Tech graduate engineering program ranked higher than last year

The annual graduate school rankings from U.S. News & World Report are out for 2012, and Michigan Technological University has good news from them.

Tech's College of Engineering moved up one place from last year, now ranked overall 85th instead of 86th. The ranking was for the college's graduate engineering program in general.

"The initiatives that are currently underway are beginning to pay off and will hopefully lead to even higher rankings in the future," says engineering graduate school dean Jacqueline Huntoon. "I am also happy to see that the rankings of four of our programs remain in the top 50 again this year. We face strong competition and are holding our own."

Four of Tech's graduate engineering specialty programs also were ranked in the list, and made it to the top 50 nationwide for the second year in a row.

The environmental engineering program was ranked 28th in the nation, while the materials science and engineering and mechanical engineering and engineering mechanics programs each ranked 48th. Finally, the civil engineering program ranked 49th. Those rankings all were the same as last year.

The rankings are based on statistical indicators of excellence like faculty quality, GRE scores, student-faculty ratio, research, enrollment and degrees granted, as well as analysis from deans, program directors and senior faculty. Not all fields of graduate study are ranked every year in the reports.

Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Jacqueline Huntoon, Michigan Technological University
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