UGA graduate programs continue to rank among the best in the nation

University of Georgia graduate programs remained among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 edition of America’s Best Graduate Schools. The School of Law tied for 35th and the College of Education tied for 46th.

“Rankings such as these are satisfying because they are a reflection of the quality of the programs at the University of Georgia,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “As we begin to implement a new strategic plan with a focus on graduate and professional education, we do so knowing that the foundation on which we will expand is strong and the state of Georgia is well-served by these programs.”

Maureen Grasso, dean of the UGA Graduate School said, “UGA’s graduate programs do an outstanding job of preparing our students for success in the 21st century. The excellent teaching and research conducted by our faculty provide our graduates with the knowledge and skills they need to make an impact in our local and global communities as they drive the economic competitiveness of Georgia.”

While coming in at 35th overall on the list, the School of Law is ranked among the top 14 public law schools in the nation and among the top four public schools in the Southeast.

“Rankings continue to provide a snapshot look of an institution and only some of its programming,” School of Law Dean Rebecca Hanner White said. “At Georgia Law, we offer the whole experience—dedicated teachers who are productive scholars, a challenging and varied curriculum, numerous co-curricular opportunities via 12 clinics and four study/work abroad programs, a talented student body and a collegial atmosphere. Our goal, year in and year out, is to provide one of the finest legal educations in the country at an attractive cost.

“Additionally, we are pleased our graduates continue to be prepared for the practice of law as evidenced by the fact that five of our graduates have been selected over the past seven years to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court judicial clerk, the most prestigious appointment a new lawyer can obtain.”

The College of Education ranked 46th overall in a tie with Temple University, but was ranked 32nd among public universities in the nation. The college was ranked 3rd among public universities in the Southeast.

“These graduate program rankings confirm the college’s excellence across a broad range of academic endeavors, from K-12 teacher education to curriculum/instruction to counseling,” said Arthur M. (Andy) Horne, dean and Distinguished Research Professor of the College of Education. “Equally important, however, is what numerical rankings cannot measure: the University of Georgia’s profound commitment to expanding educational opportunities for every student and improving our communities in Georgia and across the nation.”

Among the 10 specialty rankings, five of the College of Education’s programs ranked in the top 10 in the nation: Vocational/technical education ranked second, counseling/personnel services tied for second, secondary education ranked fifth, higher education administration ranked fifth, and elementary education ranked sixth.

The doctor of veterinary medicine program tied for ninth. “We are pleased that the U.S. News and World Report ranking recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine in recent years, reflecting the achievements of our great faculty, staff and students,” said Dr. Sheila W. Allen, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The biological and agricultural engineering program, within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, ranked 12th.

The biological sciences program, within the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, tied for 46th.

The School of Public and International Affairs’ master of public administration degree program continues to be ranked 4th in the nation, and the 2nd best among public universities. SPIA also has four highly ranked specialty programs. Both the specialization in public finance and budgeting as well as the specialization in public management and administration continue to be ranked 2nd in the nation. The nonprofit management specialization is ranked 11th and the public policy analysis specialization is ranked 16th.

Other programs with current rankings include: clinical psychology tied for 33rd, master of fine arts tied for 37th, and psychology tied for 50th.

The rankings, with the methodology, are available online at
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools. Highlights of the graduate school rankings will be published in the Best Graduate Schools 2012 edition book, available April 5.

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UGA 8th in Kiplinger’s annual best value ranking

The University of Georgia is eighth in the latest ranking of the nation’s best values in public higher education by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

The 2011 ranking marks the eighth consecutive year UGA has ranked among the magazine’s top 10 values. The university has been in the magazine’s top 20 every year since the magazine began publishing its best value rankings in 1998.

The rankings appear in Kiplinger’s February 2011 issue and online at www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges. The magazine takes data on more than 500 public institutions and sorts the schools based on quality measures such as the admission rate, test scores of incoming freshmen and graduation rates. To create the list of 100 top values, the magazine then factors in cost data such as tuition, fees and financial aid to come up with a list of institutions that “deliver a stellar education at an affordable price.”

“Schools like these on the Kiplinger 100 list prove graduates can enter the workforce with a great education—and without a huge cloud of debt,” said Kiplinger’s Editor Janet Bodnar.

