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University of Utah Rising In U.S. News Rankings


March 30, 2007 — The latest issue of U.S. News & World Report/America’s Best Graduate Schools shows that programs at the University of Utah are on the rise. And once again the U has, by far, the most programs recognized of any Utah university appearing in the annual rankings.


The College of Engineering moved up in the rankings this year compared to last. The school came in at 55th up from its 58th place showing last year. Dean Richard Brown says his program is seeing the results of broad backing. “We appreciate the State of Utah, private donors, and the University administration for facilitating this growing recognition with their strong support. The faculty and students of the College of Engineering should be proud of their accomplishments, which are the basis our reputation,” said Dean Brown.


The U’s Health Sciences Center always shows well in the U.S. News rankings. This year, the Medical School is ranked 49th in the nation for research, up one spot, and the school is ranked 45th for primary care. It also received recognition for Pharmacy, its Physician Assistant program, Nursing, and Nursing-Midwifery, ranking 14th, 4th, 47th, and 8th respectively.


U.S. News also recognized the long tradition of excellence of the U’s Master of Public Administration program, which the publication ranked 46th in the category of Public Affairs. Steven Ott, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science says 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 enjoys national and international reputations, publishing regularly in the best journals in the field and writing widely read books and monographs,” said Dean Ott.


The College of Education also improved this year, ranking 69th overall, up one spot from a year ago. Interim Dean Ted Packard credits the school’s teachers. “It is a testament to the abilities of our outstanding faculty. As was recently noted by another set of new rankings, two of our departments are ranked among the top 10 nationally based on actual research productivity (Special Education and Educational Psychology). We believe this is the true measure of academic success,” said Dean Packard.


The David Eccles School of Business is ranked 63rd in the nation, holding steady from last year. Dean Jack Brittain explains that others are taking notice of improvements to the program. “We have hired top faculty from around the country and added more interdisciplinary programs for our students. The rankings showcase our ability to deliver the world-class education for which we are known,” said Dean Brittain.


The S.J. Quinney College of Law also held its place among the nation’s top tier law schools, ranking 57th for the second straight year. The College of Law has been ranked in the top tier of law schools every year since the rankings began.


The University also did very well in the sciences of Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology ranking 35th, 36th, and 58th respectively.


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.


For a complete listing of the rankings in the U.S. News & World Report/America’s Best Colleges, visit http://www.usnews.com.