UA graduate programs improve national rankings

FAYETTEVILLE – Three separate graduate programs at the University of Arkansas garner national recognition for their rankings among top tier institutions noted in U.S. News and World Report’s annual review of Best Graduate Schools.

“The graduate programs at the University of Arkansas play a vital role in our mission to meet the educational, economic and social needs of our state, and our faculty and deans have worked diligently to make them among the best in the country,” said Chancellor G. David Gearhart.

The graduate education programs in the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas rose 21 spots from a year ago to rank No.106. The college's graduate education programs debuted on the U.S. News list two years ago at No. 141.

“This rapid, upward movement indicates we are making positive strides that benefit our students and, ultimately, K-12 education throughout Arkansas and beyond,”said Tom Smith, dean of the college.

The rankings are based in part on factors such teacher/student ratios, the amount of research funds generated by faculty, enrollment in the college and assessments by both peer institutions and school superintendents nationwide.

Best Graduate Schools ranked the Walton College full-time M.B.A. program 25th among public institutions and 51st overall among public and private colleges and universities. The Walton College part-time program moved up from 29th to 25th in this year’s rankings of programs at public institutions and from 50th to 47th among part-time programs at public and private institutions.

For the M.B.A rankings, U.S. News drew on factors that included assessments by peers and corporate recruiters, employment rates for students after graduation, and the average starting salaries and bonuses that graduates received.

For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Arkansas School of Law is ranked in the top echelon of law schools in the nation. The School of Law tied for 44th place among public law schools and No. 89 overall.

“Our law school performs well relative to peer institutions, particularly in light of the excellent economic value we provide to our students,” said Stacy Leeds, dean of the School of Law.

The U.S. News ranking methodology includes a peer assessment score, an assessment by lawyers and judges, student/faculty ratio, post-graduation employment rates, bar exam passage rates and other measures.