The magazine notes the average debt at graduation for UGA students is $14,766, the third lowest among top 10 schools. The magazine calculates total annual in-state cost for UGA students at $18,226 and total annual cost for out-of-state students at $36,436. For out-of-state students, the university ranks 19th on the list of 100 best values.

Two other University System of Georgia institutions are in the magazine’s top 100 for in-state students—Georgia Institute of Technology, ranked 16th, and Georgia College and State University, ranked 100th.

The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill tops the magazine’s list for the 10th time. Other institutions in this year’s top 10 are: the University of Florida (2nd), University of Virginia (3rd), College of William and Mary (4th), University of Maryland, College Park (5th), State University of New York at Binghamton (6th), SUNY Geneseo (7th), University of Wisconsin-Madison (9th) and University of Washington (10th).

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Financial Times ranks Robinson Executive MBA 26th in U.S., 78th worldwide

Rankings released by the Financial Times (FT) place the Executive MBA (EMBA) at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business 26th among U.S.-based programs and 78th worldwide.

The rankings, limited to the world’s top 100 programs, are based on program, student and faculty information such as alumni satisfaction and changes in their salaries, faculty and cohort diversity, thought leadership by faculty (research productivity), and international experiences in the program.

In faculty research productivity, based on the number of faculty publications in 45 international academic and practitioner journals, the Robinson College is 26th among U.S.-based programs and 46th worldwide.

The Robinson EMBA is 6th among U.S.-based programs and 33rd worldwide for international course experience, defined as coursework conducted outside the country in which the program is located. A hallmark of the Robinson College EMBA program is its international business residency. Each cohort travels to a host country for an intense immersion experience into business and culture. Past residencies have included study in China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Argentina, Spain, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece and the Netherlands.

According to Dean H. Fenwick Huss, “The FT rankings are indicative of the Robinson College’s stature as a leading resource for global executive education and our faculty’s leadership in advancing the theory and practice of international business.

"Noting that in 2010 the Robinson College was awarded a Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) and that Georgia State was awarded a Confucius Institute," Huss said. “Our ability to offer programs that advance the understanding of international business and global markets will continue to increase.”

Dave Forquer, assistant dean for executive programs, added, “Our position among the best EMBA programs in the world confirms that the Robinson College delivers on our promise to develop global business leaders."

The Robinson College Executive MBA is 17 months in duration. On average, students in the EMBA cohort possess more than 15 years of business experience. The program first made the Financial Times EMBA rankings in 2003 and has been on the list for seven of the past eight years.

For more information about Robinson’s EMBA program please visit http://robinson.gsu.edu/emba. 

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GSU College of Law no. 1 in U.S. and Georgia for value

Georgia State University College of Law was ranked No. 1 in the country for its value, according to National Jurist, a magazine geared to law students. GSU jumped to the top of the pack from fourth last year.

Its top ranking represents a new milestone for the law school, which has earned a national reputation for more than just value since its founding in 1982.

"This national recognition strongly indicates we are succeeding in our core mission: to provide an outstanding legal education that is accessible and affordable," said GSU College of Law Dean Steve Kaminshine.

Brigham Young University and the University of Louisville law schools placed 2nd and 3rd. The only other law school in the state to make the list is the University of Georgia, which ranked 15th.

National Jurist based its selection on criteria including bar passage rates, average student debt after graduation, post-graduation employment rates, and the overall cost to attend. Many of the schools selected for the list are public institutions.

The bar passage rate for first-time takers is above the 90th percentile for almost all the top 20 schools ranked in National Jurist. Georgia State University's law students' bar passage rate is slightly above the 94th percentile, the report said, using data from the American Bar Association.

"Our strong performance on the bar exam is a reflection primarily of the students that we admit," Kaminshine said. "Even though we have no special bar preparation courses, our students consistently perform at the top of the state. We give our students a solid foundation, and they have a strong work ethic."

GSU's lower tuition costs mean students graduate with fewer debts to repay. The rankings looked at schools with post-graduation student debts of below $100,000 and factored in the in-state tuition rates at the top ranked institutions.

The university's location in the heart of downtown Atlanta also aids GSU law students with proximity to jobs. Many go on to work in local offices of international law firms, as well as in federal and state courts, which are at the doorstep of the university.

To qualify for the rankings, GSU law students' employment rate nine months after graduation had to be at least 85 percent of the class or higher.

