April 15, 2005 - Today's Other News Items

UO Graduate Programs Among the Best

The University of Oregon's graduate programs continue to be highly ranked and are among the most productive in the nation, according to the U.S. News & World Report annual survey of top graduate programs released on Friday, April 1.

Overall, the UO College of Education is again among the top six public graduate institutions of education in the nation, as listed in the magazine's 2006 edition of "America's Best Graduate Schools." For the sixth consecutive year, the UO special education program is ranked third in the nation.

In addition, the UO College of Education received more than $25 million in external funding-almost $500,000 per faculty member-placing it in the top three in the country for productivity for the last four years, according to John Moseley, UO senior vice president and provost.

"The college also gained significant increases in the quality assessments by its peers, by school superintendents and in the quality of the admitted students," Moseley said.

The MBA program at the university's Charles H. Lundquist College of Business maintained its position as a strong program that continues to be the only one in the state to make the rankings. The UO MBA program is among just six public colleges of business ranked on the West coast.

The magazine surveys a number of law specialties, and two UO law programs are ranked among the best this year. The environmental law program, one of the first to be established in the United States, is ranked third among those at the nation' public law schools and seventh overall. The law school's dispute resolution program, founded only five years ago, is already listed as the fourth best public program and 13th overall. Once again, the UO School of Law has placed in the top 50 in national reputation among peer institutions, lawyers and judges.

"These rankings are a remarkable achievement, given today's budgetary constraints and lack of adequate state funding for these programs," Moseley says. "All of the other programs of comparable rank and productivity are substantially better funded." Moseley points out that top-rated graduate programs are an example of how the university enriches Oregon's economic and cultural landscape.

"These programs reflect the quality of the contributions the UO makes to Oregon. Overall, the UO returns about $10 to the state's economy for every $1 of state investment," he says.

The biological, physical and earth sciences and professional programs in journalism, architecture and music are not ranked in this edition of the survey.

For more news on university people, events and programs, you're invited to read the current issue of Inside Oregon, the official e-newsletter for UO faculty, staff and graduate teaching fellows.