KU graduate programs post big gains in U.S. News rankings

LAWRENCE – University of Kansas graduate programs posted big gains in the 2015 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools.”

Every ranked specialty in the School of Engineering rose, including aerospace engineering, which is now the top-ranked aerospace program in Kansas. The School of Medicine jumped 15 spots overall in both primary care and research, while the schools of Law and Business also posted double-digit overall gains.

The School of Education’s special education program maintained its top spot among public university programs, and the school itself also rose five places into the top 10 among public university programs. Meanwhile, the School of Public Affairs and Administration in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences holds the top overall ranking in city management and urban policy.

“Our mission as Kansas’ flagship university is to educate the leaders and professionals the state needs to grow and prosper. Raising the quality and stature of our graduate programs is key to that mission, and is also central to achieving the university’s bold aspirations,” Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said.

“Of course, rankings are just one measure, and our ultimate success will be judged by how well we serve the people of Kansas. These rankings show that we’re on the right track, especially in disciplines vital to the future of the state,” she continued.

In the latest rankings, KU has 10 programs ranked in the top 10 among public universities and 43 ranked among the top 50.

KU graduate programs ranked in the top 50 nationally among public universities:

1.      City Management & Urban Policy²
1.      Special Education³
2.      Occupational Therapy⁴
3.      Public Management Administration²
4.      Public Affairs²
5.      Clinical Child Psychology⁵
6.      Speech-Language-Pathology⁶
7.      Audiology⁷
9.      Physical Therapy⁸
10.    School of Education⁹
12.    Medicine - Family Medicine¹⁰
12.    Nursing-Midwifery¹¹
12.    Public Finance & Budgeting¹²
15.    Printmaking¹³
15.    Social Work¹⁴
17.    Clinical Psychology¹⁵
17.    Medicine - Primary Care¹⁶
20.    Pharmacy¹⁷
21.    Nursing-Anesthesia¹⁸
22.    Healthcare Management¹⁹
23.    Psychology¹⁵
24.    Nursing²⁰
27.    Aerospace Engineering²¹
27.    History²²
31.    Political Science²³
32.    Medicine – Research²⁴
36.    Electrical Engineering²⁵
36.    English²⁶
37.    Chemical Engineering²⁷
37.    Earth Sciences – Geology²⁸
37.    School of Law²⁹
38.    Biological Sciences (see: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology³⁰ and Molecular Biosciences³¹)
38.    Computer Engineering²⁵
38.    Fine Arts³²
41.    Mathematics³³
42.    Civil Engineering³⁴
42.    Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering³⁴
43.    Sociology³⁵
44.    Chemistry³⁶
44.    Mechanical Engineering³⁷
45.    Economics³⁸
47.    School of Business³⁹
49.    Part-time MBA⁴⁰

Additionally, in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of online programs, KU’s nursing master’s degree program ranks 17th among public university programs.