The National Jurist rankings will be available in the magazine's October issue, and were published in the Fall edition of sister publication, preLaw magazine: http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/prelaw-magazine.

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UGA places in two categories in new Kaplan/'Newsweek' college rankings

The University of Georgia made two top 25 lists in the fall 2010 “Finding the Right College for You” guide released this week by Kaplan and Newsweek.

Earning the 20th spot on the “Most Desirable Large Schools” list and 24th place on the “Stocked with Jocks” list, UGA is one of only a few universities or colleges with more than one rating in the new guide, which seeks to address the real-life concerns that prospective college students have when selecting a school.

To rank large schools, or those with more than 10,000 students, the Newsweek/Kaplan team considered test scores, endowment, student-to-faulty ratio, retention and climate and the quality of the facilities to gauge desirability.

The “Stocked with Jocks” list ranks the best schools for athletes, according to the group’s website. To rank schools, the Newsweek/Kaplan team considered the percentage of students serving on varsity teams, the number of varsity and intramural sports offered on the campus and the amountof money spent on athletics compared to instruction.

The “Finding the Right College for You” guide debuted its college rankings this year, in categories not traditionally found in similar publications. Each of the categories is meant to guide high school students and their parents as they select the right college by covering all the aspects of undergraduate life.

For more information on the rankings, see www.kaplancollegeguide.com.

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UGA ranked among top 20 public universities in U.S. News and World Report's 2011 edition of America's Best Colleges

The University of Georgia is tied for 18th among public universities—up from 21st in 2010—and tied for 56th overall—up from 58th—according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 edition of America’s Best Colleges.

UGA also was listed among 25 national universities with the least debt for 2009 graduates.

“This increase in ranking is attributable to two things: One, the terrific effort by the faculty and staff during times of economic distress; and two, the decisions we have collectively made to invest every available dollar in academic programs and specifically faculty,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams.

The undergraduate program in the Terry College of Business is ranked 28th overall and 16th among public business schools. This year’s ranking marks the 12th consecutive year Terry has been ranked in the top 30. Terry placed two “business specialties” in the top five nationally. Its risk management and insurance program ranked second, and its real estate program ranked fourth.

“The consistency of our placement in the U.S. News ranking is a direct reflection of the quality of students and faculty at the Terry College of Business,” said Dean Robert Sumichrast. “We’re taking another important step to raise the rigor and standards of our undergraduate curriculum this fall, with the adoption of our Foundations First cohort class schedule for juniors starting a business major.”

The 2011 rankings are available on-line at www.usnews.com and highlights of the college rankings will be published in the September issue of U.S News & World Report, available for newsstand purchase Aug. 31. The U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 edition of America’s Best Colleges guidebook will be available Aug. 24.

U.S. News considers several factors in producing the annual ranking. Among those are graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving and peer assessment.

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What the College Rankings Won't Tell You

Congratulations to Kennesaw State University, the only college in Georgia to be given an "A" ranking according to WhatWillTheyLearn.com standards.

/PRNewswire/ -- Responding to the widespread dissatisfaction with traditional college rankings and the growing demand for universities to refocus on undergraduate education and value, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni unveiled today its 2011 college evaluations on WhatWillTheyLearn.com, a day before the release of U.S. News & World Report's college rankings.

The free website evaluates more than 700 colleges and universities based on their general education curricula: the core courses aimed at providing a strong foundation of knowledge. Mel Elfin, founding editor of USNWR's college rankings, praised the website as "an invaluable and unique additional resource for parents" and The Wall Street Journal called its focus on education "admirable."

The website assigns each institution a grade from "A" to "F" based on how many of the following seven core subjects it requires: Composition, Mathematics, Science, Economics, Foreign Language, Literature, and American Government or History. Only a handful get A's, and most do not require college-level courses in many of these critical subjects.

"The crisis in higher education is about more than money--it's about what we are paying for. And when it comes to ensuring graduates possess the basic skills and knowledge they need to succeed, universities are shortchanging students," said ACTA president Anne D. Neal, speaking at the National Press Club. "Since when is do-it-yourself an educational philosophy?"

