall graduate programs took big steps forward in the lists:
- The Haslam College of Business graduate program is now 29th among public universities, up five spots from last year.
- The College of Law is now 31st among public institutions, up five spots from last year. Its clinical training program ranks 11th.
- The Tickle College of Engineering graduate program is now 33rd among public universities, up three spots from last year. Its aerospace engineering program is 25th and its computer engineering program is 28th. Biosystems engineering, a collaboration with the UT Institute of Agriculture, ranks 21st.
Several of UT’s graduate concentrations are among the top at all public and private universities:
- Nuclear engineering is seventh in the nation.
- Supply chain management is eighth in the nation.
- The School of Information Sciences in the College of Communication and Information is 17th in the nation.
“Having strong graduate programs is key to our success as a top research university,” said Chancellor Beverly Davenport. “We provide students, across all disciplines, an opportunity to participate in research alongside some of the country’s most recognized faculty who are addressing some of the world’s greatest challenges.”
Deans of the colleges with programs that saw the largest rise in rankings agree, crediting ranking gains to stellar faculty as well as a mix of classroom learning and hands-on experiences that prepare graduates for their careers.
“Our ranking is a tribute to the overall quality of our MBA class and the value that the Haslam School of Business is able to provide in terms of analytical skills and career readiness,” said Stephen L. Mangum, Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair and dean of the Haslam College of Business. “These factors are leading to quality postgraduate placements for our students upon graduation. We are pleased to see that corporate recruiters and our peers recognized these positive movements.”
Wayne Davis, dean of the Tickle College of Engineering, said, “We are seeing some of the gains from our investment in additional high quality faculty. We are very pleased to see those efforts being reflected in the increased ranking.”
Melanie Wilson, dean of the College of Law, said students get a great law education at an “incredible value” at UT.
“Our faculty are accomplished scholars and passionate teachers whose dedication to their students extends beyond the classroom,” she said. “We offer opportunities for world-class clinical training and the promise of meaningful legal employment after graduation, and we work tirelessly to foster a welcoming and intellectually engaged community. I’m pleased that this year’s ranking recognizes those values.”
Also in the U.S. News 2018 rankings, the College of Nursing graduate program ranks 30th among all public universities and the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences graduate program ranks 47th among all public universities.
U.S. News ranks some programs annually and others on varying year-to-year cycles. The School of Art’s graduate printmaking program is second in the nation and its Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is 15th among all public universities. Both programs are based in the College of Arts and Sciences.
U.S. News sent statistical surveys to administrators at more than 1,970 graduate programs and compared them with reputational surveys of more than 16,500 academics and professionals.
For the full 2018 graduate rankings, visit the U.S. News and World Report website. U.S. News and World Report also features the material in its Best Graduate Schools 2018 publication, available in bookstores April 11.
—
CONTACT:
Karen Simsen (865-974-5186, karen.simsen@tennessee.edu)