Texas A&M graduate, professional programs earn high rankings

This story originally appeared on Texas A&M Today.

By Texas A&M University Graduate and Professional School and Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications 

Texas A&M University graduate and professional education has been recognized in the 2023-24 U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, released today.

This year’s Best Graduate Schools rankings evaluated programs including business, education, engineering, law, medicine, public affairs, public health, science and veterinary medicine.

Five of Texas A&M’s colleges/schools placed programs in the top 10 in these seven categories. Overall, the university has over 40 programs ranked in the top 50, with a host of programs maintaining strong positions, several making significant moves and one college achieving an all-time high.

Most notably, the School of Law broke into the top 30 for the first time at No. 29, a momentous accomplishment, say school officials, given that Texas A&M only acquired the School of Law in 2013. Over just the past four years, the law school has risen 54 spots from its No. 83 position in the ranking’s 2020 edition. Among its programs, dispute resolution and intellectual property law placed in the top 10. The school also had two programs see significant jumps in the rankings, with legal writing climbing 18 spots to No. 32 and environmental law improving six spots to No. 32.

“The first thing I did as chancellor was to acquire this law school. At the time it was unranked and has now risen in the rankings faster than any law school in history,” said John Sharp '72, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “We won’t stop until it is ranked in the top 10 in America. Congratulations to Dean Ahdieh, his faculty and staff, and the students.”

Texas A&M Health also saw gains in its School of Medicine primary care program, and overall is up more than 50 spots from last year to No. 44.

A&M’s highest-ranking graduate programs are petroleum engineering and nuclear engineering, which hold the nation’s No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. Nationally, the College of Engineering ranks at No. 10 and also boasts top 10 programs in agricultural engineering and industrial engineering. Civil engineering is up eight spots from last year to No. 14.

“Rankings are one of many metrics used to determine the success of our programs,” said Texas A&M President Dr. M. Katherine Banks. “Our investments in graduate education have positioned Texas A&M among the nation’s best universities.”

Other highlights include the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in at No. 10 nationally. The College of Arts and Sciences placed two programs in the top 10, with inorganic chemistry and nuclear physics placing No. 5 and No. 7, respectively. Another top mover was the School of Education and Human Development’s program in educational psychology, which rose six spots to No. 16.

Robert B. Ahdieh, vice president for Professional Schools and Programs, dean of the law school and Anthony G. Buzbee Endowed Dean’s Chair, is both reflective and proud of the school’s achievements.

“Recent critics of rankings aren’t wrong to raise questions about how much they reveal – at the narrowest level. The broad trajectory of progress in Texas A&M Law’s ranking in recent years, however, reflects real progress,” Ahdieh said. “Today’s ranking announcement demonstrates the benefits of a concerted focus on the core elements of excellence in legal education: the recruitment of world-class students and faculty, investment in a high-quality educational program and a single-minded commitment to student success on the bar exam and in the employment market.”

The U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools ranking is designed to assist prospective students looking to further their education beyond college. Two types of data are used to determine the rankings, according to U.S. News: expert opinions about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students.

View the full rankings at www.usnews.com/grad.

Learn more about Texas A&M’s graduate and professional programs at grad.tamu.edu.

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