Key Findings:
-- Colleges and universities have by and large abandoned a coherent
content-rich general education curriculum, thereby allowing students
to graduate with important gaps in their knowledge:
-- More than 60% of all institutions receive a "C" or worse for
requiring 3 or fewer subjects.
-- Nearly 40% don't require college-level mathematics.
-- Less than 5% of colleges and universities require economics.
-- Less than a third require intermediate-level foreign language, a
broad survey class in American government or history, or
literature.
-- Paying a lot doesn't necessarily get you a lot: Average tuition at the
more than 100 "F" schools is $28,200 (2009 figures). At the 16 "A"
schools, it's $13,200.
-- Public institutions are doing a relatively better job of ensuring
students graduate with some of the basic skills and knowledge they
need than private institutions: More than half (52%) of all privates
receive a "D" or an "F" for requiring 2 or fewer subjects, while a
little under half (44%) of all publics receive a "B" or better for
requiring 4 or more subjects.


The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is an independent non-profit dedicated to academic freedom, academic excellence, and accountability. Since its founding in 1995, ACTA has counseled boards, educated the public and published reports about such issues as good governance, historical literacy, core curricula, the free exchange of ideas, and accreditation in higher education. For further information, visit www.goacta.org or www.WhatWillTheyLearn.com.

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Georgia Tech's Graduate Engineering Program Maintains No. 4 Spot

The Georgia Institute of Technology's College of Engineering was ranked No. 4 nationwide for the sixth consecutive year in U.S. News and World Report's annual list of the best American graduate school programs.

In addition to having one of the nation's top graduate engineering programs, 9 of Georgia Tech's 11 programs have again ranked in the top 10, including industrial (No.1), biomedical (No. 2), civil (No. 3), aerospace (No. 4), environmental (No. 5), electrical (No. 6), mechanical (No. 6), nuclear (No. 8) and materials (No. 8). Of particular note, the civil engineering program moved up to No. 3 from last year’s No. 6 ranking.

"These rankings highlight Georgia Tech’s ongoing preeminence in the engineering arena and our growing prominence in the field of business.  The results are a direct reflection of the caliber of our students and faculty," said Georgia Tech President G.P.”Bud” Peterson. “As we move forward, the quality of the people of Georgia Tech will play a key role in defining our future.”

Georgia Tech’s graduate computer science program ranked No. 10 with several of its specialty programs also ranking in the top 10 including artificial intelligence (No. 7), theory (No. 7) and systems (No. 9).  In addition, discrete mathematics and combinations ranked No. 8.

Georgia Tech’s College of Management full-time MBA program was ranked No. 26, while the Institute’s part time MBA program tied with Georgia State University, ranking No. 24.

By Lisa Grovenstein

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Georgia Southern University Named One of Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges by Kiplinger

Georgia Southern University has been named one of the Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges by Kiplinger, a leading publisher of personal finance and business forecasts. This is the second year in a row that Georgia Southern has appeared in the rankings.

“Georgia Southern University remains committed to providing our students with exceptional academic opportunities,” said Georgia Southern University President Brooks Keel. “We are very pleased that Kiplinger has again chosen Georgia Southern as one of the most outstanding values in the country. Now more than ever, it is important for parents and students to know that they are receiving the most for their educational investment.”

Georgia Southern University was one of only four Georgia schools to be ranked in 2010. Kiplinger bases its rankings on outstanding academic quality, affordable tuition and the availability of financial aid. Student/faculty ratios and on-time graduation rates are also factors.

“Record numbers of students continue to apply to Georgia Southern University. We offer a nationally-ranked College of Business Administration and the only College of Information Technology in the Southeast. Our nursing and education programs have been recognized for years as leaders in Georgia,” said Keel. “Our students also have the opportunity to interact with professors and conduct research alongside faculty. This kind of learning experience is one of the many things that makes Georgia Southern unique and helps us to stand out from other colleges and universities in the country.”

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Financial Times ranks Robinson College Executive MBA 23rd in U.S.

Rankings released Oct. 19 by the Financial Times place the Executive MBA (EMBA) program at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business 23rd among U.S.-based programs and 65th globally. Locally, it is the only EMBA offered by a public university to make the list.

The latest rankings, which list 95 schools, are based on a combination of survey results from EMBA graduates who received their degrees in 2007, and data provided by each school that covers increases in salary, international faculty representation, total female faculty and students, and more. Robinson's EMBA first made the Financial Times rankings in 2003 and has been on the list for six of the past seven years.

