UT Graduate Programs Among Best in Nation

U.S. News and World Report has recognized several UT colleges and programs in its 2020 graduate school rankings, which were released today.

Three UT colleges ranked in the top 30 among public institutions:

• The College of Social Work rose three spots and is now ranked 22nd.
• The Haslam College of Business is ranked 29th.
• The College of Law climbed four spots and is now ranked 30th.

“These rankings confirm the University of Tennessee’s commitment to excellence in graduate education as the state’s premier public university and its flagship higher education institution,” said Provost David Manderscheid. “Since we are a Carnegie tier one research university, our graduate students learn from the best faculty, drive innovation, solve complex societal issues, and support UT’s research mission.”

Graduate school rankings among all public universities

Other colleges ranked in the top 50 among public institutions: the Tickle College of Engineering is 31st, and the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences is 49th.

Eleven disciplines from across UT made the cut as being among the top 35 programs in their field, public or private:

• The Haslam College of Business’s supply chain management program rose three spots to 4th among publics and rose five spots to 5th overall.
• The Tickle College of Engineering’s nuclear engineering program rose one spot to 6th among publics and 7th overall; materials engineering rose 14 spots to 24th among publics; its aerospace-aeronautical-astronautical program is 28th among publics; and computer engineering is 30th among publics. The college also hosts a biosystems engineering and soil science department, which is run by the Herbert College of Agriculture. That program is 25th among publics and 26th overall.
• The College of Law’s clinical training program ranked 10th among publics and rose one spot to 19th overall; the legal writing program ranked 18th and the trial advocacy program ranked 16th among publics.
• The College of Nursing’s master’s program jumped 20 spots and is now ranked 20th, and its doctoral program in nursing practice is 35th.

“I am proud to see so many of our graduate and professional programs across a wide range of disciplines recognized once again for their excellence,” said Dixie Thompson, dean of UT’s Graduate School. “The rankings are important because the reputation of our programs is critical in continuing to bring exceptionally talented students to the university.”

About U.S. News and World rankings

In late 2018 and early 2019, U.S. News sent statistical surveys to administrators at more than 2,000 graduate programs and compared them with reputational surveys completed by more than 22,000 academics and professionals to derive the rankings.

While U.S. News ranks programs in business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and nursing every year, other programs are ranked only every few years.

For those older rankings as well as the full 2020 graduate rankings, visit U.S. News and World Report. The rankings also will be included in the 2020 edition of Best Graduate Schools, an annual U.S. News publication typically available in bookstores in April.

Messages from our deans

Mark Dean, interim dean and John Fisher Distinguished Professor, Tickle College of Engineering: “While our rankings have hovered around 30 for the past few years, the rise in our peer score shows that the news about the good things we continue to do has impressed our peers at other engineering colleges. The strength of our metrics is a sign that we are in a good position.”

David Dupper, interim dean, College of Social Work: “Being recognized by U.S. News and World Report shines a spotlight on the excellence of our faculty, staff, and students. All of our academic programs incorporate cutting-edge research, a focus on critical thinking, and real-world applications to provide our students with an excellent educational experience. Our college is grounded in our commitment to social justice, serving diverse and vulnerable populations, building knowledge by conducting groundbreaking research that focuses on solving social problems, and engaging with our communities through meaningful service.”

Stephen L. Mangum, dean and Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair, Haslam College of Business: “The gains in our supply chain program rank reflect both its curricular strength and acknowledgement by both higher education and industry of our position as thought leaders in the field. Other ranking entities place our graduate supply chain programs at second in the nation (Gartner) and our research output as first in the nation (Transportation Journal). Consequently, we expect that rankings such as U.S. News will continue this upward trend going forward.”

Victoria Niederhauser, dean, College of Nursing: “The College of Nursing continues to move up in the rankings, which holds true to the advancement of our research funding and our unwavering commitment to excellence within our programs. As we continue to integrate education, practice, research, and technology, we progress in our mission to improve health for all.”

Bob Rider, dean, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences: “The Graduate School of Education prepares students to make a difference in the world. This ranking just further supports the value of a rigorous curriculum, experiential learning, and our commitment to teacher preparation, child and family studies, educational psychology and counseling, and educational leadership and policy studies.”

Melanie Wilson, dean and Lindsay Young Distinguished Professor, College of Law: “We are extremely pleased that our clinical program continues to be recognized as one of the strongest programs in the country. It’s indicative of the talented faculty in the program and their ability to prepare students so well to represent clients after graduation.”

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CONTACT:

Tyra Haag (865-974-5460, tyra.haag@tennessee.edu)