VCU news

By VCU News staff

Nine Virginia Commonwealth University programs earned top-50 rankings nationally in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools list, released Tuesday. Based on the latest rankings, VCU has a total of 23 graduate programs ranked in U.S. News’ top-50 programs in their fields.

The VCU College of Engineering’s nuclear engineering program rose two spots to reach No. 20 in the new rankings.

“This ranking by U.S. News and World Report gives VCU College of Engineering much to celebrate. Our nuclear engineering graduate program ranks No. 20 in the nation, an outstanding achievement,” said Barbara Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the College of Engineering. “Similarly, our mechanical and biomedical engineering programs are ranked among the best graduate programs, with biomedical engineering celebrating its third consecutive year on the list.”

VCU’s School of Education moved up one spot from last year to No. 25 in the Education: Overall rankings. VCU’s School of Social Work (No. 28) retained a top-30 ranking among social work programs in the country and was the only Virginia-based social work program to rank in the top 50.

The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs rose to No. 35 among public affairs graduate schools (up from No. 38). The school’s public management and leadership program climbed five spots to 29th nationally (previously No. 34).

The School of Nursing’s master’s program is ranked 34th nationally, while its Doctor of Nursing Practice program rose to No. 35 (previously No. 38).

VCU School of Medicine’s biostatistics doctoral program ranked 44th, the only Virginia biostatistics program in the top 50. This year marks the first time that U.S. News has ranked biostatistics doctoral programs as a stand-alone ranking. The school also moved up to No. 48 in the Medical Schools: Primary Care category.

Online graduate program rankings, announced separately earlier this year, also resulted in top marks for VCU, including a No. 9 ranking in nursing administration programs.

Not all program areas receive updated rankings each year. Among VCU’s ranked programs in previously updated listings are nurse anesthesia (No. 1), fine arts: sculpture (No. 1), fine arts: printmaking (No. 2), rehabilitation counseling (No. 4) and health care management (No. 5).

Learn more about VCU’s rankings on the university’s facts and rankings page.