"We are proud to be recognized among the world's elite Executive MBA programs" said Robinson Dean H. Fenwick Huss. "This ranking underscores Robinson's stature as a leading resource for global executive education. It also is a tribute to the quality of our faculty, staff and students."

Added Dave Forquer, assistant dean of executive programs, "One of the most significant elements of the Financial Times ranking is its survey of EMBA students. Our position among the best programs in the world confirms that we deliver on our promise to develop global business leaders."

Robinson's Executive MBA is an accelerated course of study that allows students to earn their degrees in 16 months. The average Robinson EMBA student has more than 15 years business experience. Classes meet every other week on Friday and Saturday at Georgia State University's Buckhead Center. In addition to its emphasis on leadership, one of the highlights of the EMBA program is an international residency in which students gain a greater understanding of international trade through an immersion in the culture, business climate and business practices of the host country.

Past residencies have included study in India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Argentina, Spain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, the Netherlands and Iceland.

Noted for an emphasis on educating leaders, the Robinson College and Georgia State University have produced more of Georgia's top executives with graduate degrees than any other school in the nation.

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In its New College Rankings, Washington Monthly Magazine Asks 'What Do Institutions of Higher Learning Do for the Country?'

/PRNewswire/ -- As an alternative to U.S. News & World Report's much-criticized college rankings, the Washington Monthly magazine today is releasing its own annual College Guide and Rankings. Whereas U.S. News relies on crude and easily manipulated measures of money and prestige, like alumni giving rates and a vague reputational survey, the Washington Monthly ranks schools based on their contributions to society.

To compile the list, the Washington Monthly's editors gathered reams of publicly available data and settled on three criteria: social mobility, research and service. America's best colleges, the editors reasoned, are those that produce new scientific discoveries and highly trained PhDs, help economically disadvantaged students earn degrees, and emphasize the obligations students have to serve their communities and the nation at large.

The Washington Monthly's unique methodology yields strikingly different results:

-- Only one of the U.S. News top 10 universities -- Stanford -- makes the
Washington Monthly's top 10, while high profile institutions such as
Princeton, Duke and the University of Pennsylvania fail to even crack
Washington Monthly's top 25.
-- Some of the top universities on the Washington Monthly list, like
South Carolina State (#6) and Jackson State (#22), are non-elite "red
state" schools buried in the lowest tiers of the U.S. News list.
-- While all the top 20 U.S. News universities are private, 13 of the top
20 Washington Monthly universities are public.
-- The University of California system grabs the top three slots --
including number-one-ranked Berkeley -- even as the state of
California is slashing higher education funding.
-- Women's liberal arts colleges score well in the Washington Monthly
rankings, with Mount Holyoke, Smith, Bryn Mawr and Wellesley all in
the top 10. Historically black institutions, such as Spelman and
Morehouse, also make strong showings.

"Instead of just measuring what colleges can do for you," explains Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris, "we ask 'What are colleges doing for the country?'"

The Washington Monthly's College Guide and Rankings appear in the magazine's September/October issue. They are also available online at a new College Guide Web site the magazine is launching today, http://washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/. The Web site will be devoted to covering higher education reform, a subject the editors believe will emerge as a major political story in the next decade thanks to average tuition prices that are rising faster than health care costs.

Other stories in the latest issue of the Washington Monthly:
-- "College for $99 a Month": Why the next generation of online education
could be great for cash-strapped students, but catastrophic for
traditional universities.
-- "Pie in the Sky": How Domino's Pizza mogul Tom Monaghan built, and
then destroyed, an elite law school.
-- "Higher Ed's Bermuda Triangle": Vast numbers of students enter
community college remedial classes every year, and are never heard
from again.

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Emory Ranked 17th by U.S. News & World Report

For the 17th consecutive year, Emory University is among the top 20 national universities in U.S. News & World Report's annual "America's Best Colleges," ranking 17th. Emory's Goizueta Business School was 13th in the rankings of undergraduate business programs.

"While external recognition is gratifying, the true measure of a university is revealed in the work of its faculty, staff and students," said Provost Earl Lewis. "Emory is committed to combining its strengths and resources in pursuit of academic excellence in teaching, research and quality of the student experience."

