Programs retain U.S. News rankings

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Two University of Kansas graduate programs retained number one spots and four moved up in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings released March 30.

The report, “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” surveyed more than 1,200 schools and rated programs using indicators such as opinions from academic experts and program statistics.

Cynthia Powell, U.S. News public relations director, said the report’s purpose was to provide graduate students with information about academic programs, and that the report could be used instead of a university’s marketing literature.

“The decision of what graduate school to go to is one of the biggest financial decisions a person has in his or her lifetime,” Powell said.

The University’s graduate programs in education, petroleum engineering, biological sciences and law moved up since last year’s rankings, and the special education, city management and urban policy programs held steady at number one.

Twenty-four University programs were rated in the top 25 among public universities, several in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Biological sciences at the University ranked 30th this year, up from 56th a year ago.

pullquote

This is quite an accomplishment. It shows we’re certainly getting better in the eyes of those who are doing the rankings.

-Joseph Steinmetz, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dean and professor of biology

Joseph Steinmetz, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dean and professor of biology, said the college was trying to get as many programs as possible into top rankings because it heightened the value of a KU degree.

“This is quite an accomplishment,” Steinmetz said, referring to the University’s biology rating. “It shows we’re certainly getting better in the eyes of those who are doing the rankings.”

Steinmetz said the college had been working to expand its biology department for several years. He said that money from the University’s Tuition Enhancement Program had helped hire faculty for both University biology departments, which are currently searching to fill eight new faculty positions.

Prema Sundaram, Chennai, India, doctoral student in molecular biology, said University biology was strong and hired faculty who brought cutting-edge research and research grants to the University.

“I am definitely glad to be here,” Sundaram said.

Kansan staff writer Nathan Gill can be contacted at ngill@kansan.com.

— Edited by James Pinick

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