Several of the university’s graduate programs are once again ranked in the top 50 according to the latest issue of “America’s Best Graduate Schools” published by U.S. News & World Report. UGA’s College of Education is ranked in a tie at 21st, the School of Law is tied at 34th and the Terry College of Business is tied at 46th.
“It is always pleasing when the academic programs at the University of Georgia are recognized for their excellence,” says UGA President Michael F. Adams. “Graduate education is an increasingly critical part of UGA’s mission and the economy of the state of Georgia. Graduate students play an important role in the UGA research program which generates hundreds of millions of dollars for Georgia, and holders of graduate and professional degrees are well positioned to succeed in the knowledge economy.”
Maureen Grasso, dean of UGA’s Graduate School, agrees.
“These rankings reflect the high quality of work we’re engaged in and our commitment to superior graduate education,” she says. “We are delighted with this acknowledgement as we continue to promote innovative research and prepare future leaders.”
UGA’s College of Education rose from 27th last year to 21st this year. The university’s graduate programs in education are ranked among the top 14 public universities in the nation and second only to the University of Virginia in the South.
“Our rise among the top 20 public research schools of education in the nation is a tribute to the excellence and hard work of both our faculty and students,” says Dean Louis Castenell. “It is gratifying that in an increasingly competitive field, we are improving in almost every program. More important than rankings, however, is the continuing fulfillment of our mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children and families.”
In specialty programs, six UGA graduate education programs are again ranked in the top 10: elementary education ranked third; vocational/technical education ranked fourth; secondary education ranked fifth; the counseling/personnel services program tied for fifth; higher education administration (the Institute of Higher Education) tied for seventh, up from 20th in four years; and the college’s curriculum/instruction program ranked ninth.
The School of Law moved up two places in the rankings to number 34. School of Law Dean Rebecca H. White says that while she takes all rankings with a grain of salt, she was pleased with the move.
The Terry College of Business maintained its top 50 position in the U.S. News ranking of graduate business programs. Ranked 46th, the business college’s average starting salary and bonus for 2005 M.B.A. graduates improved by more than $7,000-to $75,349-over the previous year.
“We’re always pleased to be counted among the nation’s most highly regarded M.B.A. programs,” says Dean P. George Benson of the Terry College. “Because we’re a very selective program, we’ve recently been able to put in place an extensive personalized leadership development program that includes one-on-one professional coaches for all our students. Larger M.B.A. programs can’t even attempt such offerings. The Terry M.B.A. now delivers both the business expertise that’s expected and the leadership skills and behaviors that companies are telling us they want.”
UGA also ranked 40th among Ph.D. programs in the sciences. In the biological sciences specialties, ecology/evolutionary biology and microbiology tied for eighth.
Not all programs are ranked every year. In 2004, the public administration program in the School of Public and International Affairs was ranked third, and the School of Social Work was ranked 28th overall and third in the South. In 2005, the College of Pharmacy was ranked 22nd.