Emory's rankings on the survey's components included 12th place in faculty resources, ahead of Stanford (14th), Johns Hopkins (22nd) and several other highly ranked universities. The faculty resources indicator is mainly derived from faculty compensation and class size distribution.

Emory was ranked 11th in the "Top Up-and-Coming Schools," a list of colleges and universities singled out in a survey of experts as having recently made the most promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty, students, campus or facilities.

Emory also was cited for its economic diversity, ranking 6th among national universities, with 14 percent of undergraduates receiving need-based Pell grants. In 2007, the university initiated Emory Advantage, a program of financial aid to help lower- and middle-income students and families reduce debt during the undergraduate years.

Emory ranked 12th in alumni giving, with an average of 37 percent of alumni contributing to the school over a two-year period.

The rankings appear today at www.usnews.com.

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What the College Rankings Won't Tell You

/PRNewswire/ -- How much will it cost? How is it ranked? And how hard is it to get in? Many college guides and rankings answer these questions. But there is one question that none of them even ask: What will students learn?

A new, free website for parents and students, WhatWillTheyLearn.com, does just that.

Launched today by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, WhatWillTheyLearn.com will be featured in a full-page ad in U.S. News & World Report's 2010 college rankings, which are released tomorrow. The website evaluates colleges and universities based on their general education curricula: the core courses aimed at providing a strong foundation of knowledge.

WhatWillTheyLearn.com assigns each institution a grade from "A" to "F" based on how many of the following seven core subjects it requires: Composition, Mathematics, Science, Economics, Foreign Language, Literature, and American Government or History. Only a handful get A's.

"Employers are increasingly dissatisfied with college graduates who lack the basic knowledge and skills expected of any educated person," said ACTA president Anne D. Neal. "If our students are to compete successfully in the global marketplace, we simply can't leave their learning up to chance. As it is, thousands are paying dearly for a thin and patchy education."

Mel Elfin, founding editor of U.S. News & World Report's college rankings, praised the website as "an invaluable and unique additional resource for parents." "By focusing on what students are getting in the classroom, this new resource highlights what in the long run is far more important than the name of the institution on a graduate's diploma," said Elfin.

ACTA simultaneously released a printed report on general education, also entitled What Will They Learn?, which grades 100 leading colleges and universities in the same manner as the website. The low marks received by many institutions show students are graduating without math, science, and other fundamentals and underscore the urgent need for parents, students, and policymakers to focus on what colleges expect of their students.

How do the 100 colleges and universities fare?

-- 42 institutions receive a "D" or an "F" for requiring two or fewer
subjects.
-- 5 institutions receive an "A" for requiring six subjects: Brooklyn
College, Texas A&M, UT-Austin, University of Arkansas, and West Point.
No institution requires all seven.
-- Paying a lot doesn't necessarily get you a lot: Average tuition at the
11 schools that require no subjects is $37,700. At the 5 schools that
get an "A", it's $5,400.
-- "Flagship" state universities do a markedly better job with general
education (average grade of "C") than the top liberal arts colleges
and national universities (with an "F" average) while charging much
lower tuition and fees.

Which important subjects are not being required?

-- Only 2 out of 100 require economics (University of Alaska-Fairbanks &
West Point)
-- Only 11 out of 100 require American government or history
-- Barely half -- 53 out of 100 -- require mathematics

"This study demonstrates that our colleges and universities have abdicated their responsibility to direct their students to the most important subjects," said Neal. "No eighteen-year-old, even the brightest, should have to determine which combination of courses comprises a comprehensive education. But most colleges are offering nothing more than a 'do-it-yourself' education."

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National Report Gives Georgia Higher Education High Marks for Accountability

Georgia is one of only 10 states in the U.S. commended in a new education report for measuring how well its college students perform, using this tracking data to drive policy decisions and providing the information gathered in a useful format to students, their parents, the news media and others. Education Sector, a Washington-based think tank promoting education reform, analyzed educational accountability systems across the nation at the request of a number of respected education foundations and found varied results in its report, “Ready to Assemble: Grading State Higher Education Accountability Systems.”

Education Sector’s survey, released in June, determined that 38 states have little or no system for measuring learning outcomes, and 36 states have yet to develop a method for linking college funding to performance. Among the reputable major players in the education arena funding the survey were the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Lumina Foundation for Education and KnowledgeWorks Foundation.

