The graduate program in nuclear engineering at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville has risen to fifth place among all universities in the country, according to the 2015 U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings released last week.
Nuclear engineering ranked sixth in the nation in last year’s list. In a press release, the University of Tennessee said it’s one of the college’s fastest growing graduate programs.
The College of Engineering’s overall graduate program also climbed to 36th among all public universities, moving up three spots since last year, the UT press release said.
UT’s supply chain management and logistics graduate program held steady at seventh place among public universities and 11th place nationally, the same as last year.
“World-class graduate education is one of the goals of our journey toward the Top 25,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek said. “These graduate programs are excellent examples of the success that comes with our commitment to this goal, and we are pleased to see them recognized in this way.”
Graduate programs in law and education ranked among the Top 50 public institutions this year. The College of Law ranked 38th among public institutions, and its clinical training specialty ranked 10th among public institutions. The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences ranked 48th among public colleges and universities.
U.S. News compared more than 1,350 graduate programs at public and private institutions for this year’s rankings. The rankings are based on opinions from experts about program excellence and on statistics that measure the quality of a school’s students, faculty and research, the UT press release said.
“We’re certainly pleased with the continued rise in recognition for and awareness of all that we have to offer here in the College of Engineering,” said Dean Wayne Davis. “To see our Department of Nuclear Engineering be recognized as one of the top five in the country—public or private—really is a special moment.”
The nuclear engineering department has grown graduate enrollment by 66 percent in the last five years and is now the second-largest program in the U.S. in enrollment. The college’s graduate specialties in computer engineering, industrial and systems engineering, and mechanical engineering all rose in the rankings as well, the press release said.
“This recognition of our supply chain management and logistics program honors the commitment of our faculty to stay ahead of the curve in the research and instruction that drives business and innovation,” said Steve Mangum, dean of the College of Business Administration. “We are pleased to rank in the top ten publics and will continue to strive toward excellence in graduate education.”
Several other UT graduate programs rate among the best in the country. U.S. News ranks some programs yearly and others on varying year-to-year cycles.
The School of Art’s printmaking program is ranked third nationally and its overall Master of Fine Arts program ranks 22nd among public universities. The College of Communication and Information’s Information Science graduate program is ranked 14th among all public universities and 17th across the nation. The College of Arts and Sciences’ English graduate program is ranked 46th among public schools. The College of Nursing’s graduate program in nursing anesthesia is ranked 26th nationally and 14th among public universities.
For the full 2015 graduate rankings, visit the U.S. News and World Report website at http://www.usnews.com/rankings. U.S. News and World Report also will feature the material in its annual “America’s Best Graduate Schools” guidebook, the release said.
