University of Utah Blankets U.S. News Rankings

The latest issue of U.S. News & World Report’s 2009 edition of America’s Best Graduate Schools ranks programs at the University of Utah 28 times, far more than any other school in Utah.

The S.J. Quinney College of Law moved up among the nation’s top tier law schools, ranking 51st. This amounts to a jump of six spots over the year before. The College of Law has been ranked in the top tier of law schools every year since the rankings began.

“Rankings are of instrumental importance as a rough proxy of value used by applicants, peers, donors, and employers,” said Hiram Chodosh, dean of the S.J. Quinney College of Law. “However, at the same time, rankings do not shape our institutional values and commitments.”

“We have an extraordinary school, one deeply rooted in rich traditions and simultaneously reaching new heights,” Chodosh continued. “We are dedicated to making a difference in the world through training the next generation of leaders, raising and helping to solve the critical issues of our time, and finding innovative ways to serve our local, national, and global communities. We have achieved so much, and can still do so much more. So if we take any pride and excitement from a boost in the rankings, let’s be sure to channel it into what matters most.”

The U’s Health Sciences Center always shows well in the U.S. News rankings. This year, the Medical School is ranked 50th in the nation for research and 31st for primary care, moving up a total of 14 spots. It also received recognition for pharmacy (16th), its physician assistant program (4th), nursing (47th), nursing-midwifery (8th), audiology (36th), clinical psychology (57th), occupational therapy (65th), physical therapy (19th), and rehabilitation counseling (15th).

U.S. News also recognized the long tradition of excellence of the U’s Master of Public Administration program, which the publication ranked 51st in the category of Public Affairs. Steven Ott, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science cites that and the number-10 ranking of the non-profit management program as reasons the MPA Program is recognized as a premier program for public servants and leaders of nonprofit organizations. “Our alumni are employed in hundreds of agencies and nonprofit organizations all over the United States and the world. The faculty has top-notch national and international reputations,” said Dean Ott.

Other University of Utah programs fared well in the rankings. The College of Engineering was ranked 59th in the nation, tying it with Michigan State University.

The College of Education was ranked 73rd overall this year, tying it with the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

The university also did very well in the sciences, securing rankings in mathematics (33rd), chemistry (36th), biology (58th), computer sciences (39th), Earth sciences (43rd), and physics (56th). Newly ranked this year by U.S. News is the University of Utah graduate program in fine arts, coming in at number 106. The U was also recognized for programs in social sciences and humanities. Its English program ranked 72nd and psychology came in at 107.

Each year, U.S. News ranks school programs in business, education, engineering, law, and medicine. From time to time, other programs are also surveyed and ranked. U.S. News says its rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinion about program quality and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research, and students.
Highlights of the graduate school rankings are scheduled to be published in the April 7-14 edition of U.S. News & World Report magazine, available for newsstand purchase beginning Monday, March 31.The America’s Best Graduate Schools guidebook goes on sale Tuesday, April 1. For more information, visit http://www.usnews.com/.