“To be clear, we did not evaluate state results in terms of their various higher-education outcomes, but rather the breadth, accuracy and strength of their systems designed to hold institutions accountable for results,” said Kevin Carey, policy director for Education Sector.
“Measuring educational outcomes and reporting the results is critical to improving educational attainment rates,” said Dr. Susan Herbst, the USG’s chief academic officer and executive vice chancellor. “The public cannot call for improvements if it does not clearly and easily know that improvements are needed.”

She added that “Georgia’s good standing in this report reflects all the efforts of the University System of Georgia (USG) and its partners in education, such as the Georgia Department of Education and the Office of Student Achievement (OSA). It really shows the effects of our work with the Alliance of Education Agency Heads (AEAH). We still have work to do, of course, but we’re pleased with our progress to date.”

“The Alliance’s number-one goal is to increase the high-school graduation rate, decrease the high-school dropout rate and increase postsecondary enrollment and success,” said AEAH Director Amy Mast. “Tracking college and career readiness is one of our primary strategies, and the Education Sector report reflects how important it is to report data clearly and ensure it is accessible to students, teachers, parents, board members, policymakers and the public. The strength of our partnership between all seven of the state's education agencies, the Governor's Office and business partners is to prioritize the importance of measuring and reporting education data to show where we are improving and where we need to continue focusing our efforts in Georgia.”

Education Sector measured states in 21 categories of accountability, analyzing any systems that might be in place to assess areas like affordability, degree production, research and scholarship. States that promote or require the use of assessment tools, and take steps to publicize the information, were given the highest marks. Those that had few tools for assessment and did little to spread information were graded lower on the three-grade scale. The highest grade, “Best Practice,” was given to 10 states with well-developed reporting mechanisms, including Georgia. The second ranking, “In Progress,” was given to 27 states that have less complete efforts underway. The lowest score, “Needs Improvement,” went to 13 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, where little is being done in the way of accountability, according to Education Sector.

In addition to giving Georgia an overall “Best Practice” ranking and another for gathering information overall, the report gives both the USG and Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Office of Student Achievement (OSA) high marks for measuring student progression and educational attainment. Georgia was one of only six states to earn the “Best Practice” designation in this category.
The report also commended the USG for measuring and making accessible to the public in a user-friendly way the number of degrees awarded by institution, academic discipline, race/ethnicity and gender, as well as the economic impact of the University System on the state.

In addition, the USG won notice in the report for having developed transparency measures, such as the information portal “USG by the Numbers,” that allow students and others to examine and evaluate these data. USG by the Numbers, along with the USG’s Information Digest, enrollment and degrees-conferred reports and other accountability documents, can be accessed at http://www.usg.edu/usg_stats/.

“Only three states — Texas, Minnesota and Georgia — earned our ‘best practice’ label for developing particularly user-friendly Web sites to transmit accountability information,” Education Sector’s Kevin Carey said. “Minnesota and Georgia have each constructed innovative ways to display information. Georgia’s looks like a scoreboard for a major sport and lets users compare results to state, regional and national averages.”

Georgia’s scorecard in the report contains four “Best Practice” and 12 “In Progress” rankings.

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Ga. Tech Places Eighth in World University Technology Rankings

The Georgia Institute of Technology has maintained its eighth place ranking as one of the world’s top universities in engineering and information technology.

The ranking was announced as part of the U.S. News & World Report’s World’s Best Colleges and Universities released on June 18, 2009. The rankings are based on data from the THE-QS World University Rankings that were produced in association with QS Quacquarelli Symonds, one of the world’s leading networks for careers and education.

Last August, Georgia Tech was rated seventh nationally among public universities for undergraduates in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. For the past decade, Georgia Tech has been among the top ten public universities for undergraduates. In addition, the College of Engineering was ranked No. 4 nationwide for the fifth consecutive year in the publication’s annual list of the best American graduate school programs.

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UGA College of Environment and Design Receives Top Rankings in 2009

The University of Georgia College of Environment and Design's landscape architecture programs again received top national rankings. The bachelor's program was ranked first in the nation, and the master's program was ranked second in the 2009 edition of America's Best Architecture & Design Schools.

This continues a history of high ratings for the programs, which have both placed in the top five for the past five years - as long as landscape architecture programs have been nationally ranked. This is the second time that the bachelor's program has been ranked the best in the country.

