VCU news

By Brian McNeill

Ten Virginia Commonwealth University graduate school programs were ranked in the top 50 in the country and two were ranked in the top 10 in the 2023-24 U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings published today.

With the addition of the latest rankings, 31 graduate schools and programs at VCU are ranked among the country’s top 50. Not all program areas receive updated rankings each year.

“VCU’s uncommon focus on access, excellence and impact is delivering impressive results, and these rankings are just the latest indication of that success,” said Fotis Sotiropoulos, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “I’m especially proud that these elite rankings are highlighting programs responsive to society’s highest-demand fields and professions, and I applaud the faculty members and program leaders whose dedication and hard work in serving our students make VCU such an unstoppable institution.”

The health care management program of the VCU College of Health Professions was ranked No. 3 in the U.S. and No. 1 in Virginia. The rehabilitation counseling program of the College of Health Professions was ranked No. 6 in the U.S. and No. 1 in Virginia.

“Our programs consistently deliver academic excellence while preparing students to become future leaders and skilled professionals in health care,” said Susan Parish, Ph.D., dean and Sentara professor of health administration in the College of Health Professions. “I applaud the departments of Health Administration and Rehabilitation Counseling for their extraordinary efforts to provide students with exceptional educational experiences.”

Five programs in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU were ranked in the nation’s top 50. The school’s public affairs program was ranked No. 39 in the U.S., its social policy program was ranked No. 16 in the U.S. and No. 1 in Virginia, its urban policy program was ranked No. 17 in the U.S. and No. 1 in Virginia, its public management and leadership program was ranked No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 1 in Virginia, and its public policy analysis program was ranked No. 36 in the U.S.

“These rankings provide additional evidence of the Wilder School’s national reputation and the unparalleled impacts of our research, public service and career-focused student opportunities,” said Susan Gooden, Ph.D., dean of the Wilder School. “Our exponential growth in the number of top-ranked programs across our school is based on the collective judgement of our national peers that our reputation within the field is first-class.”

In other rankings, the nuclear engineering program of the VCU College of Engineering was ranked No. 21 in the country. The VCU School of Education was ranked No. 27. And the master’s degree program of the VCU School of Nursing was ranked No. 41.

The new rankings are just the latest recognitions of VCU by U.S. News and World Report. In November, it ranked VCU among the best global universities. And in September, it ranked VCU as one of the 30 most innovative public universities in the U.S.