Graduates of the College of Environment and Design also placed first in three of seven skill assessments considered in the ranking: sustainable design, security design and computer applications. CED graduates ranked second in two other assessments-analysis and planning and construction methods and materials.

Both the graduate and undergraduate programs offer Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification as part of the curriculum. Only 14 percent of the programs surveyed nationally can match that claim, putting the UGA programs on the cutting edge of sustainable design.

The America's Best Architecture & Design Schools rankings are the design industry equivalent of the U.S .News and World Report college rankings. To produce the rankings, trade publication DesignIntelligence asks employers which schools' recent graduates are best prepared to face the demands of the profession. This means that the high rankings will not only attract students to the college, but also serve as an endorsement for graduating students seeking employment.

UGA's College of Environment and Design is the only college in the United States dedicated specifically to landscape architecture and historic preservation, and features the largest landscape architecture faculty anywhere.

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Smart Money Magazine Re-Ranks UGA #4 After Data Submission Error

An error discovered in data submitted by the University of Georgia to Smart Money magazine has resulted in a re-ranking of the top four universities in the publication’s recent “Best Payback” list. UGA now is ranked fourth in the list on which it originally was placed first based on the inaccurate data. The magazine posted the correction to its website, http://www.smartmoney.com/, this afternoon.

“The data that UGA submitted to Smart Money magazine for this ranking was inadvertently in error, in that it failed to take into account the university’s transition from the quarter system to the semester system in 1998. That error skewed the calculation of the return on investment in a UGA education,” said UGA Vice President for Public Affairs Tom Jackson. “We regret the error and apologize to Smart Money and to the other institutions in the ranking.”

As a result of the re-ranking, the previous #2, #3 and #4 institutions move up to the top three spots, respectively. They are Texas A&M, the University of Texas at Austin, and Georgia Tech. No rankings other than the top four were affected by the data error.

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Financial Times Ranks the Executive MBA Program at UGA's Terry College of Business Among the Top 25 in the U.S. and Top 60 in the World

The Executive MBA program at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business received its highest ranking to date in a global survey published Oct. 27 in the Financial Times, one of the world’s leading business news organizations.

The Terry Executive MBA is ranked 22nd in the United States and 59th in the world, according to the Financial Times’ annual ranking. The Terry EMBA made the most significant improvement of any program ranked the past two years, rising 18 spots in this year’s ranking. Emory’s Goizueta Business School is the only other ranked executive MBA program in Georgia (18th in the U.S., 53rd in the world).

Terry’s “Career Progress” rank was third highest nationally and 13th in the world. This measurement calculates the change in the level of seniority and the size of the company graduates work for now versus the period before they entered the EMBA program.

The average salary reported by graduates three years after completing the program was $153,750, which ranked 19th among U.S. business schools. Similarly, Terry ranked 20th in average salary growth when 2005 graduates were asked to compare their current salaries with their pre-EMBA salaries.

Terry’s Executive MBA program was established in 2001. The program moved to its current location at the Terry Executive Education Center in Buckhead in 2005.

“As a relatively new program in Atlanta, the Terry EMBA is already well known for quality,” said Terry College Dean Robert T. Sumichrast. “Most gratifying in the Financial Times survey were the high scores reported by our EMBA graduates who were asked how their careers had advanced since completing the program and how well they had fulfilled their goals when they set out to get an MBA.”

For the measure “Aims Achieved,” the Terry EMBA ranked 22nd in the world and seventh best in the United States. The “aims achieved” measurement quantifies the extent to which EMBA graduates reported fulfilling their most important goals for pursuing an MBA.

“The Terry EMBA emphasizes personal leadership development and the practical application of management concepts and skills to real business settings,” said Richard Daniels, director of the Executive MBA program. “The rankings illustrate that such an approach creates value for employers and has a real impact on the career trajectory of our participants.”

Now in its eighth year, the Financial Times ranking is compiled using data from two sets of surveys. One is completed by alumni who graduated three years ago from the EMBA programs the Financial Times considered for the ranking. The other survey is completed by the business schools.

The Terry College’s Executive MBA degree is an 18-month program based in Buckhead, geared toward mid-level professionals to senior managers. The format combines weekend class sessions with asynchronous interaction using distance learning technologies. The program offers personalized service, individual leadership coaching, and a 12-day international residency.

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